Explores the relationship between school business officials' perceived job satisfaction and specific categories of job variables (demographics, rewards, functions, and interpersonal relationships). Results show that school business officials are a conventional group dominated by well-paid White males content with their work and committed to their…

Presents a model of teaching as a professional activity. Examines features in the Scottish educational scene that threaten the model: the explicit attack on teacher education, centralist curriculum development, the persistence of restricted professionalism, and the managerialist trend in education. (Author/SV)

Effective school managers need to establish a mutually acceptable mix of teacher autonomy and administrative control. Three types of autonomy distribution (strategic, administrative, and operational) are discussed, along with four strategies to foster professionalism (professional development activities, mentoring, dual career ladders, and project…

As one survey shows, although collegiality within academic departments determined secondary teachers' innovation norms, conceptions of students, sense of subject area, and enthusiasm, teacher commitment and pride are primarily products of district-level influences. Teacher autonomy without strong district professional community, with its…

Documents the process and the results of restructuring the College of Education at the University of New Mexico. The goal is to inform other colleges and universities of these experiences, so that they can anticipate the issues that will arise during the restructuring process. Describes the implementation plan and discusses major questions posed…

School reformers have advocated many changes in roles and relationships that would blur the boundaries between teaching, teacher education, and research. Substantial supports must be built into the system, if people who work in boundary-blurring roles are going to make positive contributions to these very different educational enterprises. (MLH)

Outlines the process by which the government of Alberta (Canada) has compelled educational institutions to accept the introduction of a performance-based funding mechanism in spite of the substantial loss of autonomy the new process entails. Implications of the change are explored, and reasons for it are suggested. (Author/SLD)

This paper describes a study of the extent of teacher-educators' engagement in research and their attitudes and beliefs towards academic autonomy and accountability, in relation to research. The findings from a survey questionnaire and a set of unstructured interviews indicate that at most 25% of faculty at the college are involved in research. It…

This article considers the transmission of knowledge in higher education. It takes the metaphor of the music industry that pre-selects the music people can buy. The sales potential is the leading principle in the selection process. Often the small producer is excluded because his or her music is not of commercial interest. The end-customer does…

The different ways of creating space for teaching writing and for test preparation as well the tension a teacher undergoes of implementing a writing workshop approach within a school context focused on high-test scores are described. The findings suggest maintaining teacher autonomy and surviving the high demands imposed upon teachers.

The purpose of this study is to provide a comparative analysis of whether or not changes in the teaching profession have extended the autonomy and educational responsibilities of teachers. The report consists of six chapters, an annexe and concludes with a synthesis. Chapter 1 deals with the historical and institutional background of the education…

The managerial form of university governance has changed the conditions of academic work in many countries. While some academics consider this a welcome development, others experience it as a threat to their autonomy and to the meaningfulness of their work. This essay suggests a stance in response to the current conditions that should serve…

The Stupski Foundation has focused on the implementation of a comprehensive aligned instructional system as a critical lever for district reform. In the challenging environment of urban education, reforms focusing on only one system component (i.e., assessment, curriculum materials, professional development, resource utilization, regulatory…

This article explores how contemporary professional associations employ discourses of knowledge as a means of promoting professionalism. By analysing policy documents from the Norwegian associations for teachers, nurses, engineers and accountants, we reveal dominant knowledge discourses and discuss how they serve to position the associations in…

For almost two years, a major effort has been under way to redistribute responsibility and authority for ensuring academic quality in higher education among the federal government, accreditors, and institutions. The primary target for these efforts has been the community of federally recognized accrediting organizations, and the primary goal has…