Uses findings from previous studies of teacher work context to hypothesize that some features of the school workplace may contribute to greater parent involvement in urban high schools, especially home-school communication and parent volunteering. Discusses the roles of communal school organization and a context of caring. (SLD)

Uses social work practitioners' (N=15) narrative accounts to identify the evidence they use to decide whether work had "gone well." Results reveal practitioners' preoccupation with causes and reasons for intervention outcomes. Workers held strong views about the complexity and ambiguity of social work evidence, recognizing the interplay of knowing…

Educators and business leaders have wasted precious time and resources looking for external solutions. Giving up the futile search for "silver bullets" is the basic precondition for overcoming dependency and for taking actions that matter. Principals can gain insight from respecting those whom they want to silence, moving dangerously…

Describes the technology education program at Platteville High School (Wisconsin) and its performance-based technology approach. The program includes integrated classes and work-based learning. (JOW)

Describes phases of project-based learning (PBL): diagnosis, data feedback, and organization of learning projects. Compares PBL to other action-based learning methods. Provides four examples of PBL, underpinned by learning network theory. (SK)

Nationwide, widespread application shortages exist for high school principals. A 1998 Association of California School Administrators study of 11 representative districts found that positions went unfilled due to stress, salary, and shortage of qualified candidates. Dealing first with contextual concerns, then with personnel and institutional…

Describes development of the Images Through Metaphor Questionnaire and its application in an investigation of relationships between 162 (Tasmanian) teachers' images of their schools and their perceptions of their work environment as assessed by the School Level Environment Questionnaire. Results revealed a strong relationship between these…

Interviews with 21 school-to-work directors identified barriers to successful transition of minority youth into the work force, including poverty, resistence to change, lack of understanding regarding different cultures, lack of integrated/relevant curriculum, and lack of communication between businesses and schools. Initiatives that assist…

Swedish nurses (n=497) indicated that continuing education enhanced their work satisfaction, extended their competence, and enhanced their self-confidence. Continuing education does not seem to have resulted in increased salaries, more power or authority, or greater influence over the work situation. (SK)

Describes the rise of electronic learning, size of the market, and activities of provider organizations. Depicts the wide range of providers and alliances that are emerging and discusses the need for evaluation measures and quality benchmarks. Contains 32 references. (SK)

A study used a Personal Construct Theory/Repertory Grid approach to examine the work of 12 Welsh primary headteachers. Analysis of thematic work-activity grids suggests principals have a more coherent view of their work (as centered on children and education) than Henry Mintzberg's observational studies portrayed. (Contains 36 references.) (MLH)

Describes the differences between traditional computer-based training (CBT) and electronic learning environments using the principles of activity theory. Concludes that an e-learning environment developed on the principles of activity theory characterizes the workplace because it provides a contextual-community perspective that is lacking in…

A study evaluated an off-site/on-site program for reducing job coach assistance provided for three adults with severe multiple disabilities in a part-time community job. On-the-job assistance was reduced, while the individuals received more traditional day services when not at work. No adverse effects on productivity were observed. (Contains…

Offers insights and themes observed in six restructuring schools studied in 1991-92. Results show that principals' importance varies, sharing of power is fragile, leadership and power are often dispersed, changes in decision-making structures sometimes improve instruction, and power redistribution and shared purpose can foster either increased…

It is time to add another layer to the technical education curriculum, a management of technology capstone. Technical education needs to be closely attuned to changes in the workplace in which technical workers play an increasingly important role. (JOW)