A study analyzed the change in average cost per student and student/faculty ratios of a selection of Victoria (Australia) colleges of advanced education that were involved in 1981-82 mergers. Results are compared to average costs of some colleges not involved in the mergers to discover whether mergers resulted in economies of scale. (Author/MSE)

To determine if initial keyboard training resulted in more effective use of capital investment, two groups were tested: one received keyboard training using a manual typewriter, the other trained in word processing on a computer. Keyboarding was tested before and after and student attitudes were surveyed. Concluded that keyboard training is cost…

The acquisition of multiplication facts by four elementary students with learning disabilities was compared under two instructional delivery formats--teacher directed and computer assisted. All students mastered more facts in the teacher-directed condition. In addition, teachers provided many more opportunities to respond and showed a higher…

A strategy at the University of Virginia to use electronic forms to reduce the size of its data entry operation has led to development of a prototype of an electronic forms system based on World Wide Web technology. The elements of the system, its structure, and its implementation to date are described. (Author/MSE)

Electronic mail is a rich communications medium, but it also presents problems of privacy and efficient use of time. If electronic mail is to be the communication medium of choice in the workplace, it is incumbent on responsible managers and human resources professionals to establish guidelines for its appropriate and productive use. Examples from…

Research on university marketing structures suggests environments without unique market segments result in circular, multi-layered structures; marketing autonomy is directly related to resource control; communication and cooperation among organizational layers is inversely related to resource control; number of autonomous organizational layers is…

Assesses effects of the financial reform of China's basic education system, focusing on issues of structure, resource mobilization, equality, and efficiency. While decentralized funding reforms have succeeded in achieving structural change and resource mobilization, the current system is marked by glaring inequalities and significant…

Argues that higher education is a labor-intensive service industry of independent and mutually jealous units supporting expensive and underused facilities, resulting in vast inefficiency. Paying for college education is a source of increasing distress for families. Colleges argue that the truly needy have better access than ever. Constantly…

Three major forces will alter colleges and universities in the next decade: high student costs, and resulting pressure to cut expenses; new information technologies; and a demand for more attention to student learning. Faculty roles will be restructured to integrate technology, which will have implications for the student's role in the learning…

A review of enrollments, graduates, and costs for Mozambique secondary technical schools and the results of a follow-up employment survey conducted at graduate reunion parties indicate low internal and external efficiency and high unit costs in the technical education system, particularly "basic" technical schools. Three possible types…

Describes one school district's (Wareham, Massachusetts) experience with Reading Recovery, a first-grade program to help low achievers and at-risk readers. In contrast to reports from Reading Recovery staff, an outside evaluation found that the program did not meet expectations and did not produce lasting results. The district concluded that it…

Shows how five key dimensions of efficient production organizations have been applied directly to improving school productivity through a national school reform effort, the Accelerated Schools Project. Substantial productivity gains can be obtained at a marginal cost (less than 1% of the school budget) through transforming schools to improve their…

The study evaluated the impact of two frequencies of collecting data on five severely mentally retarded adults' responsiveness to skill acquisition training programs. Daily versus weekly data collection did not have a differential impact on student progress. The study also examined amount of instructional time required and staff preferences.…

Computers can enhance the efficiency of adult education programs in developing nations through systems analysis, computer-managed instruction, and computer literacy as a tool for economic development. Obstacles include the high rate of illiteracy, costs of technology, lack of trained staff, lack of maintenance, and inadequacies in the…

A discussion of Australia's proposed changes in higher education's administrative structure, resulting in institutional mergers for cost effectiveness, examines the extent to which savings can be expected from these policies and investigates the organizational conditions under which policymakers can use these savings to achieve the higher…