The process of dealing with real world problems often requires solutions that would not be totally acceptable in the world of "pure" scientific research. A systems analytic viewpoint demands that everything possible be done to define the constraints of the system and that the procedures used to construct a model out of imperfect data be specified.…

The purpose of this paper is to propose the combined use of distinct symbol sets to conduct multilevel process (MLP) analysis and to discuss the application of the technique through a case study example. In turn, consideration is given to the meaning of process analysis, the existent technology of representation, proposed new developments, and…

The primary objective of this analysis was to determine the need for, feasibility of, and conceptual design of an automated educational management information system to serve the staff of the Nevada State Department of Education. The analysis was divided into three general procedural tasks: the assessment of information need, data availability…

The primary objective of this study is to develop a systems-oriented analytical framework with which to better understand how formal policies serve as regulatory influences on knowledge production and utilization (KPU) in education. When completed, the framework being developed should be able to organize information about the KPU system and its…

The purpose of the seminar was to find some answers to, and a deeper understanding of the following questions. (1) What is the purpose or are the purposes of higher education? (2) What are the benefits of higher education to the individual and to society? (3) Can the outputs of higher education be named and measured? (4) Where is higher education…

The initial purpose of this project was to demonstrate in four Washington state elementary schools the application of functional analysis of behavior to children who have learning disabilities and social behavior disturbances in the natural school setting. During the development of the project this purpose was broadened to include the prevention…

This paper presents a conceptual framework for the future study and development of new structures for organizing education in metropolitan areas. Intended as a step toward development of general organizational rules, it attempts to (1) refine and reduce to a general rule the concepts of organization, organizational change, and organizational…

The data involved in a program-planned budget may be considered as being a two-dimensional array of numbers as opposed to a single column of numbers in the traditional budget accounting systems. Depending on the complexity of the organization, there may be more or fewer blanks in the two dimensional matrix. In the worst case, items can be squared,…

The purpose of this essay is to discuss some of the practical aspects of getting systems analysis done as a way of getting decisions made; this can complement the formal methods of optimization devised for idealized decision making situations. The emphasis here is on State and Local governments. The use of PPBS at the State and Local levels is…

Section 1 of this report argues the necessity for computers in higher education today, in terms of the objectives of the five systems of post-secondary education in Minnesota. Section 2 covers the present status of computer facilities and activities in Minnesota higher education. Section 3 contains a quantitative analysis of the needs for…

Cost-effectiveness is both a powerful and an often misused technique for analysis. In order to help the educational planner with his problems in achieving a more effective use of educational resources, this paper proposed a method of analysis which is called resource effectiveness. In order for a program to be evaluated properly, both the…

Systems approaches, developed in World War II for military and business operations, have been applied increasingly to educational affairs. Educational systems analysis has received widespread usage in finance and accounting, and has also been successfully applied to information systems, instructional systems development, school design and…

The purpose of this paper is to suggest a comparative morphology of groups which would be applicable to the whole of social scientific research. The key to the morphological classes suggested is not a focus on the group system itself but on its relationship with the next higher system--the group system's environment. The information exchange…

Utilization of the principles of instructional systems development and of educational technology can eliminate the inadequacies of instructional program development by the (usually untrained) teacher responsible. The four military services have created an interservice committee on Instructional Systems Development, which has created an…

The purpose of this project/study was to review the evaluation system presently being used to assess the effectiveness of Peace Corps training activities in Brazil and to modify rating instruments and scales in order to obtain more accurate measurement. This volume, the second of two reports resulting from the project, describes the procedures and…