Noting that elementary school students can learn to resolve basic everyday conflicts without resorting to verbal or physical aggression, this empathy-based program provides a foundation for resolving problems without the intervention of mediators or adults and for providing written documentation of the solution for parents, administrators, and…

Many factors have contributed to the increased pressure on institutions of higher education worldwide to become more cost-effective. In 1990, the International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) launched an international research program on the problems of higher education management at the institutional level to create a knowledge base on…

This action research project evaluated a program for increasing prosocial behaviors of preschoolers, kindergartners, and first graders. Participating were three classrooms of students, one class in each grade level, in a middle class community in a large Midwestern city. The problem of failure to display prosocial behavior was documented among…

This book is part of a series of case studies that demonstrate better ways to educate Ohio's students. The case study is part of the Transforming Learning Communities (TLC) Project, designed to support significant school-reform efforts among Ohio's elementary, middle, and high schools. This report describes the implementation of an innovative…

This report describes principles of community organization that can contribute to sustainable community renewal. Community is composed of social networks which form the community infrastructure. Relationships among people with the same roles are passive; relationships that cross role boundaries are active. Communities that exhibit active…

Italy is a fascinating mixture of the old and the new. On the one hand are its centuries of tradition, and on the other, parts of Italy which would almost qualify as underdeveloped areas. This study on Italy presents aspects of the current educational situation against the background of Italian educational history. Part I, A Survey of Italian…

Offers suggestions and strategies to help improve elementary and middle school science programs. Focuses on three variables important in planning to improve a science program: begin slowly, proceed steadily, and minimize the risk to the people (teachers, administrators, parents) who will be affected by the changes. (Author/JN)

Two cases illustrate an approach that considers characteristics and needs of each situation separately. One case involved the establishment of a new baccalaureate program; the second involved the remodeling of a master's program, undertaken from outside the program, by committee. (MSE)

One reason why teacher education programs are slow to change involves misconceptions about what change entails. Four myths about change are discussed, and strategies for overcoming problems, based on one school of education's experiences with introducing changes to better prepare teachers for mainstreaming, are presented. (PP)

Analysis of universities as organizations, characteristics of academic staff, and universities' change processes suggests why attempts to improve teaching have not been very successful: teaching is very complex; attempts at amelioration are relatively new; the theoretical base is weak; and focus on developing individuals may be inappropriate.…

Education currently is facing unprecedented problems, issues, and dilemmas which will probably increase in the future. Two types of change efforts, first and second order, which may be the most productive in addressing these concerns, are outlined and discussed in the context of short and long term developments within a school of education.…

In this discussion of diffusion in education, innovation theory and various models of the dissemination process are analyzed to point out ways that teacher educators can help improve educational practices. The importance of a strategy for innovation is stressed, and "linkage" is identified as a central contribution of teacher education…

Changes over the past decade have made teaching a more stressful profession. Stress can arise from public attitudes toward the schools, from a school's organizational structure, or from classroom problems. Strategies for coping with different types of stress are given. (PP)

This article synthesizes research on teacher effectiveness, school effectiveness, and organizational change and interprets what the findings imply for staff development in the schools. Nine research-based themes for staff development efforts are outlined. (PP)

The changing environment of higher education (economic conditions, students, the world of work) and its impact on higher education systems, educational programs, student services, faculty, and governance of colleges and universities are discussed. Institutions can reduce negative consequences by anticipating changes and developing strategies for…