Change to a middle school brought some complaints from teachers, parents, and students. A principal describes the forces to maintain the status quo and shares her strategies and solutions. Lists nine factors that illustrate the difference in perspective from the traditional approach of education to one of educating students for the twenty-first…

A study investigated the usefulness of a small-group management process to involve physicians and nurses in analysis of patient mix, practice patterns, and care outcomes and improvement of practice strategies. Eight studies, each on one clinical topic, were undertaken at three hospitals. Significant positive changes were observed in five of them.…

Attributional retraining, the restructuring of an individual's explanations for events in his environment, is proposed as one method of enhancing college student motivation and achievement, particularly for high-risk students. Drawing on previous research and theory, the most promising strategies for using attributional retraining with this…

Staff development programs should be established by using a set of assumptions grounded in research and best practice. The article examines faulty assumptions that guide too many programs, then presents 14 new assumptions that should guide effective practice and successful staff development. (SM)

Describes how an outdoor leadership center changed in response to fiscal restraints by expanding its facilities, diversifying programs to reach both youth and adult clients, and becoming financially accountable. Program changes resulted from three studies that gathered input from program stakeholders and government representatives. (LP)

Highlights some ethical issues that have begun to receive attention in health education and argues for greater emphasis on ethical dimensions in public health policies. Using selected moral principles, the article examines issues of individual responsibility, biases in interventions, societal obsessions with health, and the role of the health…

Traditional assessment of student progress focuses on product and emphasizes only the academic aspects of student development. Teachers are often frustrated by the teach-test-report model, since grades cannot truly reflect a student's progress. A Canadian secondary school teacher's experience with grade-2 cooperative learning helped restructure…

Respondents from 49 state education agencies completed a survey describing state-level implementation of transition services for youth with disabilities. All states used technical assistance and cross-disciplinary training as their primary systems-change strategies and the majority of states viewed these strategies as effective. Relatively few…

Proposes a framework for examining academic careers and illustrates how it can help categorize findings from various research studies. It then discusses how modifications in graduate education and employment practices may affect different aspects of academic careers, giving particular attention to use of part-time and adjunct faculty. (MSE)

Institutional researchers' work to support analysis and decision making can be more valuable if they are trained in group dynamics and facilitation. By practicing these arts, institutional researchers can help college and university decision-makers make decisions that are grounded in the support of institutional constituents. The Step Ladder…

As part of a researcher-teacher professional development group, seven general education elementary teachers in inclusive settings containing students with learning disabilities were taught four reading and writing instructional methods, one for each nine-week grading block. Sustained implementation during the school year was maintained by four of…

A University of Georgia study investigated the effectiveness of a Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) intervention program on pharmacy student attitudes toward providing care for infected patients. Results of pre- and posttests with 290 students indicated that the program was successful in improving student…

Argues that an adaptive-generative development framework, based on constructivist learning principles and knowledge of organizational dynamics, can be helpful in managing the introduction of academic change in higher education institutions. A strength of the model is its capacity to help decision makers identify concerns and engage academics in…

Describes the U.S. Department of Education's new Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration program which gives schools, especially Title 1 schools, the opportunity to compete for funds to sustain comprehensive and coherent reform. Explains the differences between comprehensive reform and programmatic approaches to school improvement, and examines…

Gives brief descriptions and results for three studies funded by the Scottish Office Education and Industry Department (SOEID): "Managing Change in Small Scottish Primary Schools"; "Cost of Pre-School Education Provision"; and "Evaluating Multidisciplinary Education in Health Care." (SAS)