Misjudging the ease of educational-policy implementation is a common planning mistake. A "backward mapping" model, in which policy is informed by specific needs at the lowest level of implementation, was applied to primary school change in India and generated insights about social context, teacher attitudes, training needs, and…

Examines causes, strategies, and dynamics of U.S. excellence-era educational reforms, assessing economic, social, and political reform pressures. Examines major governmental, professional, citizen, and market policies promulgated across three promising, if problematic, reform periods characterized as intensification, restructuring, and reformation…

Over a decade ago New Jersey granted significant financial and operating autonomy to its state colleges. A look back to 1986, when the legislation was being implemented, identifies elements that enabled the successful transfer of responsibilities from the state to the campus. These included three categories of specific autonomies: cash management,…

Interest by a few principals in brain-based learning led to several workshops on best educational practices and the application of neuroscience to teaching methods. Consequently, their entire Ontario school district became energized to learn about new teaching strategies. Presents nine tips, based on the principals' experiences, for facilitating…

The traditional response of medical education to challenges from the external environment has been to claim that the medical profession must have autonomy concerning educational mission. However, as social, educational, and economic forces change, more explicit, formal, and systematic linkages between practice institutions and educational…

A description of recent changes in Argentina's system of education looks at underlying policy, the redesigned schooling system, emphasis placed on English language instruction, the teacher training system, and problems in the process for assuring an adequate flow of qualified English teachers. (MSE)

Explores literature on educational change and examines two literacy innovations gone "bad": process writing and literature-based reading. Argues that growth occurs from the interaction of "bad" things with good ideas (which are never perfect ideas), thereby reshaping, reforming, and strengthening them. Examines how this affects educational policy,…

Youths who were abused and neglected and in out-of-home care are among those at highest risk for HIV; concurrence of sexual activity and school failures contributes to high-risk status. Research suggests that changing behaviors requires programs that include not only HIV-related knowledge, attitudes, and skills but also incentives and skills for…

The deteriorating labor market for college graduates, qualitatively different from earlier situations, involves more people and represents a more permanent condition within the global labor market. Attempted solutions have been to reduce the supply of graduates or adjust supply through manpower/socioeconomic plans. A fundamental transformation of…

Gives an overview of the decisions, activities, events, and issues that influenced the process of change at eight medical schools participating in a large-scale medical curriculum development project. Focus is on three stages of the change process: planning and creating the climate for change, making the change, and reinforcing the new model.…

Discusses the role of organizational communication in the process of curricular reform at eight medical schools participating in a large-scale medical curriculum development project, particularly during four stages of change: recognizing the need for change; planning; implementation; institutionalization. Communication strategies for promoting a…

Across the nation, districts are throwing beginning administrators into school leadership positions, mistakenly assuming they already know everything. Training programs are preparing principals for a long-obsolete work environment. Committed mentors and on-call coaches can help overwhelmed and overworked principals become effective leaders. (MLH)

This introductory article discusses major Australian deinstitutionalization initiatives and presents data on trends in institutional living in Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. All three countries continue to witness a fall in the institutional population of people with intellectual disability and an increase in community…

Highlights the importance of home-Head Start partnerships in helping children learn and behave in optimal fashion. Provides four ideas that could help strengthen the home-Head Start partnerships already underway in center programs: (1) the play and learn system; (2) the educational display; (3) the parent-teacher communication system; and (4) the…

A summer camp expanded into year-round operation one step at a time. Initial steps included identifying the camp mission, history, and assets. Successive steps became larger and included expanding the program within the mission, increasing marketing efforts, developing natural resources, creating plans for maintenance and improvements, and…