This guide draws on case studies to identify lessons for small and midsized firms who wish to improve the quality of their services and facilitate change. Following an introduction, section 2 describes the context in which the research was undertaken after a needs analysis was conducted of small and midsized businesses and service providers, and…

This book presents 13 papers which address human resource management in universities and colleges of further education in the United Kingdom. A list of abbreviations precedes the papers. The papers are: (1) "Setting the Scene" (Elaine Crosthwaite and David Warner); (2) "Managing Change" (David House and David Watson); (3)…

This study examined university curricular reform, explaining how teacher education programs must create innovative curricular redesign to promote the development of students' critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making skills. The study highlighted a school of education in the process of curriculum redesign, using observation,…

A project at Stanford University Medical School (California) was undertaken to train students to deal effectively with sexism and to promote change by increasing sensitivity of university leaders. Training involved sexual harassment workshops for medical students and faculty, and leadership retreats for deans and chairpersons. Five workshops were…

Increasing public dissatisfaction with the cost and quality of higher education is creating pressure for fundamental change. Higher education is not as certain to produce a higher standard of living as it used to be, and costs are rising faster than the rate of inflation. Declining state contributions to higher education have shifted the financial…

This book assesses the current state of foster care in the United Kingdom and Ireland, the pressures which have shaped it, and the challenges it faces. Emphasizing the importance of fostering within a coherent child care policy, the contributors examine the latest research into key areas of foster care, and explore how practice can be improved.…

A 3-day retreat on rural education leadership in Alaska focused on how the Alaska Department of Education, the University of Alaska, rural communities, and school districts can better cooperate to address the long-term educational needs of rural communities. Recommendations were formulated in three focal areas. First, developing an Alaskan rural…

The University of Chicago's Chapin Hall Center for Children conducted an evaluation of the first phase (1995-1998) of the MOST (Making the Most of Out-of-School Time) Initiative of the Wallace-Reader's Digest Funds. The objectives of this initiative were to contribute to the supply, accessibility, affordability, and quality of after-school…

Educational reform poses problems for administrators in rural areas who have limited time and resources. This guide offers a process that can be used by rural administrators to engage the community in activities that will enhance children's success in the classroom and in their adult lives. Section 1 discusses the importance of community…

This report presents findings from the second national survey of distance education undertaken by the National Center for Education Statistics. The survey covers the 12-month 1997-98 academic year and includes data for higher education institutions as well as all 2-year and 4-year postsecondary institutions. Highlights of the report include the…

The need for an adequate financial base for the future of quality early care and education (ECE) for young children is being increasingly recognized. This document compiles four papers commissioned to frame the discussion at a 1999 working meeting of individuals from diverse fields to identify and explore possible actions related to financing ECE…

Federal and state tax laws and most private programs give funding to all parents who put their children in day care but give nothing to parents who cut back on their work hours to care for their own children. Challenging the conventional wisdom about child care, this book argues that Americans have wrongly embraced day care and devalued work that…

This symposium on transfer of learning consists of four presentations. "The Influence of the Implementation of a Transfer Management Intervention on Transfer of Training" (Patricia R. Saylor, Marijke T. Kehrhahn) reports a study that evaluated effectiveness of transfer management interventions provided by a change facilitator in…

Increased awareness of the importance of girls' education within Malawi and internationally resulted in the implementation of many changes in girls' education during the 1990s. By 1997, the number of girls enrolled in primary school was twice the level in 1990, and girls' share of enrollment increased from 45 to 48 percent. Malawi improved girls'…

A study of science and math education systemic reform in rural schools aimed to help educators understand and build upon the inherent strengths of rural schools and communities that support systemic reform. The first phase of the study involved developing a system of indicators for each of six drivers of educational system reform: 1)…