Presents reasons for objecting to a clinical component in the graduate nursing administration curriculum and suggests some curriculum content, while stating that only a nurse with clinical experience should be a nursing administrator. Describes how a nurse manager administers the program while staff nurses provide the patient care. (MF)

Through a case study of China (Guangdong Province) the author examines the problem of "diploma disease" in developing nations. "Diploma disease" is the students' desire for the paper credentials of academic education that insure employability. This desire can frustrate government efforts to promote alternate vocational…

A study of fifth-grade students showed high achieving students spent less time interacting with teachers, so their instructional cost was lower. Lower achieving students demanded more teacher and aide time, resulting in higher instructional cost. A measure of instructional cost based on productive use of time is proposed. (JAC)

Economies of scale frequently have been advanced as a rationale for rural school consolidation. This article defines the economies of scale principle; describes its application to public education; and reviews selected studies, 1959-86, from a rural education perspective. Notes the possible overstatement of economics of scale in some studies.…

Argues against the notion that all school districts should be the same size. Research on fiscal efficiency and school effectiveness does not express a consensus regarding the long-term effects or organizational implications of district size, and the country still has a range of district types. There should be more research on community identity.…

Examines research and trends related to equitable financing of rural schools, problems common to rural school districts, and an emerging "technology of individualization" that may negate any relationship between school effectiveness and school size. Commentaries discuss the value of district consolidation without school consolidation, and…

Discusses the growth of computer networks in elementary and secondary schools and describes numerous benefits for both instructional and management functions. Topics discussed include ease of use; educational advantages; examples of use in physics, writing, and journalism classes; student records management; cost benefits; and greater efficiency.…

Nova Southeastern University, Florida, has implemented a variety of techniques of cost containment for campus credit card transactions. These include restricted card acceptance parameters, careful merchant rate negotiation, increased automation of transaction processing, and sophisticated processing techniques. The university has demonstrated…

Analyzes the studies on the correlation between school expenditures and student achievement. Examines the effects of court-ordered equalization of interdistrict spending. Discusses a possible change of focus in recent educational research on the cost/quality problem as scholars grow concerned with designing more efficient policies. (86 footnotes)…

Describes recent efforts of the Center for Research in Evaluation, Standards and Student Testing (CRESST) to evaluate authentic assessment methods, such as portfolios and performance tests. When comparing the merits of authentic versus multiple-choice testing, it is wise to consider validity, reliability, consequences, fairness, generalization,…

Examines the economic rationale for vocationalizing secondary education in China by comparing vocational education graduates' and general education graduates' performance in the workplace. Using Beijing Auto Industry Company data, the study found that vocational-technical education graduates engaged in factory work relevant to their previous…

Increasingly, universities are using teleconferencing and computer meeting systems for a variety of administrative and instructional purposes, including more efficient and effective meetings, hiring, business administration education, and writing compositions. Many U.S. and foreign institutions are using the GroupSystems technology developed at…

Before jumping on another corporate bandwagon, educators should recall the primary difference between business and education. Workers produce consumer goods, whereas students should be concerned with constructing meaning. The marketplace model, even correctly applied, does not belong in the classroom. Total Quality Management is a content-free,…

Despite expansion in participation, Austrian higher education remains somewhat elitist. However, concepts of efficiency, strategic planning, deregulation, and performance evaluation are creating pressure for policy change. Inadequate admissions policies, overcrowding, and high dropout rates need to be addressed. (Author/MSE)

The University of North Carolina's postdoctoral advanced education in general dentistry program relies heavily on clinic productivity and effective management to meet the challenges of a diminishing state budget appropriation and lack of financial flexibility in the state university system. External funding is also sought actively but has not yet…