Present and past efforts to enhance school efficiency have failed. Progressive Era reforms of a half-century ago contributed to the creation of a publicly insensitive, professionally dominated education system. Accountability enthusiasts of the '70s failed to understand the fundamental misalignment between the assumptions underlying private sector…

An experiment explored the effect of group size on student learning when small groups of students worked together at a computer assisted instruction (CAI) terminal. Both learning effectiveness and efficiency were considered. Sixty college students were divided into three groups--19 students studying alone, 16 studying in pairs, and 15 studying in…

The Institut fuer Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB) or Institute for Employment Research has developed a detailed working time and volume of work measurement concept in order to more comprehensively assess the demand for labor. The individual components of working time in Germany are obtained from various data sources and combined to form…

Using the cognitive fit paradigm as a theoretical framework, this study compared the problem-solving performance of users of a hypertext-based learning aid to the performance of users of a computer-based linear text learning aid. Subjects were 103 undergraduate MIS (Management Information Systems) majors enrolled in an information systems analysis…

The process of change at the academic Sepulveda (California) Veterans' Administration hospital during implementation of a new ambulatory primary care program was examined through individual or focus group interviews with 63 managers, house officers, and patients. Major problems included administrative integration of in- and outpatient services;…

Pursuing fiscal input equity will not produce a more equitable society or mitigate children's home and neighborhood environments. Standardizing funding provokes greatest voter dissatisfaction in wealthier districts. Four institutional elements (teachers' unions, school governance, school discipline restrictions, and special education) produce…

This report documents the depth of the crisis affecting higher education systems throughout the developing world and shows how developing countries can achieve the goals of greater efficiency, quality, and equity in higher education. A review of country experiences suggests four key directions for reform. First, reform programs should encourage…

Following a management summary and introduction, chapters 3 and 4 of this report present findings and recommendations related to the Montgomery County, Maryland, Public Schools process of procuring supplies and equipment (food supplies, fuel oil, warehouse supplies, and maintenance parts) and contractual services (data processing maintenance,…

The teacher's guide to a set of instructional materials for an English as a second language unit on automobiles as a form of transportation focuses on the history of the auto's development, importance to the Canadian economy, and impact on the lives of Canadians. The target audience is secondary students at intermediate and advanced English…

The Nebraska educational system is experiencing internal turmoil even though its students are highly ranked nationally on standardized tests and show a higher ratio of graduating high school than those in most other states. This report was commissioned by Nebraska education officials who were concerned that their state was not taking a large…

How schools weather budget reductions shows the difference between effective and less effective school systems. Policymakers' response to reductions depends on an array of factors: general economic conditions, access to data about future trends, community expectations and "myths," past records of school effectiveness, local education…

This document is the first in a series of three documents, which together contains 27 case studies on the uses of cost analysis in educational planning. The case studies have been presented to help planners and administrators see how cost analysis can be used to improve the efficiency of their educational systems, or how to get the best value from…

This document is the third in a series of three documents, which together contain 27 case studies on the uses of cost analysis in educational planning. The case studies have been presented to help planners and administrators see how cost analysis can be used to improve the efficiency of their educational systems, and to get the best value from…

During the past several years, policymakers and practitioners have concentrated their energies on resolving equity/adequacy issues, reforming school tax structures, improving schools' efficiency and cost-effectiveness, developing school-based accountability, and exploring alternative cost-cutting and fundraising strategies. Total expenditures for…

Utilizing a pre- and posttest research design, with an instructional intervention of good practices in notetaking, the notes taken by examinees during a computer-based listening comprehension test prior to and following the instructional intervention were examined for particular notetaking strategies. Questionnaires probed perceptions of the…