This analysis of the changing balance in who controls the schools contends that local authorities have been slowly losing authority to the states. Moreover, within the local districts, the central offices are assuming more control in such matters as curriculum content and state testing programs. The paper begins with an overview of recent…

The high degree of autonomy college faculty members exercise in organizing and teaching courses suggests that faculty perceptions of educational purposes, subject matter structure and importance, and expectations for student learning are major determinants of educational success. Despite diversity and local autonomy present in its system, American…

Personal, job-related, and environmental factors that might account for academic mid-level administrators' general job satisfaction were studied with a sample of 260 administrators at a large research university. Attention was directed to: personal characteristics (sex, age, number of years employed at the university), perceived job…

Examines the nature of authority as embedded in organizational and professional structures within an academic library context and its relationship to the fit between the organization and the environment. Self regulation and formal participation are introduced as alternatives to traditional strategies for decision making. (CLB)

Universities are characterized by the independence of faculty, the strong hold of academic disciplines, the limited but real power of academic administrators, and unbounded institutional aspirations. Foundations feature the desire to effect change, but within practical limits. The interplay between these two sets of actors highlight the importance…

This journal includes five papers: "The Co-Occurrence of Quotatives with Mimetic Performances" (Isabelle Buchstaller); "'Who Does She Think She Is?' Constraints on Autonomy in Language Teacher Education" (Anne Heller-Murphy and Joy Northcott); "Effects of Feedback on Performance: A Study of Advanced Learners on an ESP Course" (Tony Lynch and Joan…

A balanced triad among students, teachers, and curriculum, with each consisting of three equally supportive components, is shown to be the most important foundation for learning. Teacher components are self-esteem, superiors, autonomy; student components are peers, parents, motivation; curriculum components are design, materials, pedagogy. (MH)

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, with the explicit approval of the Pope, declared that the Reverend Charles E. Curran was neither suitable nor eligible to teach Catholic Theology at The Catholic University of America. A report by the American Association of University Professors is presented. (MLW)

Evaluates the Scottish Education Department's Competence Guidelines for Initial Teacher Training from two perspectives: guidelines as coercive mechanism of state regulation or as compromise among various conceptualizations of teaching. Research concerning the school-based experiences of beginning teachers finds that the competencies and some of…

The concepts of four poststructuralist/postmodern authors are examined in terms of their implications for higher education and the academy's values of merit, community, and autonomy. Twelve reactions to postmodern thought are then presented. A summary of postmodernism's legacy for higher education concludes the discussion. (Author/MSE)

A recent National Center for Education Statistics survey indicates inadequate administrative support as the main reason for teacher attrition. In a 1990-91 National Education Association survey, teachers cite incompetent and uncooperative administrators as the greatest hindrance to job performance. Other dissatisfiers include insufficient…

Presents a series of ideas for educational reform, some drawn from the author's previous works. Experimentation is badly needed to see what will work at every level of education. Suggestions include encouragement of single-sex schooling and endorsement of allowing college curricular authority to reside with faculty. (SLD)

This article develops a framework for assessing how differential incentive policies affect teacher commitment and identifies key workplace conditions contributing to commitment. The framework is used to assess effects of such differential incentive policies as merit pay and career ladders. Increasing participation, collaboration, and feedback is…

Faculty members at an elementary school in its first year as a professional development school completed interviews and classroom observations examining how their expectations and aspirations for their role developed over time. Results highlighted five assertions, most of which related to their amount of control over environment and professional…

While early childhood professionals in NSW are accountable to a substantial collection of regulatory requirements, little research has explored the outcomes of this regulatory environment, both intended and otherwise. This paper presents findings from a NSW study and shows how early childhood professionals working in long day care centres perceive…