Designing staff development activities that incorporate four elements of reflective practice helps develop participants' reflective abilities. The article discusses focusing on real problems and concerns; changing the nature of the problem; process-oriented staff development; and promoting collaborative partnerships. (SM)

Describes collaborative teacher and administrator training in cognitive coaching, a form of teacher supervision in which the administrator acts as a facilitator of teacher reflection on teacher's own teaching practices and the thinking behind them. Includes one principal's thoughts on his own professional development as he proceeded through the…

Describes the use of infometry, or informational geometry, to meet the challenges of information service businesses. Highlights include theoretical models for cognitive coordination and genetic programming; electronic information packaging; marketing electronic information products, including cost-benefit analyses; and recapitalization, including…

Provides checklists to prepare for camp opening. Covers such areas as health histories of all campers and staff, staff credentials, condition of facilities and equipment, staff training, horse stables and equipment, and safety of swimming areas. (LP)

Examines the impact of technology on work outside and inside tertiary institutions. Presents a case study of Deakin University (Australia), an open and distance education organization. Discusses strategic viewpoints, diversified thinking, risk-taking in large organizations, technological implementation, technological innovation, staff development,…

Suggests that child-care practices should also be suited for the developmental level of child-care practitioners. Offers charts and checklists to help practitioners identify their developmental stage. Lists life characteristics and key concerns of age groups ranging from 17 to over 55 years. (JW)

This article provides ideas on how to conduct alumni telephone surveys: (1) use the information gathered; (2) implement a survey; (3) develop appropriate questions; (4) test a survey instrument; (5) train interviewers; (6) collect the data; (7) analyze the results; (8) report the results; and (9) use the results to take action. (MDM)

Elementary, middle, and high school teachers from several school districts in California and Georgia share their experiences with designing and using study groups. Teachers report that the study groups identified educational and school needs, promoted teacher empowerment, increased collegiality, and kept teachers up on current issues and research…

The metaphoric edubarrier (similar to the sound barrier) lies above the customary rates of learning and impedes education. The article suggests that education is tethered more by social-psychological bonds than by actual limitations of the sciences. A discussion of how the edubarrier hinders collegiality, improvement, and teacher education is…

Profiles Virginia Aguilar, a high school principal who, with her staff, has been exploring and implementing changes and improvements in response to state mandates. The paper describes improvement efforts by the school district and how Aguilar's school makes use of them. Aguilar's encouragement of participative decision making is discussed. (SM)

Peer management was utilized as a source of feedback in a staff training and management program with six subjects, who were instructors in a vocational program for adults with mental retardation. The paired subjects were trained to monitor peer teaching, record and graph data, provide feedback, and set goals. (DB)

College development administrators are wise to make special efforts to keep their best contact staff, those who have significant contact with major gift prospects. However, those officers are likely to be recruited away. When they do leave, a structured transition is best for all parties. (MSE)

Presents guidelines and a self-assessment questionnaire that were developed by the New York Library Association for libraries serving users with hearing impairments. Areas covered by the documents include policy statements, materials, services, programing, cooperation with other agencies, facilities, and staff development. (LRW)

Initiated at Albemarle Public Schools (Virginia), an onsite inservice trains teachers how to intervene early in the school year. The Student Advocate Program in the Rincon Valley Union School District (California) releases teachers from classrooms to meet with students on a one-to-one basis. (MLF)

A workshop held at the University of California at San Diego's research library focused on improving the quality of goal-based self-reviews as a training approach for performance management. Participants benefited from the mixed groupings of librarians and paraprofessionals and from the detailed look at individual goals and objectives. (three…