Advocates the use of study groups focusing on the local school context as a complement and an alternative to traditional staff development. Discusses ingredients of successful study groups and gives examples of how they can be applied. Notes benefits and cautions of study groups. (SR)

Conducted qualitative interviews and comprehensive job-task analysis to identify activities and training needs of correctional officers working in "shock incarceration" or "Boot Camp" corrections. Found that for correctional officers working in two major shock programs, most highly rated tasks were related to physical security.…

A study of U.S. demographics reveals a trend toward rapidly increasing cultural diversity. This trend can potentially cause serious misunderstandings among students, teachers, parents, and administrators in culturally diverse schools. Principals and staff members should be able to recognize and resolve culturally based school and community…

Describes Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) program as providing staff with skills, knowledge, and confidence to manage child in crisis to bring about a "maximum amount of lasting response." Contends that, by applying principles of TCI training, direct care worker can attain therapeutic control and maintain dignity of both adult and child…

Describes the state of the art of training and development in Germany: infrastructure, public policy and strategy, corporate policies, academic work, and information sources and networks. (SK)

The Pygmalion effect--or self-fulfilling prophecies--has not been supported in educational research but it has in training and workplace-learning studies. Implications for workplace-learning design, trainee self-esteem, and trainer behaviors can be derived from these research findings. (SK)

Individual characteristics influencing workplace learning and development include psychological presence, social cognition and schema, and habitual methods of conduct. Organizational factors include routinization of work, organizational roles, resolution of role conflict, and institutional structures. Both individuals and organizations need the…

Lucent Technologies' Learning and Performance Center links organizational learning and development to learner needs, delivers learning via technology when and where needed, and assesses the impact of learning programs on business results. The company believes the core of its competitive advantage is employees with up-to-date skills, knowledge, and…

Identifies the top 50 companies in terms of the amount spent on training and development, the number of hours of training per employee, and percentage of payroll spent on training. Profiles the top five plus four additional companies selected by the magazine's editors. (SK)

Introduces "Videotapes for the 21st Century Classroom" for the use of inservice training. Provides useful Internet Web site addresses and brief descriptions of each site for several feature articles in this issue: PS 524 939-940, PS 524 942-945. (MOK)

Employee development programs that encourage learning that is not necessarily work related benefit employers through improved motivation, commitment, and morale, if work-related training is also offered. Less-skilled, less-educated employees have the most to gain. (SK)

Educational institutions have inherent advantages and disadvantages for professional development of employees. Well-tested techniques include self-profiling, personal development planning, individual curriculum vitae, and systematic staff appraisal. Professional staff development should be aligned with institutional objectives. (SK)

In a survey of 128 manufacturing employees, the perception that performance appraisal had developmental uses was associated with satisfaction with appraisals and appraisers. Reaction to the evaluation did not depend on the outcome of the appraisal or its perceived fairness. (SK)

Suggests steps principals should take to increase school security and crisis preparedness: Involve school community members in security needs-assessment process; reduce risk based on assessment by establishing partnerships with law-enforcement agencies, strengthening security, and establishing crises guidelines. (PKP)

Suggests that, as people become the key differentiation of competitive advantage, companies are turning to experiential learning programs to foster work force collaboration and cooperation. Discusses the history of experiential learning and its application in the workplace. (JOW)