Argues that democratisation, localization, and national identity are indivisible in Taiwan. Explains that social pressure groups, teachers, and parents are empowered in policy making processes, while the power of school officials to respond to these groups is limited. Discusses the role of school curriculum in promoting ethnic cultures and…

To succeed in 21st-century schools, teachers must dynamically respond to the ever-changing environment through a continually reflexive stance. Centered teachers are flexible and active participants in school decision making. They develop personal missions and participate in school missions, resolve conflict in appropriate ways, and use effective…

Collective teacher efficacy refers to teacher perceptions that they constitute an effective instructional team, capable of bringing about learning in students. Previous research demonstrates that a school staff with a strong sense of collective efficacy is likely to generate high student achievement. This study of 2,170 teachers in 141 elementary…

Educators often ignore the political requirements of urban reform in their focus on the research and models that guide it. Conversely, political scientists frequently miss the differences among reforms in their focus on coalitions and resources. Integrating Clarence N. Stone's concept of "civic capacity" with an educator's view of reform…

This five-part essay sets out various achievement goals for higher education institutions and educators. The first paper, "Guidelines in Higher Education," lists the criteria for encouraging broad faculty participation in the decision-making process, improving the quality of human relations, encouraging scholarly pursuits among faculty members,…

The Families in Education Program of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has existed since 1987 to increase awareness of the need for schools to involve parents as true partners in the education of children. This 1997 parents' guide presents ways that parents and families of both younger children and high school students can become…

This issue focuses on several efforts in maternal and child health education and environmental sanitation throughout the world in which bridges between technical content and participatory education have been built successfully. The following articles are included: "Editorial" (David Kahler, Bonnie Mullinix); "Women's Health…

For change to occur in mathematics instruction, teachers need control of significantly different instructional sequences, evaluation schemes, and curriculum and to think beyond procedural views of mathematics. Two-week inservice and coursework separate from classroom experience are not sufficient to achieve these goals. Inservice and support must…

The Chicago School Reform, adopted in December 1988, requires the school system to raise its student achievement levels to national norms in 5 years; to reallocate the system's resources away from the administration and toward schools, particularly those with high enrollments of economically disadvantaged students; and to establish Local School…

Instruction should emphasize generic skills as much as it does occupational or domain-specific skills. Generic skills enable people to: (1) cooperate and communicate for group problem solving; (2) identify and define problems in complex environments; (3) seek, acquire, and synthesize new information; and (4) adapt to changes in the problem-solving…

The purpose of this manual is to acquaint both teachers and administrators of vocational and technical education with the principles and methods of fostering better leadership, communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills as well as instituting cooperative models as a strategy for better preparing students to enter the world of work.…

To broaden the scope of effective schools research by including change processes and a wider unit of study, this project investigated three Georgia school districts demonstrating improvements in student achievement for three consecutive years. Research identified these elements: (1) the sequence and influence of events, factors, and people…

The collective bargaining agreement between the Rhode Island School of Design and Rhode Island School of Design Faculty Association (NEARI/NEA) covering the years 1987-1990 is presented. Items covered in the agreement include: recognition; management rights; dues deduction and agency fee; rights of the association; rights of individuals; personnel…

American schools might improve their performance by emulating certain successful businesses that, while distinctly American, have much in common with Japanese corporations. William Ouchi attributes Japanese business success to worker involvement; the typical Japanese corporation, he asserts, unifies its employees around a corporate philosophy…

Maintaining that the development of a detailed communication plan well in advance of school collective bargaining negotiations will be a critical ingredient in the success of school districts' bargaining efforts, this handbook concentrates on communication before, during, and after the bargaining process, rather than on explicit bargaining…