This study identified common themes that school principals experienced in managing school work culture change. Interviews with principals who completed Managing Productive Schools training established six independent work culture dimensions and three kinds of effects. The paper uses the nine quality areas as a model for reporting the common…

Presents four group experiential activities, primarily for adults and adolescents, focusing on diversity issues. Includes target group, group size, time and space needs, activity level, overview, goals, props, instructions, and suggestions for framing and debriefing the experience. Activities promote perspective taking, honest dialogue between…

Surveyed childminders in England about training and employment histories, working conditions, motivation, commitment, and work satisfaction. Identified two groups: one for whom childminding may be a passing phase in their employment career and one who consider it a long-term career. Considered findings with reference to aims of the National…

Reflects on the evolution of the professional careers of teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL), specifically focusing on the difficulties experienced by native speaker teachers when they move from a period of teacher education into the private sector workplace. (Author/VWL)

Identifies key variables within and outside the learning context that could affect motivation to learn during training. Bases the theoretical framework on sociotechnical systems, total quality management, and training transfer theories that could influence employee and organizational performance. Considers task autonomy, organization's orientation…

In a qualitative focus group study of educational coordinators in teaching hospitals with social workers, four main themes emerged: difficulty managing field education; a struggle to maintain stable student programs; the importance of support from the university and; the need to be creative in delivering the educational program while undergoing…

Four articles suggest ways to create good child care environments: (1) "What Kind of Place for Child Care in the 21st Century?" (Greenman); (2) "Strategies for Enhancing Children's Use of the Environment" (Curtis); (3) "Designing the Family Child Care Environment" (Osborn); (4) "Imagine! Child Care--A Great Place for Teachers, Too" (Haack,…

Presents ideas about how the workplace affects job performance, how to diagnose workplace-related problems, and how to make modest improvements. Highlights include: workplace-imposed limits on performance; the mental and physical steps of work; screening behavior; how adaptation interferes with performance; task- and human-based workspaces;…

Describes the results of a study of a global company that examined the effect of training design and work environment on the transfer of human resources development training. Presents a model of international transfer of training and discusses organizational factors and cultural differences that affected the transfer of training. (LRW)

Addresses the new roles and responsibilities for public library support staff in the constantly changing environment of the digital age. Flexibility, initiative, ability to adapt to a changing environment, along with the technical knowledge and expertise are all important attributes of successful candidates for positions. (AEF)

Examines factors that contribute to the development of an organizational culture. Discusses the vision/mission; training; technology, equipment and supplies; and decor/appearance. Describes how one library created a staff-friendly environment through increasing communication between departments and cross-training to provide interdepartmental…

The impact of information and communications technologies on jobs is not yet known and no outcome is inevitable. Technology-driven changes in organizational structures, employment relations, worker autonomy, and work organization will not automatically result in higher job quality. (Contains 92 references.) (SK)

Reviews comparative study of early childhood education policy and services in 12 countries produced by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Discusses seven major cross-national issues and key elements of successful early childhood education policies. Draws implications for the United States. (Contains 11 references.) (PKP)

Considers the development and assessment of oral communication skills in an undergraduate business and commerce curriculum. Drawing on the results of a survey into the workplace oral communication needs and uses of business graduate employees, it is argued that undergraduate experience in formal presentation only is inadequate preparation for oral…

This work seeks to identify factors that facilitate or diminish care-providers' propensity to improve continence care in long-term care (LTC) settings. We conducted a cross-sectional qualitative study using focus group methodology in four long-term care institutions in Montreal, QC. Forty-two nurses, nursing assistants, and orderlies caring for…