Reflects on the past three decades of increasing specialization and on the diverse conceptual frameworks guiding research in the field of educational administration. Describes heterogeneity among researchers, field-based research and policy studies, linkages across specialty areas, and key points of remaining articles. Fifty-three footnotes are…

Findings from four lines of inquiry that attempt to identify teaching skills are reviewed. Following a brief introduction, the first section discusses definitions of "skill" and outlines empirical attributes of teaching skills. In the following section, the four lines of inquiry are described. Results are analyzed in the third section.…

Argues that it is essential to encourage young children to have a protective relationship toward nature and aesthetic values. Describes classroom activities such as the caring of house plants or nature walks. Discusses how sensory experiences can be used to develop ecological attitudes and values. (CFR)

Following up on the first two phases (1976-82) of the "District Practices Study" of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) as presented in a resource book and seven special reports, this report is devoted to the study's third and final phase. During phase III (1982-83), researchers visited 14 sites to describe their…

Content analysis of five scholarly journals in the field of higher education from 1986-88 focused on the methodologies and topics of research reported there. Distribution of articles among 4 paradigms (functionalist, radical structuralist, interpretive, radical humanist), along 2 dimensions (social science, sociology), and according to 11 sets of…

In fall 1989, 88 doctoral programs in higher education offered 124 different courses, a body of knowledge that offers great potential for improving and professionalizing higher education administration. The field appears to be evolving from a generalized area of inquiry into a curriculum of professional specialization. (Author/MSE)

Historically, higher education administrators have advanced through faculty ranks. In recent years, higher education as a field of study has developed significantly, but its potential for improving the profession is underutilized. A growing group of administrators needs formal training to meet the needs of more sophisticated and complex…

Research on substantive issues and concerns of higher education is handicapped by higher education's lack of status and recognition as an academic discipline or professional specialty. Theory-based and policy-related research should be recast as disciplined inquiry, doctoral programs strengthened, and preparation of scholars, professors, and…

A proposal requesting approval to grant the Ph.D. as well as the Ed.D. to doctoral students in Educational Administration and Higher Education (EAHED) is presented. The proposal describes strengths and weaknesses of the present program and documents the program's development from one concentrating primarily on teaching and advising students to one…

The higher education doctorate is a probable path to administrative advancement, but not a guarantee. Faculty may be skeptical of this credential unless it is combined with a doctorate in an academic discipline. However, it is likely that there will be an increase in higher education doctorates in the future. (Author/MSE)

From 1893 to 1960, the study of higher education evolved from an apprenticeship method to a professional field of study, with the expansion of administrative functions, progressive demand for change, and growth of junior colleges. The origins, programs, and purposes in the field have focused predominantly on administration. (MSE)

The status of higher education as a field of study in Canada is examined and compared with the United States. The factor seen as most limiting the field's development is not low demand or limited employment opportunities, but reluctance to allocate resources because of low prestige and support outside academe. (Author/MSE)

Three papers, written as part of a seminar on governance and management in higher education, analyze the current situation and potential for development of MidAmerica Nazarene College in Springfield, Missouri. The first paper, "Governance and Governance Processes at MidAmerica Nazarene College," outlines the governance structure of the…

The development of this annotated bibliography of 58 doctoral dissertations arose from an interest in doctoral study in general, and concern for the magnitude of the attrition problem at the doctoral level in particular. Dissertations date from 1970 to 1990. Among the dissertations summarized are those relating to such topics as: factors relating…

A national survey of 75 directors of doctoral programs in higher education found that program missions are greatly affected by their reputation, governance, and organizational structure. High-reputation programs are distinctive in a variety of ways. Less prestigious programs may be able to capitalize best on local and regional missions.…