Based on case studies of a Dutch adult-education organization and an Irish residential center for mentally handicapped people, this article discusses some implementation dilemmas that occur when organizations face challenging innovations. Conflicting pressures for centralization and local autonomy in implementation activities and for unified and…

Innovative teaching methods and organisational change make new demands on our future learning environments. The Brink and the Laak Clusters are two related examples of a new type of building for a community in the Netherlands. The Firebird School ("Vuurvogel"), a primary school for students from ages 4 to 12, is currently housed in the…

This book examines the influences of governmental regulation on the behavior of higher education institutions in several nations with respect to designing and implementing innovations in curricula. Part I contains theoretical and empirical analyses in four chapters while Part II presents case studies of three nations, the Netherlands, West Germany…

Examines the innovative capacity of primary schools in the Netherlands comparing the schools with high innovative capacity to schools with low innovative capacity focusing on four components: (1) the context of the school; (2) collaboration among teachers; (3) school leadership; and (4) the school as a learning organization. Discusses the findings…

When the objectives of the Lisbon Convention were formulated in 2000, the Dutch Government decided that the Netherlands should give priority to achieving these objectives. In 2010 the Netherlands should be one of the most successful economies in Europe, which should itself be the most competitive knowledge-based economic region in the world. With…

The contribution of higher education institutions to regional development is a theme that has attracted growing attention in recent years. Knowledge institutions are increasingly expected not only to conduct education and research, but also to play an active role in the economic, social and cultural development of their regions. The extent to…

The intent of this study was to investigate how to maximize the chances of success of an educational innovation--specifically one based on the implementation of the educational modeling language called EML. This language is both technically and organizationally demanding. Two different implementation cases were investigated, one situated in an…

The present organization and structure of teacher education institutions in the Netherlands is described, and the content of programs to train teachers of modern languages is outlined. Educational changes which took place during the past decade are described, and plans for future innovations are discussed. (Author/PP)

Discusses computer mediated communication (CMC) and describes some possible applications of this technology, especially the use of computer conferencing systems. Electronic bulletin boards, online journals, and social communication are discussed, and experiences with using e-mail as a distance education medium between the United States, Canada,…

Presents the results of a preliminary investigation into the innovative capacities of Dutch secondary schools. Defines "innovative capacity" based on a number of factors found in a review of the literature. Finds that transformational school leadership plays a particularly crucial role in the development of the innovative capacities of…

Examines the nature of transformational leadership and its relation to teachers' changed practices within the context of two Dutch large-scale innovations. Results revealed three dimensions of transformational leadership (vision, individual consideration, and intellectual stimulation) and their significant effects on teachers' concerns, learning…

Agricultural education has been an essential factor in the success of agricultural development in the Netherlands. At present, as in many countries throughout the world, the position of agricultural education is threatened. Does agricultural education have a future in the Netherlands, and if so, what strategies are being used for its survive? This…

The role of textbook publishing in educational reform is examined in this paper. The study evaluated a 4-year project in which three schools in the Netherlands implemented an open learning program (OLP) and created their own publishing company. Following the introduction, the second part provides a description of the OLP. The third part explains…

This paper summarizes a survey of Dutch junior secondary schools which was conducted to measure their adoption of the "information and computer literacy" (ICL) concept, and to investigate how far the implementation factors identified by Fullan (1982) are consistent with this innovation. The study's objectives were twofold: (1) to collect…