Summarizes the findings of research studies of faculty perceptions of themselves, their role, and their working conditions, focusing on instructors' desire for more time, more interaction with their colleagues, better professional development opportunities, improved support services, better students, and improved media and materials. (AYC)

Derived from a study by Whitebook and others (1982), this ERIC Short Report presents findings, recommendations, and other information on staff burnout in child care settings. Child care staff were found to be underpaid and overworked. Differences in working conditions among centers and job satisfaction among staff appeared to be related to such…

Achieving meaningful life work is a process that involves aligning one's work with one's true essence or core self. It is an ongoing process that involves self-reflection to discover the deep passions within and then exploration of how to bring those passions or interests to bear in meaningful ways at work. In response to the need to address the…

Among the behavioral theories embraced by American business are those of Frederick Herzberg and Abraham Maslow. Herzberg proposed a theory about job factors that motivate employees, and Maslow developed a theory about the rank and satisfaction of human needs and how people pursue those needs. This digest briefly outlines both theories and then…

The concept of wellness is defined and the importance of establishing a healthy lifestyle is discussed. A description is given of the Rochester Institute of Technology Wellness Program, which is typical of the many current programs covering varying aspects of wellness. These programs are offered by private agencies, educational institutions, and…

Intended to help speech communication professionals become involved in developing, implementing, and evaluating marital or family enrichment programs, this booklet discusses the theory and practice of using marital enrichment programs to increase family harmony. The first section contains an overview of selected enrichment programs, as well as…

Several projects were undertaken in 1986 for the purpose of maintaining and improving the ERIC system. This report focuses on one of the projects that involved two surveys of users of the ERIC system and its products. Survey I consisted of a stratified sample of 500 ERIC Standing Order Customers (SOCs). These sites subscribe to the ERIC microfiche…

Identifies some common elements in the English language arts supervisors' job descriptions as reported by 96 state and district (out of 350 sampled) supervisors across the country. (HOD)

Increasingly, many teachers see their roles encompassing not only teaching specific content and mentoring students, but also functioning as front-line social workers. This Digest examines factors that may influence teacher morale and offers suggestions for preserving or restoring morale. Administrative support and leadership, good student…

Studies of job satisfaction among community college faculty use a variety of theoretical constructs and measure widely different dimensions of satisfaction. Research on the effects of working conditions on faculty attitudes has shown consistently that interaction with students and peers and privacy within the classroom are major sources of…

Teacher absenteeism is the topic of the 12 ERIC abstracts contained in this leaflet. Research on the topic discusses the causes of the problem, including, among others, job dissatisfaction, the organizational structure of the school, school size, weather conditions, and relaxed teacher responsibility. Strategies for improving teacher attendance…

The perception is that most studies on distance education or the use of technology are poorly designed or prone to incomplete analyses. This is true of the simple comparison study, where student outcomes are compared to those of students in a traditional course. Such studies are the basis for the often cited conclusion that there is no significant…

School districts nationwide, but especially rural districts, are finding it hard to recruit and retain administrators. In the past 25 years, administrators have had to address increasing demands for special programs, collaborative decision making, and accountability. In addition, potential for conflict with school boards and various constituencies…

New information technologies, changing work force demographics, rising customer expectations, transnational companies, and cost pressures are altering traditional views of what constitutes a workplace and have given rise to a new trend: the mobile worker in the flexible workplace. Two factors promote acceptance of telework or telecommuting: (1)…

Sixteen articles, books, and reports published between 1978 and 1983 and cited in "Resources in Education" and "Current Index to Journals in Education" are listed in this bibliography on online public access catalogs (OPACs). Emphasis is on the movement toward computer-based alternatives to library card catalogs and user…