The article considers the importance of examining how members of university governing bodies understand and perform their roles in the politically complex context of contemporary higher education. While a growing body of scholarly literature is devoted to the study of university governance, much of this work neglects the human aspects of…

The role of the University Visitor, whose traditional function is to mediate conflict within a university and contribute to its governance, is examined in the context of Australian higher education. Medieval English ecclesiastical origins of the office are described, and calls for abolition are examined. It is argued that the office should be…

Compares the operation and control of public schooling in Australia and the United States by exploring and contrasting the changing roles, concerns, and activities of school administrators, the federal government, the courts, elected officials, citizens, pressure groups, and "new breed" professionals. (Author/MP)

To what extent can school principals provide effective educational leadership? Research shows that, contrary to textbook images, principals react to their circumstances instead of controlling them and that they spend most of their time on administrative, not instructional, matters. Further entrenching principals in their administrative role is the…

The concept of an administrator of literacy programs as one who is reflective of the values of those responsible for the program is explored in this paper. The paper places literacy in a framework of values as an instrumental value, or journey toward an end state, requiring competency from the individual. The theories of Paulo Freire, who…

Discusses the decentralization of educational administration in Victoria. Examines the change from central to local selection of principals as a possible example of more democratic structures where greater collaboration and participation have been incorporated into the decision-making process. (53 references) (MLF)

Argues that the criticism made of the centre periphery model of curriculum development fails to distinguish between two distinct stages of development--materials production and materials distribution. The latter has not been implemented effectively. Argues for rationalization of curriculum development on a national basis. (Author/IRT)

It is proposed that Giddens' theory of structuration explains some of the complexities of the actions of principals and teachers in the process of school change, and a specific change occurring in an Australian suburban school is analyzed in this context (MSE)

Challenges certain theoretical assumptions underlying educational administration. Demands critical thinking about ethical aspects, particularly the relationship between "quality of judgement" and "deciding rightness." Proposes an ethics program for school administrators incorporating values reflected in schools as a social…

Discusses the role of the academic dean and its conflicting pressures of administration and scholarship. Reports on the first phase of a study exploring the sources of stress experienced by 825 deans in both Australia and the United States. Analyzes findings in terms of a four-component managerial stress model and provides tables detailing deans'…

Educational administrators have the power to determine the nature of decision-making structures and processes within their institutions and the extent to which decisions are implemented. This paper reviews assumptions underlying decision-making structures and processes established by school administrators; examines potential individual motives…

Issues raised by the devolution of decision-making to the school level in Western Australia are described in this paper. The first part provides a background of governance structures and school organization. Prior to 1980, Western Australia had the most centralized system of educational administration in Australia. The second part describes the…

This paper compares two Australian educational administration texts published in 1963 to reflect critically on the radical changes that have occurred in educational administration in Australia since then. The books are "Headmasters for Better Schools," by Bassett, Crane, and Walker; and "Training the Administrator," by…

This article traces the development and rationale of the School Improvement Program proposed by the new Labor Government of Victoria (Australia). The program would be based on school communities, each voluntarily developing a long-term project improving the school as an educational entity. The design assumptions, funding criteria, and implications…

This paper reports on the objectives and specifications of an "educative leadership" project that aims to synthesize experience, research, and theory and to develop complementary inservice and postgraduate learning materials. Researchers and theorists are now addressing the lack of philosophical machinery in educational administration.…