Forty male and 45 female educators were administered the Work Preference Schedule and the Barth Scale for purposes of determining the relationship between educators' perceptions of work environment and degree of support for open education. Those supporting open education tended not to prefer rules, regulations, and standard operating procedures.…

Discusses the problem of defining "open" school programs; reviews four instruments (Walberg and Thomas rating scale and teacher questionnaire, Barth Scale, Dimensions of Schooling questionnaire, and the Personal Record of School Experience) that can access the degree of openness of schools; also makes recommendations for further research. (DS)

Three domains are analyzed with reference to the nature of the viable open classroom: (1) the importance of a structured curriculum, (2) the training of teachers, and (3) architectural design and the status of finances in the schools. (Author/NQ)

The number of children who can actually profit from the open classroom are few in number. (Author)

Results of a study for the purpose of recording several behaviors thought to be significant to the philosophy of an open classroom at the primary grade level. (Editor)

Author encourages principals to tolerate various teaching styles and related philosophies which include practices, behavior and activities differing from theirs. (GB)

Elementary school students (N=297) in traditional classrooms where teachers indicated favorable attitudes toward openness and in traditional classrooms where teachers indicated unfavorable attitudes toward openness were compared with each other and with students in an open concept school on measures of self-esteem and curiosity. (JC)

How can the "relevance" problem be solved in secondary schools where a feeling of novelty about "open-space" has evaporated? The proposed solution is an "Updated" Core Curriculum which uses pupil-teacher planning techniques based on "Great Books" question categories and borrows liberally from values clarification procedures. (Author/NQ)

The intent of this brief outline on the significant components of open education is to present to the teacher a means by which open education characteristics can be operationalized in the classroom. (Editor/RK)

Author attempted to reconcile his understanding of open education with the behaviors he saw and the labels he heard. (Author/RK)

Proposes a paradigm, built around such parameters as teacher-preferences for teaching strategies that are teacher-centered with cognitive objectives and strategies that are student-centered with affective objectives, predicting the quantity-quality aspects of "openness." By trial and error, teachers develop managerial skills compatible with…

Advocates use of students' interests to develop "learning starters" (anything from the students' world with which they can become involved) as a motivational strategy in open classrooms. Identifies and discusses three major categories of learning starters: large group presentations, small group interactions, and independent study. (JD)

Participants in an open space junior high school program were dissatisfied with its operation. An assessment of the concerns held by administrators, parents, students and teachers revealed that each group had different unmet needs in the program. Identification of these enabled the staff to take remedial steps. (Author)

The survey revealed those activities perceived by school and college personnel to be of most value in pursuit of open strategies. Rankings by item weights revealed the value each respondent group placed on needs, most prominent of which was preparation of teachers to assume roles in open education. (Author/NQ)

Factors that may be responsible for the failure of some open education programs include: (1) lack of teacher training and know-how to implement a successful program; (2) negative reactions from parents; and (3) few incentives or workshops dealing with philosophies or techniques in open education. (CM)