A study was conducted to describe some of the tools, techniques, and approaches that secondary school educators use to direct change activities. It presented early evidence of successful use of two sets of vocational education resource materials in 12 demonstration sites, 6 for each resource. The materials were "BASICS: Bridging Vocational and…

To alleviate the time lag between the conception and the implementation of educational innovation, the Unit for Dissemination has been formed by the Kentucky Department of Education. Within the goals of fostering awareness and interest in innovation and of spreading innovation from field test to ultimate user, the Unit has defined objectives which…

Research for Better Schools (RBS) is supporting improvement efforts in Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. One form of this support is RBS's participation in collaborative projects to develop a system-wide, research-utilization approach to the improvement of basic skills instruction. Educational systems following the approach employ a staff…

With new developments taking place in planning strategies for change in schools, new schemes and tactics are needed. Minneapolis Public Schools have developed the kind of organizational plan needed to find entry points into schools, systems for data gathering, and employment roles for research specialists. The Model for Local School Evaluation,…

This paper attempts to provide a coherent conceptual framework for the dissemination efforts of the Research and Development Center. It distinguishes three quite different ways in which the term, "dissemination", is used: 1) spread of information to a receptive audience; 2) the effort to induce large-scale change by a wide variety of…

Researchers, teachers, and administrators involved in educationally innovative projects in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland were questioned concerning problems in curriculum innovation. The author states that curricular changes are dependent on sociodynamic processes and concludes that social and subject-specific consultation and interaction…

This article considers different ways in which research and policy are connected in an era of educational reform. The relationship between public policy, school reform, and educational research is examined from a political perspective. The article focuses on the uses of research in recent state-level reform activities in Texas. (JL)

A series of humorous aphorisms reflect on why American higher education does not improve despite quantities of research and pervasive change in recent years. Topics covered include research, excellence, the liberal arts, administration, faculty, and students. (MSE)

Two questions are addressed: whether or not the revolutions in methodology realized in research have any real effect on classroom teaching and why there is a constant effort to find new methodologies. A new approach to the problem, focusing on changing the educational institutions themselves, is suggested. (MSE)

During the 2002-2003 academic year, six roundtables were held to explore uses of the data from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) for improvement of student learning. This paper describes the roundtable discussion held in October 2002 at the Professional Organizational Development conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Thirteen faculty…

The Mid-South Educational Research Association (MSERA) is a nonprofit organization with the purpose of encouraging quality educational research in the mid-south and promoting the application of results of quality research in the schools. This volume contains summaries of the papers, discussion sessions, display sessions, symposia, and training…

This article focuses on the key changes that technology has brought to education and how these changes will affect school administration. The paper examines the potential use of virtual schools and distance education, noting how each of these strategies will allow educational strategies that are not possible with brick-and-mortar education. School…

This monograph serves two purposes: (1) to stimulate further reflection and discussion among education leaders and policymakers to revitalize and strengthen the role that school leaders play in school reform; and (2) to assist researchers in identifying areas of future work. It synthesizes some of the most current literature pertinent to…

Argues that in order to look to the future instead of toward the past, a teacher must keep up with research developments. Cites the schools' slow response to the educational implications of social diversity as an example of a failure to keep up with research results. (JL)