The construct of school climate has received attention as a way to enhance student achievement and reduce problem behaviors. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the existing literature on school climate and to bring to light the strengths, weakness, and gaps in the ways researchers have approached the construct. The central information in…

This paper presents an auto-ethnographic exploration of two post-tenure female faculty member's experiences developing their programs of research. Self-reflection was used to explore the factors that have helped or hindered the development of their research program, and the continued challenges they faced as female faculty. Composite themes were…

This study investigates complaints and complaint responses in interactions between local citizens and the hosts of a live two-hour radio phone-in in Jordan devoted to receiving and handling complaints of a public nature. Using Brown and Levinson's (1987) politeness model, the study examines the functions and patterns of complaints and the types of…

As distance education models in social work education continue to grow, this study addresses prevalence and type of models in graduate social work programs and the perceptions of deans about the future of e-learning models of curriculum delivery. The study was an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design including a national survey of 121…

Many institutions of higher education develop assessment systems to demonstrate evidence of value added and to meet accreditation requirements. The sustainability of such assessment systems is usually dependant on creating a culture of assessment, which entails establishing shared values and principles and implementing practices designed to meet…

Hybrid treatment models within prisons are staffed by both criminal justice and treatment professionals. Because these models may be indicative of future trends, examining the perceptions of prisoners/participants may provide important information. This study examines the perceptions of male and female inmates in three prisons, comparing those in…

Two lines of research have emerged to study the causes and prevention of student failure in virtual (K-12) schools: studies of learner characteristics and studies of learning environment characteristics. To develop a useful model for predicting failure and promoting success in virtual school environments, a study was designed to measure the…

The purpose of this report was to formulate a definition of health science libraries which would allow them to be objects of study. Four general definitions of health science libraries are presented from the viewpoints of: (1) librarians and managers of libraries as institutions, (2) the institutions or administrative units supporting library…

Discusses several studies that attempted to employ a Lawrence and Lorsch theory of organization in school settings. The theory relates organizational differentiation and integration to environmental demands. (Author/JF)

"The results of this study support the proposition that the application of environmental assessment techniques based on CUES items provides information which can help evaluate the formal goals of an institution in terms of the degree to which the institutional environment is facilitative of those goals. (Author)

Reviews empirical research on nonverbal communication in the courtroom environment. Introduces a functional model that explicates the process whereby nonverbal signals of courtroom participants can influence a jury. Suggests that nonverbal communication has a role in five key areas. Presents several propositions that come from the research. Notes…

Based on J. E. Grunig's four models of public relations practice (press agent/publicity, public information, and two-way asymmetric and two-way symmetric practice), this paper examines the potential applicability of these models to internal communication systems in organizations. Following an introduction, in which Grunig's models are briefly…

This study has tried to determine factors that explain why organizations differ structurally and how they vary with respect to their effectiveness. It has not been successful in understanding variance in these parameters. (Author)

Noting that little theory has been developed to explain how and why organizations choose to manage public relations, this paper argues that theorists cannot improve the practice of public relations until they can explain what public relations is and what it contributes to the functions of an organization. The paper addresses that issue by…

This paper on staff development proposes one dimension of the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM), Stages of Concern, as a diagnostic tool for use by counselors, administrators, staff developers and other change facilitators who are responsible for the timing and delivery of staff development experiences. A rationale for staff development, the…