The preponderance of scholarly theory and research on stereotypes assumes that they are bad and inaccurate, but understanding stereotype accuracy and inaccuracy is more interesting and complicated than simpleminded accusations of racism or sexism would seem to imply. The selections in this collection explore issues of the accuracy of stereotypes…

This book grew out of a course at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government (Massachusetts) in leadership designed to give students insight and tools for working in various official and unofficial roles where leading others can become essential to effective performance. After an introduction, Part 1 presents an overview of the meaning of…

This article grew out of a roundtable of national leaders in higher education which explored questions regarding the role of, and trust in, institutional leaders when faced with seemingly insurmountable problems. The essay argues that while individual responses to change are certain to differ by institutional setting and circumstance, the very…

This study examines the perceptions of teachers in one school as they implemented shared decision making (SDM) over a period of over 2 years. Data from 100 interviews with 54 respondents including teachers, administrators, and other staff are analyzed. The changes the teachers experienced are examined at varying levels of SDM involvement from a…

Expectations of young adults concerning their future participation in four adult life roles (occupation, parenthood, marriage, homecare) were examined by comparing the responses of 301 male and 354 female college students from intact families, single-parent families, and stepfamilies on the Life Roles Salience Scales (LRSS). The results indicated…

This paper emphasizes preservice and inservice teacher education as key to the success of any future educational reform movements. The discussion opens with an overview of three major criticism and reform movements (Post-Progressive--First Conservative Restoration, Humanistic, and Second Conservative Restoration) and secondary movements within…

This paper describes the implementation of the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), a systemwide reform that calls for curriculum change at senior secondary levels in Victoria (Australia). The system is required to reorganize and develop new organizational structures with full knowledge and assessment of the status, organizational health, and…

This study was conducted to analyze the process of learning to teach from the perspective of the student teacher. Issues associated with how student teachers perceive experiences contributing to their learning process form the basis of the analysis. Data referred to come from a larger study conducted over 3 years which explored the perceptions of…

The purpose of the Public Library Effectiveness Study was to define effectiveness for the public library institution. The research was designed not to measure effectiveness or evaluate particular libraries or groups of libraries, but rather to identify the feature or features of a public library that most directly attest to its effectiveness. The…

This paper presents a critical analysis of events that surrounded the efforts of four mothers to gain access to the educational decision-making process. A basic premise is that a hegemonic relationship based upon gender pervades American education. The roles of administrator and parent are "gendered" concepts that affect the ways that…

Emphasizing critical thinking as the source of renewal and survival of organizations, this document begins by analyzing the Exxon Valdez oil spill and the destruction of the space shuttle Challenger as examples of inadequate critical thinking. The role of management education in promoting critical thinking is explored as well as the need for a…

A study sought to determine professional role performance difficulties for first year Illinois public school teachers (K-12) and the differences between these difficulties as reported by male and female teachers. There were 548 teachers (429 female and 119 male) who responded to the study. They were asked to express any difficulties with seven…

A study examined the meanings 20 student (physical education) teachers gave to their student teaching experiences. Investigated were the student teachers' definitions of role competence and incompetence. A critical incident report form, on which student teachers recorded two specific incidents occurring during student teaching (one dealing with…

The functions of student service offices at Mercy College of Detroit were clarified. A Key Personnel Group (KPG) consisting of the directors of all student service offices was formed. Administration of a needs assessment survey to students who had been admitted conditionally (i.e., entered with less than a 2.00 high school grade point average)…

This report examines the school superintendency in British Columbia (Canada) by focusing on superintendents' perceptions of their role's emerging skill requirements. From 1979 through June 1987, the transition from provincial employment to employment by local boards of school trustees resulted in the departure of nearly 52 percent of…