A process for the critical analysis of instructional theory

Some have argued for a common language in the field of instructional design in an effort to reduce misunderstandings and simplify a multitude of synonymous terms and concepts. Others feel that this goal is undesirable in that it precludes development and flexibility. In this article we propose an ontology-building process as a way for readers to compare and analyze terms and concepts across theories. This process entails the development of categories that emerge from the literature, and the comparison of theories across categories. Such a process can reveal broader concepts that exist beyond specific theoretical terminology, differences in meanings behind common terms used by theorists, a greater understanding of the theorists’ intent, and discontinuities and gaps within the theoretical literature.     

PPBS in higher education planning and management: Part I,an overview

Higher education in the United States and elsewhere is beset by crises: crises of public confidence, questions of continuing relevance, doubts about continuing the emphasis on doctoral instruction, and a very real financial crisis. In response, governing boards and governmental agencies are devoting increasing attention to the management of higher education. Part of this response has been a heightened interest in formal planning-programming-budgeting-systems (PPBS); in fact, several states have legislated the adoption of PPBS for higher educational planning and decision making. Similar interest has been evidenced in other countries. Therefore, it is an appropriate time to reconsider the nature and role of PPBS and its potential impact on higher education. This paper describes the salient characteristics of PPBS and traces the development of PPBS and related analytical techniques in governmental agencies and institutions of higher education. A second paper will illustrate both the concepts and the implementation of PPBS by a detailed exposition of the University of California's experience with PPBS. Finally, in a third paper we suggest an alternative view of policy analysis for educational planning which is a departure from traditional PPBS. We conclude with general observations and specific recommendations to educational managers seeking to improve their resource allocation procedures.     

Evaluating carrascolendas: A television series for Mexican‐American children

Readers with young children may have noticed the occasional Spanish language vignettes appearing from time to time on Sesame Street, the popular public television program for pre‐schoolers. The following article describes the development and audience impact of a program designed to reach a Spanish‐American audience in a Texas city. The study is presented primarily as a guide for other programmers desiring to evaluate audience effects of such content. This article is a summary of a longer report done under an Office of Education subcontract to the Center for Communication Research at the University of Texas. Dr. Williams is Director of the Center and professor in the school of communications, while Diana Natalicio is now an assistant professor of linguistics at the University of Texas at El Paso after having completed her doctorate in linguistics at the Austin campus in 1970.     

Instructional/Educational Media

Public Telecommunications Review (bi-monthly at $12.50 per year in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, $17.00 Elsewhere) and Volume I:1 appeared in August 1973

S. Young Lee and Ronald J. Pedone's Summary Statistics of Public Television Licensees Fiscal Year 1972 (Washington: Corporation for Public Broadcasting, 1973—no price listed, paperback)

Frederick Williams, Geraldine Van Wart and Monty Stanford's Carrascolendas: National Evaluation of a Spanish/English Educational Television Series (Austin, Texas: School of Communication, Center for Communication Research of the University of Texas, June 1973—$6.00, paper)

Children's Television Workshop offers its 1973 Annual Report (1 Lincoln Plaza, N.Y. 10023) which discusses developments in Sesame Street, Electric Company