From secrecy to sunshine: An overview of presidential search practice

The process by which American colleges and universities select their presidents has undergone considerable change in recent years. Once conducted entirely in private by a small group of trustees, presidential searches occur today in a climate of constituency participation and access to information. This paper draws upon survey data to examine the range and frequency of current search practices regarding constituency involvement and confidentiality and disclosure. The paper first considers search committee membership, noting the composition and size of presidential search committees. It then examines the range of policies regarding constituent access to information about candidates and search committee deliberations. Three policies are described: complete confidentiality, full disclosure, and limited disclosure. Finally, the paper discusses the causes of unintended disclosure and evaluates the impact of these leaks on the search.     

Multirelational semantic maps

Research on multirelational semantic maps is laden with promise for educational applications, but the development of knowledge mapping systems has been largely unsystematic. This paper describes the distinctive features of knowledge maps, discusses their origins, and explores some of the strengths and weaknesses of the wide variety of maps and mapping approaches that have been appearing in the literature over the past several years. Research findings pertaining to maps' potential and actual uses in educational settings are summarized, with some indepth attention to the more programmatic efforts of Novak as well as to our own mapping system. Suggestions are made for future exploration of, and experimentation on, maps as unique tools for organizing, representing, and communicating a wide variety of knowledge domains.     

Self-Evaluation of Expertise in Teaching Elementary Physical Education from Constructivist Perspectives

The Constructivist Teaching Practices Inventory in Elementary Physical Education (CTPI-EPE) was developed for the purpose of this study to assess teachers expertise in constructivist-oriented physical education teaching. One hundred and eighty-three elementary physical education teachers completed the CTPI-EPE. Four subscales of the CTPI-EPE emerged from an exploratory factor analysis and were in line with major dimensions of constructivist-oriented teaching practices. The results established support for the reliability and validity of the CTPI-EPE that provided us with diagnostic information about identifying expertise in constructivist-oriented physical education teaching practices within the continuum from novice to expert teaching levels.     

Using Scientists and Real-World Scenarios in Professional Development for Middle School Science Teachers

Middle school science teachers were involved in a problem-solving experience presented and guided by research scientists. Data on the teachers’ perspectives about this professional development and any impact it may have had on their teaching practices were collected through interviews, surveys, and classroom observations. The findings show that the professional development experience was positive, although one concern expressed by teachers was their lack of understanding of the scientists’ vocabulary. Using scientists and real-world scenarios was shown to be an effective strategy for encouraging middle school teachers to teach science as a process and help them strengthen their science content understanding.     

Factors associated with amount of use and benefits obtained by users of a statewide educational telecomputing network

This study was designed to identify factors that best predicted the amount and perceived benefits of network use. A 70-item electronic mail survey measured five categories of variables: personal attributes, environmental characteristics, perceived media characteristics, usage, and outcomes. It was returned by 66% of a random sample of 300 network users. Respondents were active network users with high levels of teaching tenure, schooling, and computer experience, and convenient access to equipment needed to use the Internet. Outcomes reported for network use mainly centered around professional development activities, whereas personal and instructional outcomes were less frequently reported. Multiple regression equations predicted 28% of amount of use, 46% of variety of uses, 45% of professional benefits, 16% of personal gratifications, and 25% of instructional outcomes. Socially oriented factors appeared repeatedly in these equations. Social integration with a community of users entered all but one of the equations, social presence contributed to the prediction of each type of outcome, and number of contacts regularly reached via the network was associated with both amount and variety of use. These findings suggested that network facilitators should implement strategies to increase interactions among potential and current network users and to enhance perceptions of the systems' social presence. A copy of the survey can be obtained by contacting Susan Anderson by e-mail (sander@tenet.edu) or telephone (817-921-7943). The authors gratefully acknowledge the support and assistance for this project provided by Connie Stout and Gene Titus of the Texas Education Network and Stephani Wise at Texas Christian University.     

Action learning sets and social capital: ameliorating the burden of clergy isolation in one rural diocese

Rural clergy often lack colleagues and may struggle with isolation, especially if over-extended in multi-parish benefices. Theory suggests that this sense of isolation could be addressed by launching clergy action learning sets, which have the potential to establish a peer support network through the formation of social capital as a by-product of the pedagogical process. This case study looks at the effect of action learning set membership upon clergy involved in a new ministry development programme in one rural Church of England diocese. Markers of social capital (networks, norms and social trust) were found among set members, some of whom were prepared to draw on the new resource for assistance with problems, while others were ready to support such colleagues. Pre-existing support networks were one reason for clergy not intending to capitalize on the new links; another was the geographically dispersed set memberships. Geography may militate against exploiting social capital, but a distance of many miles between priest and trusted confidant can be advantageous. The study demonstrates that the notion that social capital formed through action learning will ameliorate isolation among some geographically scattered clergy is grounded not only in theory but also in practice.