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This paper is mainly devoted to the analysis of four planning reports that were produced by the Planning Unit of the National Institute of Education (NIE) to guide NIE's activities for 1972-73. Each report presented recommendations for new programs and management activities intended to lead to better achievement of American educational goals. In his discussion, the author focuses primarily on NIE's strategies for obtaining information on which to base decisions about national programs, the attention devoted by NIE to the problems of dissemination and adoption of innovations resulting from national programs, and evidence for the influence of the four planning reports on subsequent NIE programs. The four reports include "Research and Development in Education: Analysis and Program Development," which was prepared by a study group chaired by Senta Raizen; "A Research and Development Agenda for the National Institute of Education," which was prepared by a study group chaired by Beverly Kooi; "The National Institute of Education: Working Papers on Problems, Goals, and Program Initiatives for NIE," which was prepared by the Stanford Research Institute; and "An NIE Strategy Paper," which was prepared by Amitai Etzioni. (JG)

As a solution to the problem of disseminating information from research and development projects into the field, this project examined a number of diffusion models, developed the Omnibus Model, and tested it. The Omnibus Model consists of eight different action blocks. First, information is acquired both selectively and non-selectively, and then stored. A decision block examines the information about innovations and decides whether it is relevant to present or future needs. If that decision is positive, the information continues to flow through the system to the Communication Committee who channels it to the field via projects, local educational agencies, or the Bureau of Vocational Education. This block serves also as a gatekeeper for asking whether it is a good innovation, whether there is financial support for its diffusion, and whether there might be other more appropriate channels for its diffusion. After dissemination comes resource utilization, the provision of alternate courses to aid implementation; and then comes execution of the program by the client. Transformations in the program are monitored, and feed-back from the field provides further information which can be entered into the system via the acquisition block. This report contains an analysis of the activities of the diffusion program during the first year, is supported by flowcharts, sample forms, and sample publications. (WBC)

Evaluation designs are presented for these work components of the Improving Teaching Competencies Program (ITCP): (1) developing, implementing, and evaluating a strategy for disseminating selected ITCP instructional systems in Individually Guided Education (IGE) schools; (2) developing, implementing, and evaluating a strategy for disseminating ITCP instructional systems in the Florida Teacher Center network; and (3) planning, implementing, and evaluating three regional workshops using selected ITCP instructional systems. The first section of the report contains: (1) the context for this evaluation, including purpose, constraints, and primary audiences; (2) a description of the dissemination/diffusion strategies being evaluated; (3) objectives of the strategies; (4) questions to be answered in this evaluation; and (5) sequencing and emphasis of the evaluation. The second section includes descriptions of evaluation investigations to be conducted, the designs, variable emphasis, and means of data collection. The third section contains a plan for providing the information obtained. Contained in the appendices are: (1) worksheets summarizing the evaluation questions, sources of information, instrumentation, and analysis suggestions; (2) time schedules for various evaluation activities; (3) complete descriptions of contents of training to be conducted; and (4) preliminary drafts of instruments. (RC)

As an arm of the National Diffusion Network, the Pennsylvania State Facilitator's responsibilities include informing the schools about Title III approved programs and aiding in the actual adoption of such programs by school districts. Two aspects of the facilitator's role were identified for evaluation: (1) whether the facilitator had implemented the strategy it established to pursue its functions and (2) whether that strategy was successfully meeting the needs of its recipients. Interviews were conducted with a sample of representatives of developer/demonstrator projects and school site adopters. The four national developer/demonstrators interviewed were generally approving of the Pennsylvania Facilitator. They reported the state strategies acceptable in terms of the broader National Diffusion Network (NDN) but recommended changes in the philosophy of the NDN which would expand the responsibilities of the facilitator program. Nine representatives of adopter/adapter districts were interviewed. The concensus of their opinions was positive. The lack of a real grasp of the specific role of the State Facilitator by this group mitigated against an in-depth analysis or specific recommendations for change. (KB)

The Cooperative Urban Teacher Education (CUTE) Project was initiated in 1967 by the Mid-continent Regional Educational Laboratory (McREL) to design an intensive, field-oriented undergraduate program to prepare effective teachers for inner-city schools. The results is a 16-week program which is conducted during the student teaching semester and which has as its major objectives the development of the teacher's ability to understand the environment, attitudes, culture, insecurities, and prejudices of himself and his students, and the development of teacher competency in inquiry teaching methods. After developing the program, McREL designed a diffusion project in two phases. The objectives of Phase I were to select installation sites and establish CUTE programs using specially trained installer teams recruited from the site staff. Phase 1 evaluation consisted of testing program students and site-visit reports by McREL monitors. All eight sites proved to be operating successful CUTE programs. Phase 2 of the diffusion program utilized the original eight installation sites in further diffusion of the CUTE program to 20 additional universities. Again, evaluation consisted of testing students and on-site reports by McREL monitors. Evaluation reports are positive and show that the 28 sites operate effective programs and that of the almost 2000 graduates, most intend to remain in inner-city schools and almost all are highly successful, according to their supervisors. (HMD)

The diffusion of Individually Guided Education in Multiunit Schools (IGE/MUS) from the Wisconsin R & D Center for Cognitive Learning to local schools, was explored in terms of the organizational relationships and roles between the R & D Center, resource system, state education agencies (SEA), teacher education institutions (TEI), both mediating systems, and local schools (LEA). The focus of the study revolved around the independent variables of linkage, structure, and capability and the dependent variable of diffusion. A semistructured interview schedule was used to collect data from system representatives in three states, to probe for relationships, unanticipated barriers, and concerns associated with diffusion. Major findings of the study were: (a) IGE/MUS is the goal which acts as reference point for system relationships; (b) linkage between the TEI and user system was positively related to diffusion of IGE/MUS; (c) frequency of interaction was, in descending order, TEI-user systems, resource system-mediating system, SEA-user system, and resource system-user system; and (d) internal factors of structure and capability had varying consequences on diffusion. Ancillary findings were that internal variables of structure and capability supported linkage; linkage constituted the primary means for facilitating the diffusion; and that the TEI exhibited disproportionately high influence on diffusion. (Author/HMD)

An information diffusion system was designed and tested that would facilitate the diffusion of innovations on a national scale among community mental health centers. The experimental design used both written and interpersonal techniques. Combinations of the techniques were applied to three treatment groups and a control group. In addition, a number of data collection instruments were designed to assess the effectiveness of diffusion techniques. The results indicate that staff reactions to all three diffusion techniques were extremely positive. When the staff was asked to indicate their preference regarding diffusion techniques, 78.7 percent preferred interpersonal techniques, 19.2 percent preferred written techniques, and 2.1 percent cited other techniques. Moreover, requests from centers and other human service agencies for written materials far exceeded original estimates. Furthermore, feedback indicated staff would like the network to be continued and expanded. (Author/WCM)

Project SEIC (State Educational Information Center) was funded to increase the demand for and use of educational information, especially ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) information, and to make more cost effective the delivery of information services. To accomplish these goals, Project SEIC first assessed the state-of-the-art of computer technology and then developed systematic programs of information dissemination/diffusion known as RSVP (Responsive Services for a Variety of Practitioners) and SID (Searches-In-Depth). This third volume of the three volume report contains the analysis of the statewide practitioner evaluation of comprehensive information services, including RSVP and SID. Included are (1) a description of the services evaluated, (2) a framework for interpreting the data provided in the appendixes, (3) a summary of the major findings, and (4) a statement of conclusions together with recommendations for further improvements in the service. (JY/DGC)

This report is the third in a series that describes the first-year results of the Rand study (July 1973-July 1974). It summarizes the findings and policy implications resulting from 29 case studies of change-agent projects conducted by Rand staff members and consultants in 25 school districts during April and May 1974. The report also describes the role of the state education agencies in selecting, managing, and disseminating change-agent projects. The case-study sites represent a variety of project objectives and local district conditions. The studies were limited to five types of innovations: career education, bilingual education, reading, staff development, and classroom organization. In the organization of the report, the process of innovation is characterized by three phases: initiation, implementation, and outcomes. Each area is given a chapter of the report. The outcomes of interest to this study are the effects of the project on classrooms, teachers, and students; the extent to which the project treatments were continued after the special project funding ended; and the amount of dissemination that took place between the project schools and nonproject schools within the local education agency and in other districts. (Author/IRT)

Under the sponsorship of the U. S. Office of Education, Rand is conducting a several-year study of federally funded programs designed to introduce and spread innovative practices in public schools. These change agent programs normally offer temporary federal funding to school districts as "seed money" or "risk capital." If an innovation is successful, it is assumed that the district will continue part or all of the project using other sources of funds, and also disseminate it to other schools in the district, as well as to other districts that may be seeking change. The Rand study examines four such federal programs--Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title III, Innovative Projects; Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title VII, Bilingual Projects; Vocational Education Act, 1968 Amendments, Part D, Exemplary Programs; and the Right-To-Read Program. The study identifies what tends to promote various kinds of changes in the schools and what doesn't. In particular, the Rand study will identify for federal, state, and local policy makers the nature, permanence, and extent of dissemination of innovations that are associated with the various federal programs and with various federal, state, and local practices. This part tries to distill the study's methods and results for a general audience. (Author)

This report reviews and synthesizes the findings of the survey and fieldwork as presented in Volumes II and III. In particular, it summarizes the evidence concerning the effects of federal change agent policy. Section 1 introduces the report. Section 2 describes the theoretical approach that served as the basis for data collection and analysis. Sections 3 and 4, respectively, present findings about the innovative process and about the factors affecting implementation and continuation. These sections do not present the actual analyses but use footnotes to refer to evidence presented in the other volumes. Section 5 goes beyond immediate data to raise questions about the policy instruments used in federal change agent programs. These policy implications are tentative for several reasons. First, this report presents only the findings of the first year of a two-phase study. Second, this is exploratory research--in effect the work consists of hypotheses that require more refined testing. Nonetheless, since policy can seldom afford the slow pace of scientific confirmation, conclusions supported by both the evidence and experience are offered. (Author)

This appendix deals with career education projects funded under the Vocational Education Act, 1968 Amendments, Part D. Section 1 of the appendix describes the origins and the planning and management strategies that the United States Office of Education adopted for this program. Section 2 describes the role of state education agencies. Section 3 presents syntheses of the fieldwork case studies, which describe the similarities and differences found in the planning, implementation, and adaptation of each of the projects covered. It also attempts to generalize from the limited evidence. Section 4 presents the individual case studies for these career education projects. (Author)

This is the first of four appendixes to Volume III of the Rand report "Federal Programs Supporting Educational Change." This appendix is a description of Title III of the Elementary Secondary Education Act (ESEA) as it operates at the federal and state levels, together with a description and analysis of factors that contribute to the strengths and weaknesses of selected Title III projects. Section 1 describes the origins and the planning and management strategies that the United States Office of Education (USOE) adopted for Title III, both in the state plan program, which is administered by state departments of education, and in the smaller federally funded programs, which USOE administers directly. Section 2 describes the role of state education agencies in Title III. Section 3 presents syntheses of the fieldwork case studies. In examining Title III, the researchers decided to focus on projects that were reputed to be successful in one of two particularly difficult aspects of reform: classroom organization, which generally implies a shift in classroom practice toward concepts of open education; and staff development, which often aims at important changes in teacher behavior. Section 4 presents the individual case studies. (Author)

This appendix deals with Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which funds bilingual education projects proposed by local school districts. Section 1 describes the origins and the planning and management strategies that the United States Office of Education adopted for this program. Section 2 describes the role of state education agencies. Section 3 presents syntheses of fieldwork case studies, which describes the similarities and differences found in the planning, implementation, and adaptation of each of the projects covered. It also attempts to generalize from the limited evidence. Section 4 presents the individual case studies for these bilingual education projects. (Author)

This second volume in the change-agent series reports the interim results of an exploratory statistical analysis of a survey of a nationwide sample of 293 change-agent projects funded by four federal demonstration programs--Elementary Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Title III, Innovative Projects; ESEA Title VII, Bilingual Projects; Vocational Education Act, 1968 Amendments, Part D, Exemplary Programs; and the Right-To-Read Program. The study addresses three research questions: To what extent did differences among the federal change-agent programs explain variations in the implementation and continuation of innovative projects? Which characteristics of innovative projects significantly affected their implementation and continuation? Were differences in institutional settings related to variations in project implementation and continuation, controlling for other factors, and, if so, which institutional aspects had significant and important effects? (Author)

This is the second of four appendixes to the Rand study "Federal Programs Supporting Education Change." This appendix deals primarily with Right-To-Read, a federally administered program that funds innovative reading projects in schools that have been nominated by their district. It also contains descriptions of some Elementary Secondary Education Act Title III reading projects. Section 1 describes the origins and the planning and management strategies that the United States Office of Education adopted for Right-To-Read. Section 2 describes the role that state education agencies attempt to play in their program. Section 3 presents syntheses of the fieldwork case studies, which describe the similarities and differences found in the planning, implementation, and adaptation of each of the projects covered. It also attempts to generalize from the limited evidence. Section 4 presents the individual case studies for these Right-To-Read and Title III projects. (Author)

A model experience-based career education program for secondary school students in Philadelphia, called the Academy for Career Education, has been operated by Research for Better Schools, Inc. (RBS), for three years. It utilizes employer/community participants as instructional agents and learning sites for career exploration and specialization, delivers career guidance/counseling services to students, and provides for individualized basic skill instruction. RBS does not regard the program developed for the academy as either a rejection of, or a free-standing alternative to secondary schools, but rather as a program to be used in conjunction with existing programing, and one which has yet to undergo field testing in various environments. The academy's past and future development is considered from a research, development, and dissemination perspective with relation to prototype development, dissemination, diffusion, replication, transportability and nurturance. The effectiveness of the prototype in the developmental setting has been determined and RBS will in the future continue to work with more user organizations towards its dissemination. This work entails its testing and adaptation on various environments, followed by necessary redevelopment. It also entails the testing of the program's diffusion strategy and assumptions, and the development of a change support system. (Author/SA)

Project SEIC (State Educational Information Center) was funded to increase the demand for and use of educational information, especially ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) information, and to make more cost effective delivery of information services. To accomplish these goals Project SEIC first assessed the state-of-the-art of computer technology, validating that software packages capable of meeting Project needs existed. The appropriate packages were installed at a computer facility, while governance, privacy, and confidentiality issues were being resolved. The Project also focused on defining the problems in information dissemination and utilization, and on the relationship between these functions and the diffusion of innovations. Systems and management insights were applied to supplement the understanding of the diffusion process originally observed by psychologists and sociologists. The Project itself was cast into a framework of planned change. A systematic program of dissemination/diffusion was developed known as RSVP (Responsive Services for a Variety of Practitioners). This first volume of the three volume report relates the story of the SEIC Project: its goals, how they were accomplished, and conclusions and recommendations. (JY)

This is a rationale and description for a dissemination program being developed by the School Practice and Service Division of the National Institute of Education. The document is being circulated to solicit comments on the soundness of the proposed work. The proposed program constitutes a coordinated attempt to make information, products, skills, and resources derived from research and development and exemplary practice available to educational practitioners to facilitate their problem-solving in targeted areas. The program is a venture into uncharted areas in an attempt to build additional linkages between research and development and the operating system. The apparent semiisolation and alienation of the one group from the other has come from a number of causes, including the linear-change model implicit in past federal leadership and policies in supporting educational research and development and dissemination. The proposed goal, objectives, strategies, and underlying assumptions of the program are described, as well as the proposed design, its consumer information component, its research and development utilization component, and its assessment. (Author/IPT)

Institution building is considered as a process amenable to both explanation and design if a generic "grammar of artifactual action" is used. The Configurational Theory of Innovation Diffusion model (CLER) is introduced and used to demonstrate how the world of the institution builder could be ordered as part of such grammar for designing and implementing systems of action. The four variables of the CLER model--configurational relationships, linkages, environment, and resources--are used to develop general strategies for institution building. (Author/MLF)

The English language portion of this text describes the creation of nine models for the use of educational television. Six of the models relate the use of educational television to communities ranging in size from small villages to large cities. The other three models deal with the use of educational television in neighborhood centers, centers for senior citizens, and community schools. For each of the models, it was hoped that the use of television would help the community meet its needs for: (1) occupational education; (2) trained labor; (3) coordination of secondary and post-secondary education; and (4) the reduction of sex stereotyping. The majority of the document is in French. (EMH)

This study examines a representative sample of innovative projects funded under Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in an effort to identify some of the factors that contribute to constructive change in the schools. In particular, the study investigates local takeover of Title III programs and attempts to determine why some programs are absorbed by local school systems, while other Title III programs are not. By examining how adopted and nonadopted innovative programs differ in their development, organization, dissemination, local leadership, and state support, the study identifies particular strategies, roles, and procedures that aid or hinder the adoption of educational innovations. Data for the study were gathered from a stratified random sample of 12 of the 38 Title III programs funded in Massachusetts for the three-year period 1971-74. (Author/JG)

This publication is part of a series of reports that describes the results of the first year of a study of federally funded programs designed to introduce and spread innovative practices in public schools. Over several years, the study will examine innovative educational projects funded under four federal programs, including Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), Title VII of the ESEA, the 1968 amendments to the Vocational Education Act, and the Right-to-Read Program. Purpose of the study is to examine the nature, permanence, and extent of dissemination of innovation associated with the various federal programs and with various federal, state, and local practices. A series of five reports presents the results of the study's first year; Volume 4 of the series summarizes the findings of the other volumes, synthesizes extensive data on the program strategy and management of each federal program, and discusses alternative federal strategies for promoting educational innovation. This report in turn summarizes Volume 4 and is designed to present in condensed form the study's approach and findings. (Author/JG)

The 1974 seminar for State directors of vocational education focused on improvement of vocational curricula at the local education agency level. One hundred fifteen persons, representing 43 State vocational units, one territory, and Washington, D.C., attended the seminar. Sepcial emphasis was given to processes and innovative concepts relating to professional development and self-improvement of State directors of vocational education and key members of their staffs. Guidelines and information papers were presented to explain and define methods that can be utilized by State vocational education personnel in discharging responsibilities in the field of curriculum development. The seminar covered the following areas: vocational education programs for persons with special needs (three papers); State level programs to facilitate the dissemination and implementation of new curriculum ideas (three papers); State level management information systems for curriculum improvement (three papers); curriculum changes and improvement in local education agencies (two papers); mechanisms and approaches to curriculum development (two papers); need for curriculum for State personnel development supervisors (one paper); and implementing career education programs (three papers). The full texts of all papers are included in the document. The seminar agenda and a program participant list are appended. (Author/EC)

To facilitate the dissemination of ideas and practices developed by the Improving Teaching Competencies Program (ITCP) of the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, a working unit was assigned the task of developing a conceptual model and a set of strategies for the diffusion of ITCP products. This report describing the dissemination model consists of three main sections: (1) a history of ITCP and a rationale for dissemination activities; (2) a review of the current knowledge of the change process in schools; and (3) recommended strategies for future dissemination activities. (EMH)

This study is based on a comparison of data from two independent studies of technology utilization and dissemination methodology that sought to identify the behavior characteristics of "linkers" and "stabilizers" and their relative existence within different groups of technical personnel. Hypothesis for this study is that the distribution of the linker-stabilizer behavior characteristic has a general base in terms of technically trained personnel and is not unique to a select population. Comparison of responses to a survey questionnaire administered to a sample of 1,128 naval civil engineering officers and a similar questionnaire administered to a sample of 1,598 federal government civil engineers indicates that commonality of technical training is a more dominant factor than the decision to be a naval officer or a government employee. The appendix contains copies of both survey questionnaires, as well as a series of histograms and tables comparing questionnaire responses for each of the populations studied. (JG)