school-centered management training: by mike wallace. london, england: paul chapman publishing ltd,...

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Book Reviews School-Centred Management Training, by Mike Wallace. London, England: Paul Chapman Publishing Ltd, 1991,190 pp. Reviewed by: JOHN D. RICHARDS This text grew out of the author’s frustration with existing management training programmes. Courses appeared to have been designed without regard for the audience and used practical exercises and examples that were far removed from the educators’ reality. What follows is a carefully laid-out plan for developing a management training programme that is audience-based, supported by relevant learning activities, and evaluated to determine its effectiveness. The author begins with a review of the “Established Principles of Learning Support.” The focus is to provide knowledge, not just for the sake of knowledge, but to enhance performance. After all, the goal of management training should be better managers and better management of their educational institutions. The next chapter,” A Range of Activities for Learning Support,” provides 27 techniques for facilitating learning. Some of the activities are brainstorming, critical incident analysis, job rotation, quality circles, shadowing, and simulation. When several of these activities are linked together to provide a comprehensive experience they are called a programme. Thus the next chapter, “A Range of Learning Support Programmes,” logically follows. The programmes are designed to be job-based and problem-oriented. Exercises are aimed at solving real, significant problems and not merely “puzzles.” The role of process review, “which follows each activity and is intended to highlight the learning that is taking place”(p. 71), is a key component of the management development training. The following chapter, “Managing and Designing Learning Support Programmes,” takes the techniques and programmes presented earlier and tailors them to the specific needs of the institution. In designing programmes, close liaison must be established and maintained between policy-makers and programme designers for the following reasons: John D. Richards. Directorate of Evaluation & Standardization, U.S. Army Medical Department Center and School, Fort Sam Houston, Texas 78234-6100 Evaluation Practice, Vol. 14, No. 2, 1993, pp. 217-218. Copyright @ 1993 by JAI Press, Inc. ISSN: 08x6-1633 All rights of reproduction in any form reserved. 217

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Page 1: School-centered management training: by Mike Wallace. London, England: Paul Chapman Publishing Ltd, 1991, 190 pp

Book Reviews

School-Centred Management Training, by Mike Wallace. London, England: Paul Chapman Publishing Ltd, 1991,190 pp.

Reviewed by: JOHN D. RICHARDS

This text grew out of the author’s frustration with existing management training programmes. Courses appeared to have been designed without regard for the audience and used practical exercises and examples that were far removed from the educators’ reality. What follows is a carefully laid-out plan for developing a management training programme that is audience-based, supported by relevant learning activities, and evaluated to determine its effectiveness.

The author begins with a review of the “Established Principles of Learning Support.” The focus is to provide knowledge, not just for the sake of knowledge, but to enhance performance. After all, the goal of management training should be better managers and better management of their educational institutions. The next chapter,” A Range of Activities for Learning Support,” provides 27 techniques for facilitating learning. Some of the activities are brainstorming, critical incident analysis, job rotation, quality circles, shadowing, and simulation.

When several of these activities are linked together to provide a comprehensive experience they are called a programme. Thus the next chapter, “A Range of Learning Support Programmes,” logically follows. The programmes are designed to be job-based and problem-oriented. Exercises are aimed at solving real, significant problems and not merely “puzzles.” The role of process review, “which follows each activity and is intended to highlight the learning that is taking place”(p. 71), is a key component of the management development training.

The following chapter, “Managing and Designing Learning Support Programmes,” takes the techniques and programmes presented earlier and tailors them to the specific needs of the institution. In designing programmes, close liaison must be established and maintained between policy-makers and programme designers for the following reasons:

John D. Richards. Directorate of Evaluation & Standardization, U.S. Army Medical Department Center and School, Fort

Sam Houston, Texas 78234-6100

Evaluation Practice, Vol. 14, No. 2, 1993, pp. 217-218. Copyright @ 1993 by JAI Press, Inc.

ISSN: 08x6-1633 All rights of reproduction in any form reserved.

217

Page 2: School-centered management training: by Mike Wallace. London, England: Paul Chapman Publishing Ltd, 1991, 190 pp

218

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EVALUATION PRACTICE, 14(2), 1993

A programme should be designed to provide learning support in order to meet priority management development needs. The detailed design, the commitment of resources, the sequencing and the timing of learning support activities will probably have to be negotiated with policy- makers. Programme managers are generally accountable to policy-makers for the quality of the learning support experience they provide, its effectiveness in achieving agreed aims, and how far it represents value for money (p. 87).

This an extensive and useful chapter. It covers all areas of programme design from content to sequencing to resources to risks/safeguards to, finally, evaluation. There are flow diagrams, matrices, and charts to guide the programme designers in their quests.

Chapter 6, “Some Programme Designs”, provides courses covering the following topics: opportunities for job enrichment, team building for the senior management team, mutual shadowing programme for headteachers, an in-service training day on stress management, short external workshop on managing assessment, regional training course for heads of faculty, an action learning programme for managers, and a substantial modular education course.

The need for evaluation is emphasized in “Evaluating Learning Support Programmes.” “The feedback that evaluation may offer to programme managers and policy-makers is possibly one of the most important factors that contributes to the effectiveness of learning support programmes” (p. 137). Also stressed is the need for evaluation to be planned as an integral part of the overall programme design and not as an after thought. Guidelines are provided for designing, conducting, and reporting the results of an evaluation. A flow diagram detailing the interactions of the strategic activities (policy makers), detailed activities (programme managers), and evaluation activities (evaluators) provides valuable insights into the overall process of programme management. The Appendix provides samples of the evaluation instruments used in this text.

The author achieved his goal of providing a handbook for managers to use when designing management instruction for their institutions. It is well written, logical, and provides adequate detail and examples. I would recommend it for anyone who has to conduct management or in-service training for their organizations.