Building on the success of the previous four editions, authors Schmuck, Bell and Bell have written this Fifth Edition to serve the needs of educators everywhere who what to bring about constructive change in their work setting at every level of the educational enterprise from pre-school to graduate school. This outstanding text was designed as a guide for instructional reform and restructuring, site-based management, staff and professional development, strategic planning, team building, and sustained improvement efforts. The authors include new strategies and examples of how schools can use OD skills and concepts to become agile, flexible and adaptable to better meet the needs of students and the demands of our global knowledge economy. The proven content of the text has been re-formatted so exercises, simulations, charts, instruments, surveys, questionnaires, and OD instructional materials are ready to use for the educator, OD practitioner or leading administrator. The authors do not view educational organization and academic curriculum as separate spheres: they believe good organization provides the soil from which good teaching can grow. Wide-ranging and informative, the OD Handbook is designed to guide school administrators and teacher leaders who want to build the skills and capacity of their faculties, staff, and students so they are better equipped to creatively and collaboratively solve problems now and in the future. Any educator who seeks to lift morale and raise achievement levels of students through more humane, consistent, and effective management and instruction will find this Fifth Edition of The Handbook of Organization Development for Schools and Colleges: Building Regenerative Capacity an invaluable resource in fulfilling that goal.
Richard A. Schmuck is professor emeritus at the University of Oregon, where he chaired thedissertations of 132 doctoral students who are from all parts of the world. He taught thousands of other educators worldwide about action research, group dynamics, and organization development. He has served on the faculties of the University of Michigan, Temple University, and Leuven University (Belgium), was the first president of the International Association for the Study of Cooperation in Education.Schmuck is a visiting Professor at Arizona State University-West.
Schmuck is the author of 20 books and 190 articles. His best-known book is Group Processes in the Classroom (with Patricia Schmuck), nowin itseighth edition. He received The Stevens Award from the Northwest Women in Educational Administration to honor his support of women in administration and his "commitment to equity, justice, and democracy."He received the Campbell Lifetime Achievement Award from the University Council on Educational Administration for "superior scholarship, distinguished service, and recognized international leadership" and "to celebrate an extraordinary and generous career." Schmuck continues to teach, consult, and write.