Dealing with Change

Educational administration today is a matter of dealing with ongoing change. The book serves to underscore the effects of organizational development (OD) on contemporary practices and then extends the concept into the facilitation of change management for present and future administrative effectiveness. New strategies in administrative management, innovative procedures in dealing with the changing tasks facing school leaders, visioning processes related to program provisions and services offered, empowerment processes related to talent development the learning organization, problem diagnosis and solving strategies, collaborative group change processes, culture and climate impacts on school effectiveness, action research strategies, organizational development models and processes, and foundational OD theories/practice and other components of the OD process are included in the book.

An educational organization is an extremely complex system that is expected to prepare each student for success in a world that is constantly changing. Dr. Norton’s identification of the primary components of a changing organization, including its culture and climate, and its integration into a fully functional enterprise is clear and relevantly applied to the reader’s school or school district. Norton creates and enhances thought that motivates the reader to implement steps to facilitate interventions that facilitate change and program improvement. The book is a must for school board members, school administrators, teachers and others who aspire to important roles in education and want to make a difference in the lives of students. The book leads to the creation of a school environment that adapts to a changing world and utilizes the talents, skills and experiences of every person in the organization.

M. Scott Norton has served as a classroom teacher, coordinator of curriculum, associate superintendent and superintendent of schools. He served as professor and vice-chairman of the Department of Educational Administration and Supervision at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and chairman of the Department of Educational Administration and Policy Studies at Arizona State University where he currently professor emeritus.