NCJ Number
31704
Date Published
1975
Length
50 pages
Annotation
THIS PAPER DESCRIBES AN EXPERIMENTAL TRAINING PROGRAM BEING DEVELOPED AND TESTED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND WHICH FOCUSES ON USING AN APPLIED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT APPROACH TO PLAN FOR INNOVATION.
Abstract
THIS EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVE INVOLVES TRAINING STUDENTS TO ENGAGE IN CHANGE AGENT ACTIVITY IN POSITIONS OF NO OR LIMITED FORMAL ORGANIZATIONAL AUTHORITY TO EFFECT POLICY. THE TRAINING EMPHASIZES TWO FUNCTIONS WHICH ARE CONSIDERED TO BE PERFORMED OVER AND BEYOND REGULAR REQUIREMENTS OF THE JOB: (1) PREPARING POTENTIAL AGENTS OF CHANGE TO DEVELOP AND TEST NEW IDEAS USING APPROPRIATE SCIENTIFIC METHODS AND (2) TEACHING THESE FUTURE CHANGE AGENTS HOW TO DEVELOP AND UTILIZE CHANGE STRATEGIES THAT DEMONSTRATE A CONCERN FOR OTHERS. THIS REPORT ON THE FIRST YEAR OF THIS THREE-YEAR PROJECT DISCUSSES THE CONCEPTUAL MODEL FOR A CHANGE AGENT TRAINING (CAT) PROGRAM, THE TRAINING DESIGN, AND ITS OBJECTIVES. ALSO INCLUDED IS A DESCRIPTION OF EACH PROGRAM COMPONENT. THE PAPER WILL THEN DISCUSS THE RESEARCH PLAN FOR THE PILOT PROGRAM AND PRELIMINARY RESULTS REGARDING CAT PARTICIPANTS, THEIR REACTIONS TO THE PILOT PROGRAM AND POST GRADUATION EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS. PRELIMINARY DATA INCLUDED IN THIS REPORT PERTAINS TO TWELVE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINOLOGY SENIORS WHO HAVE COMPLETED THE PILOT YEAR OF THE PROJECT AND A COMPARATIVE GROUP OF TWELVE MAJORS WHO SIMPLY SATISFIED UNIVERSITY REGULAR REQUIREMENTS FOR A B.A. DEGREE. THESE DATA ARE DESCRIPTIVE IN NATURE AND ARE NOT INTENDED TO BE MEASURES OF EFFECTIVENESS, RESULTS WHICH ARE FORTHCOMING. THE PAPER CONCLUDES WITH A DISCUSSION ABOUT ADAPTATIONS BEING INTRODUCED IN THE 1975-76 CHANGE AGENT TRAINING. A THREE-PAGE BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)