This
systemic element's major responsibility is to ensure that the important
but often unseen infrastructure is in place that supports the implementation
of Science as Inquiry. These include important and supportive guidelines,
policies, regulations, and budgets that: insure the recruitment and
employment of appropriate staff; the purchase of appropriate instructional
resources; the use of new and emerging technologies for learning and
managing learning; the involvement and support of the community; and,
the design of appropriate facilities. In addition, this component
insures that supportive guidelines, policies, regulations, and budgets
are in place that meet the needs of all learners and addresses the
needs of a diverse and multicultural society.
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The attributes of this infrastructure are infused
throughout all of the major systemic elements so as to bring the
school/community system in alignment with inquiry learning. While
the local superintendent and school principals must exert strong
leadership in this area, other key leaders must be involved. Local
school board members, members of county and city governing bodies,
local political leaders, and perhaps key business leaders can be
most important in helping pass regulations and policies and provide
the necessary budget. This component becomes the mechanism to generate
a leadership attitude of ìtaking calculated risksin order
to make the significant changes in education to bring it inline
with the needs of modern society. A rubric should be developed around
the operational definition of 'Science as Inquiry' that can generate
objective suggestions for guidelines, policies, regulations, and
budgets for an effective administrative component.
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