JITE v32n1 - From the Editor - The Start of a New Term

From the Editor

As I begin my term as Editor, I would like to thank Frank Pratzner, past editor of the Journal, for his cooperation and support during the transition. Beginning in January of 1994, Frank began forwarding manuscripts to me so I could get my first issue out on schedule. He has also transferred the manuscripts that are under review, the production originals, and the computer-generated layout files. Frank has also been kind enough to provide technical assistance whenever I had a question about procedures and protocols. Frank, thanks for making the transition smooth and efficient!

Although we began work on Volume 32 last January, the new Editorial Board officially took office on July 1. This new Board has several continuing members as well as three new members. First, I would like to welcome Rod Custer, University of Missouri-Columbia, to the Editorial Board for Volumes 32 and 33. Rod has agreed to serve as Associate Editor during my term as Editor and will assume the position of Editor following the completion of Volume 33. As an Assistant Editor several years ago, Rod distinguished himself as a thorough and thoughtful reviewer of manuscripts. I am pleased that he has agreed to continue working for the Journal and have no doubt that he will continue the tradition of quality that has been maintained for so many years. I also am looking forward to working with the continuing Assistant Editors. Frank Pratzner thought highly of the contributions of Assistant Editors W. Tad Foster, Central Connecticut State University; James Gregson, Oklahoma State University; Charles Linnell, Clemson University; and Ken Welty, University of Wisconsin-Stout. I am sure their experience and insights will make my tenure as Editor much easier. In addition to his role as Assistant Editor, Charles will continue to serve as Circulation Manager for Volumes 32 and 33 of the Journal .

I would like to announce the appointment of two new individuals to the Editorial Board. Brian McAlister, Pittsburg State University, has agreed to serve as Assistant Editor for Volumes 32 and 33 of the Journal . Brian has been a regular reviewer of manuscripts for several years and will now expand his contributions in an editorial capacity. Sarah Smith Duncan has agreed to serve as Style Editor. Sarah is a doctoral candidate at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign specializing in technology education and, most importantly for the Journal , has extensive experience as a writing instructor at the college level. Her knowledge of the field of Industrial Teacher Education and her ability to ensure that manuscripts conform to the style of the Journal can only enhance its quality.

Producing this first issue has been an eye opening experience. True, the time commitment is enormous. The effort required to review manuscripts, correspond with authors, edit manuscripts, and prepare the copy for printing can only be realized after one has completed an issue. Fortunately, the Department of Vocational and Technical Education and the College of Education at the University of Illinois have been willing to provide a graduate student position to work on the Journal, and they have also contributed computers and software to be used solely for the production of the Journal . Without such kind support, the production of the Journal would be much more difficult.

The production of this first issue has been a great learning experience. An Editor is fortunate to have the opportunity to see, first hand, the most recent scholarly work in the field. The breadth of the topics being addressed in the field is impressive. It is also a fascinating opportunity to work with both the referees and the authors to strengthen manuscripts and prepare them for publication.

Four featured articles are included in this issue. The first article, by James Kirkwood, Patrick Foster, and Sue Bartow, identifies the historical figures who had a major influence on the philosophical base of technology education. By comparing their results to the findings of an earlier study that identified the developers of industrial arts philosophy, the authors provide an interesting look at the histories of these two connected fields of study. In the second article, by Jerome Moss, Gary Leske, Qetler Jensrud, and Thomas Berkas, the results of an evaluation of several leadership development programs are presented. Comparisons were made between the leadership development experiences that were designed for graduate programs in vocational education and the programs that were designed to provide in-service opportunities for vocational instructors. The third article, by Beverly Richards, Terrance O'Brien, and Duane Akroyd, explores the ability of extrinsic and intrinsic work related rewards to predict the organizational commitment of vocational teachers. Their results lead to potential strategies for improving the organizational commitment of vocational instructors. The final article, by Susan Olson, identifies the competencies that are common between technical instructors in post-secondary institutions and technical trainers in business and industry.

The At Issue section contains two essays. The first, by Richard Walter, contends that recent legislation provides an opportunity to rebuild the cooperative education programs that have fallen on hard times in recent years. The second, by Jeffrey Flesher, responds to Thomas Walker's call for a dialog on the future of vocational education and the role NAITTE will play in shaping that future. Flesher argues that the strength of NAITTE lies in the diversity of its membership and therefore it has a unique role to play in the integration of the various Education for Work efforts. Under Review includes a review by Nevin Frantz of Charles Law's recent book entitled Tech Prep Education: A Total Quality Approach . Finally, Bits and Pieces contains its usual items related to submitting manuscripts to the Journal , becoming a NAITTE member, and ordering various NAITTE publications.

SDJ