Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not schools which scored higher in academic achievement differed from lower achieving schools in the way they processed information. The specific objectives of this study were to apply Living Systems Theory (L.S.T.) and the derived Living Systems Process Analysis (L.S.P.A.) in examining how information processing takes place in schools; to attain a better understanding of a school's overall instructional and management effectiveness; and to provide the groundwork for the development of a descriptive model of information processing for school and management effectiveness. Data analyses results showed significantly higher performance ratings for high-achieving schools than for low-achieving schools on eight of nine L.S.T. Information Processes. The evidence indicated that Living Systems Process Analysis was sensitive to achievement differences in schools and that information processes appeared to be useful as indicators of school performance in such key areas as 'Curriculum Planning', 'Classroom Instruction', 'Inservice Training', and 'Staff Supervision'. These results tend (1) to confirm the potential power of L.S.P.A. to detect information processing differences in school operations when using subjective, qualitative data (i.e., staff perceptions) and (2) to provide evidence that school organizations that process information efficiently tend to be effective organizations. Four areas that deserve attention in future applications of L.S.P.A. to school organizations are: (1) Translating information processes, variables, and indicators into empirically testable statements; (2) Gathering objective, quantitative data to add to the qualitative, perceptual data findings of the present study; (3) Applying alternative statistical methods to test the systematic nature of L.S.P.A.; (4) Developing useful assessment instruments, guidance materials, and computer systems software to enable school personnel to monitor and evaluate the processing performance of their school, and to plan processing remediations for school improvement.