Research Interests
Publications, Papers and Research
Projects
John R.
Fisher, Ph.D.
Grants
- 2004, March 31. "Mass
media and policymaking: A case study of the voluntary merger of Northwest Missouri
State University
and the University
of Missouri." Applied
Research Project grant
of $606 from Northwest Missouri State University.
- 2004, January. “Getting
students to vote: A
student-sponsored
public relations campaign.” Quality of Culture Grant awarded from
Northwest Missouri State University for $4,200.
Publications
- 2001. A
manager's guide to listening and
problem
solving. Edmonton, Alberta: Fisher House
Publishers.
ISBN
1-896255-20-5. (Used in teaching.)
- 2001. Suggestions
for Living Better from
the Life
of Benjamin Franklin. Edmonton, Alberta: Fisher House
Publishers.
ISBN 1-896255-21-3
- 1996,
February. Terry Wendell and John
Fisher. Guide
for School Board Three-Year Plans and Annual Education Reports.
Edmonton,
Alberta: Alberta Education.
- 1995,
February. Sharon Campbell, Moshe Elhav,
John
Fisher. Framework for Funding School Boards. Edmonton,
Alberta:
Alberta Education.
- 1992, January.
"The Alberta Consultation," with Don
Chapman
and Mengesha Gessesse. In Unravelling the Tangle: Learning
Information
Services for Adults in Canada. Wendy
Terry, ed. Toronto: Learnxs
Press.
- 1991, Spring.
News media functions in policymaking. Canadian
Journal of Communications, Vol. 16, pp. 139-145. (Refereed
journal.)
- 1990, Spring.
Book review of "Mass Communications
in Canada." Canadian
Journal of Communications, Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 120-122.
- 1988. Media
coverage of conflict in educational
policymaking. Canadian
Administrator, 28 (3). (Refereed journal.)
- 1988, March.
Burger, J., Fisher, J., & Thorpe,
K. "Methodological
issues in educational administration research." In E. Miklos (Ed.), Study
of Educational Administration Series (Resource Unit No. 3).
Edmonton,
Alberta: University of Alberta.
- 1978. "Sound
Financial Planning: A personal guide
to finances."
The Printer, Medicine Hat, Alberta.
- 1973, August. "A
Walk by Faith." Ensign
Magazine, Volume
3, Number 8.
Papers and presentations
- 2008, November 8. "Native
People and Systematic Bias in the
Public Education System." A paper presented at the Midwest Association for
Canadian Studies (MWACS), St. Louis, Missouri.
- 2005, October 16. "Black and White: Dealing with racism in
writing biographies and personal histories." A paper presented at the
Midwest Popular Culture
Association and Midwest American Culture Association Annual Conference,
St. Louis, Missouri.
- 2005, May 29-31. "Communciation
and connectedness in the high
school classroom." A paper
to
be presented with Darwin Eckstrom at the annual conference of the
Canadian Association for the Study of Educational Administration
at London, Ontario.
- 2005, April 6-10. “Getting
students to vote: How communication played a key role in a
student-sponsored
public relations campaign.” Chair of a panel discussion at the
Central States Communication Association Annual Conference, Kansas
City, Missouri.
- 2005, April 6-10. “Teaching
Communication: Getting to the
Heart Using Visuals as Instructional Tools.” A paper presented
with Melody Hubbard at the Central States Communication Association
Annual Conference, Kansas City, Missouri.
- 2004, October 10. "Culture in film: Portrayal of Mormons in
Brigham City." A paper presented at the Midwest Popular Culture
Association and Midwest American Culture Association Annual Conference,
Cleveland, Ohio.
- 2004, April 2. "Noble, but not savage: Difficulties in the
racial-mythic conception of media stereotypes." A paper presented
with Rick Moore at the Central States Communication Association Annual
Conference, Cleveland, Ohio. Awarded top competitive paper in
media studies.
- 2003, October 17. "Teaching communication concepts using
film clips." A paper presented with Melody Hubbard at the Midwest
Popular Culture Association and Midwest American Culture Association
Annual Conference, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
- 2002, August
4-10. "The aboriginal education
experience:
What is it and how can it be improved?" A paper presented at the 6th
World
Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education. Stoney Park, Morley,
Alberta,
Canada.
- 2002, May
26. "Improving the aboriginal
educational
experience in public schools." A paper presented with Leith Campbell at
the Canadian Association for the Study of Educational Administration
Annual
Conference held at the University of Toronto.
- 2002, March
14. "Improving the aboriginal
educational
experience in public schools." A paper presented with Leith Campbell at
2002 First Nations Conference, "Indigenous Visions: Honoring
Traditions/Creating
Futures" at Boise State University, Boise, Idaho.
- 2002, March
4. "Newspaper coverage of
Election 2000
leadership debates in Canada and the United States." A paper presented
at the Western States Communication Association Conference, Long Beach,
California.
- 2001, May 27.
"Two Newspapers Coverage of the
Leadership
Debates in Election 2000 in Canada and the United States." A paper
presented
at the Conference of the Canadian Communications Association, Laval
University,
Quebec.
- 2000, 1999,
1998, November 30. Annual
Education Results
Report for Peace Wapiti School Board
#33, Grande Prairie, Alberta.
- 1999, October. Performance-based
testing: An
alternative
to traditional student evaluation. A paper presented at the
Athabasca
University Learning Services Conference.
- 1996, November. Workbook
for School and School
Board Planning.
Edmonton, Alberta: Fisher House Publishers.
- (Available
electronically on the Internet at
http://www.ocii.com/~fisher/school/download.htm) Download
Package (zip, 42K), includes School Planning Template and Guide,
Word
for Windows 7.0
- 1996, March 23.
"Addressing Equity in Alberta," a
paper presented
with Moshé Elhav at the American Educational Finance Conference,
Salt Lake City, Utah. ERIC
Clearinghouse No. EA027 635
Download article (zip, 22K), "Addressing Equity in Alberta," Abstract
PDF
Version
- 1995, April 6.
"Taxation and infrastructure: the
impact of
machinery and equipment tax on education funding," a presentation to
the
Forest Industry/ Government Partnership Meeting, Edmonton, Alberta.
- 1990, November
16. "Using the Case Study to Examine
Mass
Media Impact on Politics." A paper presented to the faculty of
Athabasca
University, Athabasca, Alberta.
- 1989, June 5.
"Mass Media Functions in Politics: A
Case Study
in Educational Policymaking." A paper presented at the Canadian
Association
for the Study of Educational Administration, Laval University, Quebec.
- 1988, June 9.
"Print Media Impact in Provincial
Politics:
A Case Study in Educational Policy Making." A paper presented to a
joint
session of the Canadian Communications Association and the Canadian
Political
Science Association at the University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario.
- 1988, June 3.
"The Discourse on Educational
Research Methodology:
The Method-Paradigm Dichotomy." A paper presented with John Burger and
Karran Thorpe to the Canadian Society for the Study of Education
conference
at the University of Windsor.
- 1988, May 4.
"Education Information Brokering and
Referral
Services in Alberta: A Potential Resource for Adult Learners." A paper
presented with Don Chapman and Mengesha Gessesse to the Canadian
Association
for the Study of Adult Education conference at the University of
Calgary,
Calgary, Alberta.
- 1988, March 11.
"Balance in Newspaper Coverage of a
Policy
Issue." A paper presented to the Graduate Research Symposium,
University
of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta.
- 1987, March.
"Policy Actor Interaction and Mass
Media Coverage."
A paper presented at the Graduate Research Symposium, University of
Alberta,
Edmonton, Alberta.
- 1986, March.
"Mass Media Role in the Policymaking
Process:
A Content Analysis." A paper presented at the Graduate Research
Symposium,
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta.
- 1985, August.
"The School Fiscal Year Change:
Recommendations
for Implementation." A policy paper prepared for Finance and
Administration
Division, Alberta Education, Edmonton, Alberta.
- 1985, August.
"Determining Teacher Supply and
Demand: A Comparison
of Approaches." A policy paper prepared for Planning and Evaluation,
Alberta
Education, Edmonton, Alberta.
- 1985, April.
"Evaluation and determination of the
mission
and mandate of Teacher Certification and Development Branch." Research
project with Don Chapman for Alberta Education, Edmonton Alberta.
- 1987, October.
"Mass Media Coverage of Provincial
Policy
Making: The Criteria for Newsworthiness." A paper presented at
Colloquium
'87, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta.
- 1979, May.
"Report Writing for Business and
Industry." A
paper presented to the Annual Conference of the Alberta Business
Education
Association, Palliser Hotel, Calgary, Alberta.
Research projects
- 2005, 2004,
2003, 2002,
2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, June. Satisfaction Survey for Peace
Wapiti School Board #33, Grande Prairie, Alberta.
- 1997, November. Principal
Shortage in Alberta School Jurisdictions. A study
prepared
for the Conference of Alberta School Superintendents by Darwin Eckstrom
and John Fisher.
- 1989, April.
"Elementary Teacher Perceptions of the
Alberta
Mathematics Curriculum." A research project for Alberta Education
Curriculum
Design Branch.
- 1989, April.
"Elementary Teacher Perceptions of the
Alberta
Science Curriculum." A research project for Alberta Education
Curriculum
Design Branch.
- 1988. Print
Media Coverage of Educational
Policymaking. Unpublished
doctoral dissertation, University of Alberta, Edmonton.
- 1988, February.
"Help to Adult Learners:
Educational Brokering
in Alberta." A research project with Don Chapman and Mengesha Gessesse
for the Workers' Educational Association of Canada, Toronto, Ontario.
- 1988, January.
"Quality and Excellence in Higher
Education."
A research project with Mengesha Gessesse for the Department of
Industrial,
Vocational and Adult Education, University of Alberta, Edmonton.
- 1987, July.
"Computer Instruction in Elementary
Schools."
Policy research and evaluation for Alberta Education, Edmonton, Alberta.
- 1987, May. Evaluation
of the Initiation to
Teaching Project. Alberta
Education, Edmonton, Alberta. Team member involved in data collection
and
classroom observation.
- 1986, May.
"School Fiscal Year Implementation in
Alberta
Counties." Evaluation of policy implementation and recommendations with
Jack Clark to the Fiscal Year Change Committee, Alberta Education,
Edmonton,
Alberta.
- 1984-85.
"Transfer Study." Member of project team
for the
Alberta Council on Admissions and Transfer study, coordinated by
J.M.Small
and A.G.Konrad.
- 1984. "Projects
in Photography." A portfolio of
photographs
for instruction. Lethbridge Community College.
- 1982. Basic
Typesetting and Newspaper Layout.
An individualized
course in using the electronic newsroom in newspaper production,
Lethbridge
Community College Press, Lethbridge, Alberta.
- 1973.
"Readability of Type." A research project for
the Ensign
Magazine, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Served as advisor or committee member for the
following
graduate
student projects.
- 1989, Fall.
Broad, Mary. Student government
involvement in
the decision-making process at J. Percy Page Composite High School.
Unpublished
Master of Education project, University of Alberta, Edmonton.
- 1989, Summer.
Sebest, George. The feasibility of
implementing
total school-based budgeting in the County of Minburn. Unpublished
Master
of Education project, University of Alberta, Edmonton.
- 1989, Spring.
Sutherland, Hazel. Using a DACUM
Analysis to
Determine Fundraising Approaches in Canada. Unpublished Master of
Education
Project, University of Alberta, Edmonton.
- 1989, Spring.
Fraietta, John and Nelson McBride.
Small Districts'
Curriculum Resource Bank: A Case Study in Shared Services. Unpublished
Master of Education Project, University of Alberta, Edmonton.
- 1989, Spring.
Breitkreutz, Larry. Job Satisfaction
at CompuCollege
School of Business. Unpublished Master of Education Project, University
of Alberta, Edmonton. (Committee member.)
- 1989, Spring.
Handcock, Bruce. A Study of the
Alberta Initiation
to Teaching Project. Unpublished Master of Education Project,
University
of Alberta, Edmonton. (Committee member.)
- 1988, Fall.
MacKasey, Michael. Parent and Teacher
Attitudes
about Parent/Volunteer Involvement. Non-published Master of Education
Project,
University of Alberta, Edmonton. (Committee member.)
- 1988, Fall.
Werner, Irma. Learning Needs Assessment
in Gerontological
Nursing. Non-published Master of Education Project, University of
Alberta,
Edmonton. (Committee member.)