Practitioners of adult education have a long history of teaching for social change. They may, however, be uncomfortable using quantitative methods to assess the impact of their learning activities, or they might lack access to statistical analysis software. Quantitative methods help the practitioner determine whether behavioral or attitudinal…

The first step to addressing equity gaps is to identify them. How can community colleges determine, with some degree of certainty, whether one or more student groups on a campus is in need of assistance in order to succeed? This paper tackles this question by delving into the three methods typically used to identify equity gaps, comparing and…

Although case management in higher education is a relatively new phenomenon, the challenges presented by COVID-19 have forced many institutions to deliver emergency services in an extremely rapid fashion and adopt case management strategies to serve students in crisis. This case study shares how one large community college system developed a…

Students who are at risk for or show low-intensity behavioral problems may need targeted, Tier 2 interventions. Often, Tier 2 problem-solving teams are charged with monitoring student responsiveness to intervention. This process may be difficult for those who are not trained in data collection and analysis procedures. To aid practitioners in these…

In 2017, the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) funded Mathematica to conduct the Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver Competencies (ITTCC) project. The project aims to examine existing efforts across states, institutions of higher education, professional organizations, and…

For children age birth to five, physical, cognitive, linguistic, and social-emotional growth and development occur at a rapid pace. While all children in this age range may not reach developmental milestones (e.g., smiling, saying first words, taking first steps) at the same time, development that does not happen within an expected timeframe can…

No one has a bigger stake in teaching effectiveness than students. Nor are there any better experts on how teaching is experienced by its intended beneficiaries. Only recently have many policymakers and practitioners come to recognize that--when asked the right questions, in the right ways--students can be an important source of information on the…

Teacher evaluation has emerged as a major focus for reform at the highest levels of education policymaking, and for good reason. Most evaluations are based on scant evidence of actual effectiveness, produce inflated ratings, and provide teachers with little useful feedback. This paper offers policymakers and practitioners important "lessons…

This book is a rare peek into the divergent--and at times contentious--points of view among world's leading researchers on what the condition of mental retardation is and how it should be defined, measured, and implemented in the 21st century. It is a candid and insightful collection of essays from experts on issues ranging from whether mental…

The use of heart rate measurement to aid in the design of individualized exercise programs is suggested. (LH)

Presents a technique for obtaining a rough measure of the brightness among different stars. Materials needed include a standard 35-mm camera, a plastic ruler, and a photo enlarger. Although a telescope can be used, it is not essential. (JN)

Describes the characteristics and application of the School Assessment Survey, a validated teacher survey instrument that assesses nine organizational dimensions of a school and provides feedback for staff use. (PGD)

Describes and illustrates techniques for assessing productivity in colleges and universities; defines cost analysis and discusses specific techniques of cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis; and discusses related issues in higher education. Use of these techniques is illustrated by a Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Massachusetts) program…

Reviewed is the development and evaluation of the instructional quality inventory (IQI), a systematic methodology for reviewing the three major products of the Instructional Systems Design process--objectives, test items, and instruction--before conducting student tryouts. The empirically based instructional design support system aids developers…

Discusses the nature and sources of test bias in measuring communication skills. Recommends structured performance assessment to reduce bias, contending that performance tests, if carefully administered, can be valid, unbiased methods of assessing communication skills. (PD)