Reviews current approaches to the examination of medical students' clinical competence, mentioning differences in approaches adopted in Australia, Great Britain, and North America. Test methods used in examination are discussed critically and their separate strengths and weaknesses are highlighted. Newer approaches involving multiple methods and…

Discusses the background for the evaluation of a new clinical course in medicine and possible methods and problems and outlines the planned strategy and initial experiences. (CHC)

Describes an approach to course evaluation based on experience gained during 18 full scale course evaluations at the University of Adelaide. It is presented as one approach which has proved to be successful for the evaluator who is subjected to definite practical constraints, e.g., time. (JEG)

Discusses the problems related to evaluating in-service minicourses at Macquarie University, Sydney, and the results of two preliminary studies. The first examined participants' perceptions of the degree to which specified objectives were achieved for each course. The second was a questionnaire surveying the opinions of past participants.…

Describes the recording of protocols of student problem solving, some of the problems arising in this approach, and the difficulties faced by the researcher. (Author)

Describes a way of classifying and measuring the representation of the physical world and the use of metaphor in textbook illustration which is based on information content. It can be used to provide data to help in assessing the value of textbook illustrations and compare their illustrative styles. (Author/MBR)

Describes types of learning and organizational strategies and suggests that pattern noting--a technique to organize information in a relational manner showing linkages between topics--is a powerful organizational strategy. An algorithmic procedure for semantically analyzing pattern notes and various pattern note applications are described.…

This course design is characterized by a small group organization, course processes as models, direct personal learning about teaching in a supportive microteaching environment, and continuous evaluation and feedback. The evidence suggests that the course meets the needs of the university teacher and has desirable academic, social, and personal…

Verbal transactions between students and tutors during radio tutorials for courses offered by the University of Western Australia and Murdoch University were studied to determine how the medium affected the tutorial process. It was found that radio tutorials were successful in providing students with the opportunity to participate in discussions.…

Describes the chronological development and data collection processes used in evaluating two construct lesson plan courses concurrently offered by the American College, and comments on an earlier published article by Danny G. Langdon. (Author/JEG)

The process of forming practical abilities and skills in training situations through the control of the assimilation process is described, and an experimental application of this process for the instruction of machine operators is reported. Six references are included. (CHC)

Describes a Scottish research project--Technique for Assessment of Practical Skills in Foundation Science (TAPS)--to identify practical laboratory skills that students should acquire and to produce methods of formative and summative evaluation of these skills. Examples of appropriate practical objectives, test items, and evaluation criteria are…

Three articles discuss professional staff development in higher education and suggest future possibilities. A proposed staff appraisal system that includes opportunities for student evaluation is outlined; questions relating to the concept and rationale of teacher appraisal in higher education are examined; and two case studies using innovation…

Outlines innovations associated with development of a learning environment designed around problem-solving/situation-improving strategies for farming and other agricultural systems at Australia's Hawkesbury Agricultural College. The situation at the school is described; observations and reflections are noted; and conceptualizations and actions for…

Describes two microcomputer-assisted adaptations of traditional methods of teaching word recognition (alphabet-spelling method) and phonics (sound-symbol method) which are designed for use with students who have severe physical and communication handicaps, language disabilities, or fine motor problems. A clinical protocol is outlined for…