In recent years, a focus on individual student needs has set the stage for tailoring educational interventions to address issues of students who are not working up to educational proficiency standards outlined in the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation. This new pedagogical model may provide a unique opportunity to meet the needs of…

As part of an NSF funded project we developed new course materials for a general introductory statistics course designed to engage students in statistical discovery. The materials were designed to actively involve students in the design and implementation of data collection and the analysis and interpretation of the resulting data. Our overall…

Identifies stages in the process of educational software development: pre-specification stage in which educators identify the software's educational considerations; specification stage in which educators and programers work together to develop the program; documentation stage; field testing stage; and support stage. (MBR)

Reviews literature on in-basket exercises, their use in assessment, and advantages in predicting managerial success. An account of the development of an in-basket exercise to assess job candidates covers design team establishment, exercise selection, task determination and material collection, scoring key development, and pilot study and field…

Describes the steps in developing an instructional audiovisual presentation: (1) the conceptualization stage (identify goals and instructional objectives); (2) the planning stage (define skills and instructional sequence); and (3) the development stage (take slides, write story line, evaluate field test data, and revise). (LC)

Discusses highlights of a literature review on guidelines for formative evaluation of courseware and the development of a formative evaluation instrument by the Kanata High Technology Training Association (Ottawa). The eight dimensions of the resultant questionnaire are listed and a copy of the evaluation instrument is included. (MBR)

Ten working guidelines for use in developing educational software programs present standards evolved by one courseware producer for program content, learner motivation, the learning environment, educational objectives, field testing, learner control of the learning experience, monitoring and reviewing learner's activities, documentation, accuracy…

Describes a project at Bell Laboratories which sought a compromise between ideal formative evaluation procedures and more feasible procedures necessitated by restrictions on time and resources. Local-trial and field-trial stages of a phased approach are discussed, as well as the benefits of field-tests. (EAO)

Describes and compares formative evaluation approaches: expert review, developmental testing, three-stage model, learner verification and revision, and general approach to formative evaluation. Discussion of differences among approaches related to duration of try-out/revision cycle and recommendations for effective acquisition of data are…

Focuses on learner verification and revision (LVR), a systems approach to the evaluation of instructional materials in which materials are tested with students. Using this method to adapt internationally available materials to local needs is discussed. A flow chart of the LVR adaptation process and 31 references are included. (JJD)

To test a programed instruction in orientation and mobility, 44 multiply impaired low vision children and young adults (ages 5 to 28) were instructed over a six-week period. Instruction was in the areas of motor development, sensory training, concept development, and mobility skills. The experimental group using the materials showed significant…

Describes Mountain Bell's Computer Managed Instruction Development project; how the computer is being used to develop any type of instruction, to assist with management of course development projects, and to direct training of course developers; project field trial goals and results; project benefits; and future project orientation. (MBR)