The author argues that competency-based education does not fit all vocational education applications and should be used in moderation. He also discusses vocational education's focus on actual occupational tasks and the use of criterion-referenced measurement of performance. (CT)

The author replies to Marx's critique of his essay, "Test Purpose and Item Type," which appears on pages 8-13 of this issue of "Canadian Journal of Education." For Marx's comments, see pages 14-19. (SJL)

In the first part of the paper, some realistic expectations about schools and curriculum development, the conditions which preclude applying the standards of basic research to evaluate a program of instruction in large school systems, and some new research paradigms which have emerged from practice are defined. In the second part, an effort is…