This paper describes how a naturalistic inquirer can demonstrate rigor, or trustworthiness, and how an auditor might assess it. Looking at both inquiry products and processes, Part 1 of this paper describes how an audit may assess whether an inquiry's findings and conclusions are grounded in the raw data, and whether appropriate conventions were…

To assure accountability to educational policy developed by elected and appointed leaders, agencies and organizations must adopt high quality evaluation designs tailored to meet three basic tenets: (1) different processes for policy formation and demonstration of accountability; (2) clear accountability expectations built into policies; (3)…

A university-based office of evaluation research and a unified school district entered into a partnership arrangement for the purpose of developing a model to integrate program development and evaluation. The function of the model was to provide a common framework for all development efforts, regardless of the curricular area, and to use…

Formative teacher evaluation promotes teacher growth by illuminating some areas of difficulty and creating a viable course for change. The goal is to help teachers become more effective. Since 1991, the SouthEastern Regional Vision for Education (SERVE) has supported selected school systems in their attempts to design and implement formative…

The uses and methods of four levels of evaluation which can be conducted during the development and implementation phases of computer-based instruction (CBI) programs are discussed in this paper. The levels of evaluation presented are: (1) documentation, (2) formative evaluation, (3) assessment of immediate learner effectiveness, and (4) impact…

Formative evaluation is discussed as it relates to educational television (ETV). Formative evaluation, used to improve a project during its development, is especially valuable in the production of television programs. Methods useful in the formative evaluation of ETV are: (1) try-out studies; (2) learner verification and revision; (3)…

The Appalachia Educational Laboratory's Educational Services Office has sponsored an ongoing external evaluation of its regional exchange program since fiscal year 1979. Findings from this evaluation helped support the decision to adopt a state consultant model strategy for all four of the office's educational programs. The model involves…

Results-Oriented Supervision (R.O.S.) is a system for teacher supervision that focuses more on instructional improvement than on teacher evaluation. The supervisor and the teacher join together to formulate teaching objectives. After a period of implementation, a postconference is held to assess and restate or renew objectives. In the school…

It is a necessity that physical education programs and curriculum respond to changes in society, and a further necessity that visible and innovative programs be developed which may be used as models by various schools for purposes of emulation, modification, and evaluation. It is the responsibility of those in higher education with special…

An automated management information system was developed for planning and scheduling unit training in a U.S. Army infantry division. The primary goal of the project was to test the feasibility of the concept for a computer-based management information system. Specific objectives were to integrate information on personnel, training, and logistics…

The emphasis on and the importance of evaluation have been addressed by program planners for the past 60 years. Evaluation strategies have broadened from the Tylerian approach, which focuses on specific objectives, to more investigation using indicators as measures of program success. Evaluation is important during the development of a program and…

A summary report of the first two years of the Arizona Career Ladder Research and Evaluation Project is presented. This program, established in 1985, included the formulation of the Joint Legislative Committee on Career Ladders, which provided oversight for program implementation and development. The pilot program seeks to determine if student…

The Teacher Education and Mathematics project, funded by the Women's Educational Equity Act, developed curriculum materials to increase mathematical knowledge and confidence, increase the perception of mathematics as a female domain, reduce math anxiety, and develop skills in identifying and counteracting sex bias in mathematics instruction. To…

This paper presents one possible approach to the formative evaluation of a Teacher Enhancement Program (TEP). The approach was applied to a National Science Foundation TEP designed to enhance teachers' knowledge and use of performance assessment technology. The study demonstrates the applicability of the approach to formative evaluation and…

Honors programs are a viable part of the community college response to the challenges of the late 1980's. The growth in the two-year college memberships in Phi Theta Kappa and the National Collegiate Honors Council suggests that greater attention is being given to the academically able students at the two-year college. A rationale for developing…