Characteristics and concerns of faculty development programs are briefly outlined to suggest reasons for the dearth of research in this area of program evaluation. The lack of representative and accurate outcome measures is seen as the central reason behind the lack of research. (TJH)

A report is given of the problems and successes of an evaluation team engaged in examining a 9-year community research demonstration project. The project, the Stanford Heart Disease Prevention Program, was designed to develop effective health education programs and to institutionalize these programs through community organizations so that they are…

The leadership role of the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) in developing a System of Expert Panels to identify and share promising and exemplary products, programs. and practices is discussed. The System of Expert Panels should enable the Federal government to help the public learn about replicable research and development…

Tennessee Technological University has long recognized the importance of systematic evaluation. Since 1973, the university has applied a longitudinal model for systematic data gathering and for evaluating its teacher education programs. The major goals of the university's system have been to evaluate the program objectives, provide information for…

Outcomes and applications of Appalachia Educational Laboratory (AEL) study groups composed of teachers and administrators to investigate a single educational issue and develop a product of use to practitioners are described in this report. Contents include an introduction of the study group as a professional development tool, a discussion of the…

The Research and Planning Division at Ontario Educational Communications Authority undertakes formative, summative, background, and policy research to provide better educational services to audiences via electronic and associated media. Research activities are carried out by three groups. Planning and Development formulates long term plans,…

This document contains three papers from a symposium on learning organization practices. "Learning Lenses of Leading Organizations: Best Practices Survey" (Laurel S. Jeris) shows that successful learning organizations view learning initiatives through multiple lenses with a clear, sustained focus on strategic outcomes. "Dimensions…

This paper describes and illustrates a decision theory model to analyze student selection strategies in Chapter 1 programs. The relationship between the method and the practice of moral evaluation activity is based on viewing justice as a fundamental moral concern in distributing resources, one which is accomplished, in part, through student…

The mission, organization, rationale, roles, and functions of the department are discussed. The status of the department and its interface with other departments are also described. The paper deals with problems of funding, credibility, relations between research and evaluation versus planning and development, and problems of relating research and…

Decision-oriented inquiries emanate from a specific need for information and are conducted under a number of constraints. Conclusion-oriented research originates with the researcher and can be pursued in ways decided on by the researcher. Two examples of decision-oriented evaluation studies conducted by school districts and the relationships…

The Office of Educational Leadership (OEL) of the Minnesota State Department of Education initiated a project to develop and examine the effects of processes designed to transform schools into structures that assure that all students learn. In September 1989, 10 Research and Development (R&D) project sites received grants from the OEL. The…

The Texas Education Agency instigated the teacher appraisal system to determine decisions concerning the career ladder, contract renewals, and staff development. In fall 1984, the agency staff researched teacher evaluation through a literature review and through interviews with administrators from 156 school districts. This research dictated the…

This article focuses on the problems, dilemmas, and issues which confront facilitators of teacher-based action research in schools. Three action research projects in the United Kingdom are described. An attempt is made to clarify the theoretical and philosophical assumptions which underpin the action research movement in education. (IAH)

The Program of Research and Evaluation for Public Schools (PREPS) model is unique because all research and evaluation activities are conceived, conducted, and controlled by the local public schools, members of the consortium. It is a delivery system designed to improve school effectiveness. PREPS was developed as a result of the demand for school…

Vocational education research and development (R&D) product evaluations are difficult to conduct for several reasons, such as the many types of R&D products, the multiple users of the products with different goals for evaluation, the limited time available, and the high cost. In order to meet these challenges, an internal evaluation team…