This paper is meant to highlight the occurrence of Simpson's Paradox when using aggregated data obtained from two IEA studies in Israel, while ignoring the effect of a powerful intervening variable in the local context--the ethnicity factor. It will demonstrate faulty conclusions regarding either the absence of relationships between a contextual…

Notwithstanding significant efforts by international aid agencies, aid ineffectiveness became apparent in 1990s as the impact of continued development intervention did not endure the expected outcomes. Conventional monitoring and evaluation by those agencies is critiqued for focusing on measuring project outcomes and giving little attention to…

This study discusses three evaluations completed in a large suburban school district, each of which involved stakeholders purposefully throughout the inquiry process. The reflective case narrative addresses three questions: (1) To what extent or in which parts of the evaluations were stakeholders involved? (2) What actions did the evaluator(s)…

Statewide exit examinations play an important role in discussions on school effectiveness. Referring to educational governance concepts, this paper presumes a relation between varying organizational structures of statewide examinations across states, and heterogeneous effects on school actors. It is assumed that their ability to affect work in…

Seven basic types or styles of profile reports are described in detail. Various attributes of profiles are presented, which are common to many extant profiles. Three sets of warnings are offered about the nature, content, and limitations of profiles in general. (LMO)

England and Wales have experienced a groundswell of dissatisfaction with traditional school examinations, and a corresponding enthusiasm for and interest in the development of alternative forms of assessment, variously called Profiles or Records of Achievement. Difficult issues must be addressed before such records can take the place of formal…

This introduction provides an overview of the eight other articles in the special issue and summarizes the objectivist concept of educational evaluation that the author recognizes as growing from the work of the Center for Research on Educational Accountability and Teacher Evaluation (CREATE). (SLD)

This essay provides some background on, explanation of, and justification of a theoretical framework for all types of evaluation. This framework is used to connect and underpin the approaches of other contributors to this special issue. A core discipline of evaluation is proposed that ties assorted evaluation fields together. (SLD)

The dynamic interplay between internal and external evaluation in formative and summative studies of an intervention program aimed at promoting mathematics, science, and technology education was explored. Results emphasize the need to define the roles of formative and summative evaluation and the contributions of internal and external evaluators…

The evaluation of a science education project for teachers in Durban (South Africa) illustrates some problems inherent in the application of the fourth-generation evaluation approach of Guba and Lincoln. One of the strongest concerns is that full participation by stakeholders may be an unrealistic assumption. (SLD)

Problems associated with evaluating the restructured curriculum and educational system implemented in Kenya in 1985 are reviewed. Most of the problems center around time constraints and the large numbers of students versus the small numbers of teachers and administrators. (SLD)

Principal themes associated with assessment and evaluation as these constructs or concepts have evolved in relation to special education in England and Wales are discussed, concentrating on developments since 1978. Shortcomings of the proposed National Curriculum with regard to special needs students are discussed. (SLD)

The extent to which the Joint Committee "Standards" for evaluation might be used to develop culturally relevant standards for use in other countries and how they might be modified for use in cross-cultural settings were explored using Malta and India as examples. Substantial modifications are probably necessary. (SLD)