Management education programs at Glasgow Caledonian University introduced Development Centres, involving students in self-assessment, career counseling, and development planning. Students viewed the centers positively as a means of bridging theory and practice, concepts and skills. (SK)

Examined the validity and reliability of the Professional Development Inventory, an instrument used in assessment centers of the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP). Results support the ease of use and high degree of validity and reliability of the instrument. (SLD)

The effectiveness of assessment centers in evaluating desirable criteria for the principalship is examined in this report, with a focus on the identification of the most effective evaluation criteria. This study explored a variety of factors in the preparation of school personnel for assessment, the actual National Association of Secondary School…

The use of an assessment center in identifying specific staff development needs of aspiring and practicing school principals was studied. The relationship between assessment center performance and subsequent staff development activities was studied by participant level (elementary, middle and junior high, and high school) and by participant…

To address the issues raised by the possible expansion of administrator competency testing, a survey was sent to each state education agency in late 1988. Using survey data and a literature review, this paper discusses the development of administrator competency testing, explores pertinent issues, makes recommendations for policy makers opting to…

Gender differences were found in the performance of 103 school administrators (74 men and 29 women) participating in the University of Tulsa's Management Development Program assessment center's evaluations. Exercises included an in-basket, two interviews, an oral presentation, and two leaderless group discussions. Women scored higher on the…

The relationship between scores on a typical bar exam and the ability to practice law was investigated with 485 applicants who took the bar exam and a 2-day performance test involving basic oral and written legal tasks. These tasks consisted of simulated cases; each participant functioned as the attorney for the plantiff in one case and as the…

This essay proposes the use of assessment centers, designed to simulate real-life situations and identify managerial skills, as a possible solution to dilemmas of current administrative personnel selection practices in academic libraries. Background, setting up the assessment center, obtaining assessment expertise, and legal implications are…

Describes the operation of assessment centers for determining administrators' strengths and weaknesses, identifies managerial competencies, and discusses the implications of using assessment center technology in university programs for preparing educational administrators. (PGD)

Critiques two articles appearing in the March 1986 issue of "Executive Educator"--one proposing principal evaluation by teachers, another describing exercises in an assessment center that probes principals' strengths and weaknesses. Most principals surveyed support teachers' evaluations and assessment centers which identify potential…

Compared the accuracy of self-assessment to expert assessment based on an assessment center procedure for a sample of 66 college students. Significant discrepancies were found between the student's and assessor's ratings on 10 of the 13 dimensions assessed. (JAC)

Montgomery County, Maryland, Public Schools has created an extensive staff development program for current and potential administrators. The program includes (1) leadership training to help participants make career decisions and acquaint them with various issues in administration, (2) an internship program, (3) an assessment center, and (4)…

Describes the historical use of assessment centers as staff development and promotional tools and their current use in personnel selection. The elements that constitute a true assessment center are outlined, and a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages for employers and applicants focuses on positions in library administration. (10…

Describes how the Victor Valley Union High School District (California) established an assessment center to help select a superintendent. School superintendents can be selected through the use of role-playing exercises that test their ability to handle the difficult responsibilities of the superintendency. (MLF)

The construct and predictive validities of many administrator performance-assessment systems used for diagnosis, certification, and selection are questionable. The present study investigated both types of validity for one system, the Administrator Diagnostic Inventory (ADI). Results from assessing 316 individuals suggest that caution and…