This guide is designed to help district and school site leaders assess the professional learning needs of elementary school teachers to implement research-based recommendations for the instruction of English learner students. It comprises two tools--the Teacher Self-Reflection Tool and the Classroom Observation Tool--and outlines a 10-step process…

Science capabilities are a set of ideas for teachers to think with about science education. There are five: gathering and interpreting data, using evidence, critiquing evidence, interpreting representations of science, and engaging with science. This paper explores what student progress in developing capabilities might look like. It draws on…

Student feedback collected through program evaluation of secondary education licensure and Master's program clinical experiences prompted us to conduct a collective self-study. We used a reflective framework for analysis and discussion of the shifts students in our courses made as they progressed from observers to practicing teachers. Along with…

Data can help identify solutions to some of the biggest problems in schools. Yet few schools use data effectively. The purpose of this book is to help schools become aware of the advantages of collecting and using data (data analysis) for overall school improvement. The book begins with an overview of the current state of education and the…

This handbook is designed to help beginning evaluators of teacher recruitment programs. It addresses the information and assessment needs of teacher recruitment programs. It takes a hands-on approach and includes worksheets and instructions for using them. After presenting tips for getting started, the handbook offers eight steps to successful…

Many directors of college recreational programs are feeling pressure for increased accountability in the face of shrinking financial resources and increased demand for services. One method of providing that accountability and learning about the strengths and weaknesses of services offered is by assessing the level of client satisfaction. Developed…

Countries that begin implementing the Intel[R] Teach to the Future Essentials course after March of 2006 are required to collect data using the Intel[R] Teach Essentials End of Training Survey to help support program improvement. This End of Training evaluation toolkit provides guidelines on: (1) End of Training Survey administration; (2) The…

This report describes research that Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. (MPR) has conducted for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), to develop methods to track the use of "competitive foods" in schools over time. Competitive foods are foods from a la carte cafeteria sales, vending machines, school stores,…

A discussion of a particular problem in an individual teacher's second language classroom leads to a definition of "action research", examines the issues to be addressed before undertaking it, and results in suggestions for designing and implementing the study. Action research is defined as a process designed to improve teaching and facilitate…

A study was conducted at Macomb Community College (MCC), in Warren, Michigan, to determine whether respondents to studies would be as likely to include their return addresses on business reply envelopes if there were no lines designating the return address's proper placement. From October 25 through November 18, 1993, 23 mailings were conducted…

The 1988 National Survey of Postsecondary Faculty surveyed 7,408 full- and part-time regular faculty, department chairpersons, and institutional representatives of 480 nonproprietary accredited U.S. institutions of higher education granting a two-year or higher degree. The survey, conducted between December 1987 and October 1988, examined…

Evaluators usually assume that the data they receive are valid, or at least, that the data reflect that which is being evaluated. In a recent evaluation in a large southern school district, evaluators compared their raw interview notes with interview notes edited by the teachers interviewed or project staff. The program evaluated was Project SEED,…

The Collaboration for the Improvement of Teacher Education (CITE) Project, now beginning its third year, consists of a blocked semester of three courses--curriculum and methods, social aspects of teaching, and measurement and evaluation--and the related field experience activities occurring at the pre-student teaching level. Approximately 120…

This study aimed to describe, compare, and analyze the use of specific types of data utilized in decision-making by administrators of more and less effective community colleges. The study utilized a modified version of Kim Cameron's "Assessment of Organizational Effectiveness on Higher Education" to measure and rank community college…

This report summarizes results from research aimed at improving the quality of information collected about school curriculum. The research sought to design and pilot a model for collecting benchmark data on school coursework. These more indepth data, such as course textbooks, assignments, exams, and teacher logs, can serve as anchors against which…