Extracting information efficiently from game/simulation-based assessment (G/SBA) logs requires two things: a well-structured log file and a set of analysis methods. In this report, we propose a generic data model specified as an extensible markup language (XML) schema for the log files of G/SBAs. We also propose a set of analysis methods for…

The questionnaires' origin (sources from which elements of the questionnaire are derived) and initial development (process of making a questionnaire from elements) should be assessed before their measurement properties. There is no Critical Appraisal Tool (CAT) that comprehensively assesses the origin and initial development of questionnaires…

The "Selene: A Lunar Construction GaME" instructional video game is a robust research environment (institutional review board approved) for investigating learning, affect, and the CyGaMEs Metaphorics approach to instructional video game design, embedded assessment, and informatics analysis and reporting. CyGaMEs applies analogical…

This document provides an overview of the critical role of fiscal data in state Part C systems. This information is intended to help state Part C lead agency staff better understand strategic fiscal policy questions, the fiscal data elements needed to address those questions, and the benefits of using these data. Fiscal data provide powerful…

Purpose: The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's (ASHA's) National Outcomes Measurement System (NOMS) was developed in the late 1990s. The primary purpose was to serve as a source of data for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who found themselves called on to provide empirical evidence of the functional outcomes associated with their…

"Harvard Education Letter" is published bimonthly at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. This issue of "Harvard Education Letter" contains the following articles: (1) Integrated Data Systems Link Schools and Communities: Researchers Combine School and Non-School Data to Inform Interventions and Policy (Patti Hartigan);…

This publication describes an evaluation design developed to assess school-to-work (STW) efforts throughout the Saginaw Valley STW Partnership area in Michigan. An introduction is followed by an overview of the aim of evaluation. Section 3 describes how the variables pertinent to the evaluation of the STW program initiative were identified,…

This conference paper presents a description of how faculty workloads are assessed for fiscal and other purposes at Northern Arizona University (NAU). Following a discussion of workload issues, the paper examines: (1) definition of workload; (2) methodology for data collection; (3) development of a faculty full-time equivalency database and two…

The GENESYS (GENeric Evaluation SYStem) evaluation system of the Austin, Texas school system is described, and its second year of operation--1989-90--is reviewed. GENESYS is a method of streamlining data collection and evaluation through the use of computer technology. It gathers and reports the following standard information on specified groups…

Examples from the evaluation of a program in which data collection systems were developed jointly by the program's staff and evaluators are described. The Louisiana SPUR (Special Plan Upgrading Reading) Project was evaluated by the Louisiana Department of Education Bureau of Evaluation. SPUR involves 63 of the state's 66 public school systems and…

This handbook provides guidance to district-wide steering committees about how to compile a database. A district database should contain two types of information including general contextual data that are broadly germane and relevant to all programs. The second type of information is about specific programs. The database should begin as a minimal…

Purpose: This study reviews staffing standards from the 50 states and the District of Columbia to determine if these standards are related to nursing home staffing levels. Design and Methods: Rules and regulations for states' nursing home staffing standards were obtained for the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Nurse staffing data were…

Monitoring the learning process in computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments is a key element for supporting the efficacy of tutor actions. This article proposes an approach for analysing learning processes in a CSCL environment to support tutors in their monitoring tasks. The approach entails tracking the interactions within…

Recommendations resulting from the Council of Chief State School Officers' Education Data Improvement Project are summarized. This joint effort by the states and Federal government attempts to improve the quality and timeliness of data collected, analyzed, and reported by the United States Department of Education's Center for Statistics. The goals…

Gathers comprehensive information about accidents and near misses occurring in outdoor programs. Includes checklists for types of injury/illness, program activity, and contributing factors. Asks for analysis and recommendations, comments by the program director, and a narrative description of how the accident happened, treatment given, and…