Even though digital technologies are ubiquitous in education, assessment methods continue to employ traditional assessments even though they are inadequate to provide information about a student's reasoning and conceptual understanding. Digital-based assessment models allow students to demonstrate higher-order skills while integrating digital…

The instructional auditor reviews school district policies, job descriptions, budget allocations, contract provisions, internal and external communications, instructional monitoring and delivery systems, elections, student characteristics, personnel characteristics, and administrative authority as these factors affect a district's instructional…

The program evaluation process at the University of Houston, involving self-studies by academic departments and review by outside evaluation teams, is described. The process considers educational goals and objectives, as well as the quality of students, faculty, and facilities. (PGD)

The Professional Development and Appraisal System (PDAS) is an appraisal system for Texas teachers that was implemented in 1995. The Continuous Improvement Instructional Planning Process is a systematic approach that teachers and administrators may use to align student performance with objectives related to the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills,…

Describes the chronological development and data collection processes used in evaluating two construct lesson plan courses concurrently offered by the American College, and comments on an earlier published article by Danny G. Langdon. (Author/JEG)

Formative evaluation is an evaluation done with the intention of identifying potential for improvement. This handbook provides techniques and ideas for discovering how students are learning and how much students are learning from their experiences in the classroom. Surveys, questionnaires, observations, class discussions, journals, and…

This report summarizes the problems schools are encountering as they try to use data to gauge the effectiveness of standards-based education, accountability efforts, and school reform. It provides an overview of the education market, discusses the strengths and weaknesses of available software, and describes systems used by 19 states. The article…

Educational systems evaluation is a cyclical process of delineating, obtaining, and providing information for judging decision alternatives. As such, it encompasses much more than measurement. Methods for evaluating systems must be developed, because activities and orientations at this level differ from those of individual students, curricula, or…

Discusses the advantages of using a pretest in introductory agronomy courses. Provides a pretest that has been developed for use in an introductory crops course taught at Southern Illinois University. Includes 25 definitions, 17 true-false and multiple choice questions, and 6 short answer questions. (TW)

Describes evolving trends in testing, including such topics as formative versus summative evaluations; the use of tests as a guide to instructional decision making; the need to focus on higher level cognitive skills; and the role of computers in testing. An annotated bibliography lists 10 relevant journal articles. (CLB)

Tests and combinations of tests for evaluating science programs that are designed to incorporate content, process skills, and problem-solving skills are discussed. Described are the use of written and practical tests, observation and discussion, and projects and written work. (CW)

Guidelines for evaluation of school programs in the State of Florida are presented. The purpose of evaluation is to modify the content and method of instruction, provide information to decision-makers and the public, provide feedback to participants, and determine criteria for program success. The optimal evaluation design for either innovative or…

Designed to accompany the Project CONSTRUCT Validation Survey, this booklet begins with an overview that presents answers to commonly asked questions about the project, a process-oriented curriculum and assessment framework for working with children aged three to seven. The remainder of the booklet is divided into three sections which correspond…

This chapter examines the potential pitfalls in evaluating the effectiveness of gifted education programs and applies recent trends in the assessment and maintenance of quality in industrial applications. Evaluators are encouraged to avoid the temptations of bad evaluation which may appear to offer simpler alternatives to complex tasks but…

This paper describes the use of a theory-based framework, the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM), in evaluating the implementation of three educational innovations in the Portland (Oregon) Public Schools during 1986-87: (1) Project READ, a districtwide alternative language arts program for grades 1-8; (2) Timeline, project management software…