A generic product evaluation system was developed and validated when 13 qualified regular and special educators were trained to estimate the developmental appropriateness of 239 instructional materials. The teams provided feedback for product revision and supplementary use. The data had implications for long term planning, marketing techniques,…

Based on the "Courseware Evaluation Project," supported by the Israeli Ministry of Education and Culture, this article addresses basic issues regarding formative evaluation practices in the context of computerized instruction. Topics discussed included the rationale for evaluation, elements to evaluate, dimensions for assessing quality, and…

This report on the French Teaching Modules Project is divided into four parts. Part one describes current theoretical concerns in second language curriculum and outlines a scheme for second language curriculum development. Part two explains the history of the project and the underlying principles of modules. Part three describes case studies which…

Formative evaluation of instructional materials may not be time efficient or cost effective. Scriven's definition of formative evaluation, used in this paper, applies to the assessment and refinement of instructional materials still under development. Implementation of formative evaluation techniques does not seem to yield significant improvement…

Instructional materials designed to teach teachers some fundamental skills needed to implement objectives-based instruction are described, as well as the procedures and results of the initial tryout of the materials at Arizona State University with more than 400 preservice and inservice teachers. Participants used self-instructional booklets,…

Formative evaluation consists of assessing educational programs or other kinds of educational products while they are being developed to help shape them into their final forms. This publication is intended for those whose job it is to develop new programs and products or to evaluate them during development. Topics discussed include: (1) the nature…

The instructional development (ID) process is a teaching method that can be applied to an entire course, unit, or subject. The ID process can be compared to the decision making stages in purchasing and designing a house. These stages involve such concepts as communication theory, audience analysis, and study of goals and objectives. The choice of…

The purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable health promotion workbook to assist staff and volunteers of the AIDS Calgary Awareness Association in the systematic design, development, administration, and evaluation of preventive health promotion programs. Information was gleaned from a review of health promotion, social marketing,…

This reappraisal of the situation of instructional television (ITV) in education begins by defining the field, providing background information, describing the various roles that ITV can fill, and discussing the structure of ITV as a profession. Various aspects of ITV use are then discussed in the context of: (1) national use statistics on ITV…

Discussion of instructional materials that teach knowledge and skills needed for technical training focuses on cooperative development between U.S. and Canadian educators and the Agency for Instructional Technology (AIT) to produce the "Math Works" and "Principles of Technology" materials. Learning skills are discussed, and…

A series of videodisc-based mathematics products have been developed by the cooperative effort of the University of Oregon, Utah State University, and various school districts. The products were designed to: (1) achieve educationally significant changes in student achievement and attitudes; (2) be consistent with group and individual classroom…

In 1978 the Commonwealth of Virginia initiated a three-year plan to develop basal fourth- and seventh-grade Virginia studies materials utilizing the resources of public and private institutions. The plan involved three stages: planning (1978-79), materials development (1979-80), and field testing and revision (1980-81). This document reviews the…

A survey was conducted of expert instructional design practitioners about their use of developmental testing and revision procedures. The degree of correspondence was examined between published recommended practice and actual practice, as reported by 90 respondents to a questionnaire. The surveyed sample were members of the National Society for…