In many European languages, the words "assessment" and "evaluation" are synonymous, but in English the two terms are used differently. Educational "assessment" is learner-focused and part of professional pedagogy, relating directly to the accountability of practitioners and schools to learners and their families.…

During a seven year period science materials, designed to promote discovery learning for children aged five to thirteen, were developed and revised on the basis of a formative evaluation. Student and teacher data were analyzed in order to determine which curriculum materials contributed to cognitive and affective objectives. (BJG)

Israeli "external" high schools prepare students for external matriculation examination, providing them with a second chance to retain the matriculation certificate necessary for higher education. A study of the degree to which these schools fulfill second chance hopes is described, focusing on the problem of goal definition in…

The importance of fostering individual and institutional improvement as the basis of personnel evaluation is discussed. Attributes of a sound evaluation system are described, and a generalized model of evaluation is presented that addresses improvement for both the organization and the employee. (SLD)

Articulates a framework that can place the Outcomes Based Education movement in a historical context and by so doing advance its discourse on assessment. Reviews the development and structure of the Taxonomy of Educational Objectives (B. Bloom et al., 1956) and the structure of Student Outcome Statements in Western Australia and explores the…

A social learning model focusing on intrinsic outcomes of vocational programs is proposed. It would assess technical skills and knowledge, communication skills and literacy, and personal skills and attitudes. Instruments should be devised to measure characteristics of the learning setting, learner involved activities, and nature of consequences of…

The fundamental assumptions of evaluation are recognition of the multiple realities or truths, and importance of rationality. The major roles of evaluation are critical examination, clarification, and facilitation of change. Finally, the evaluator should be aware that political, human, economic, and legal influences on an evaluation relate…

This paper discusses the advantages of non-competitive assessment, which has as its basic concern that only the performance of a particular student is observed, and then only his or her most recent performance. The most common forms of non-competitive assessment are (1) descriptive and (2) goal-based or work-based. (LMO)

For five years, from 1995 until 2000, a group of eight educators and researchers met twice annually in Syracuse, NY, for the purpose of revising Bloom's Taxonomy. Based in part on the structure of educational objectives, in part on advances in cognitive psychology, and in part on numerous other attempts to classify educational objectives that were…

The explicit statement of course objectives and a retrospective analysis of student test results are used in the evaluation of a mathematics course for engineering students. (BW)

Evaluations of special education interventions are different from research on medical interventions. Educational evaluations would be more useful if they applied an actuarial, or probability approach. Information should be collected over time and using various measures, thus increasing the available data. (GDC)

Research methods and results used to assess the economic outcomes of vocational education are illustrated. Positive cost benefit analysis findings have been replaced by negative, or minimal, conclusions of large-scale effects assessment. This technique may be used to explore potential effects on both economic and noneconomic outcomes. (DWH)

A study with 516 Australian families which supports a model of parent involvement in learning is presented. The model involves assessment of family opportunity structures as defined by parent aspirations for their children and parents' academic socialization, as well as children's perceptions of family opportunity structures. (SLD)

This paper presents one perspective on a new methodology of program evaluation which defines four phases corresponding to the operational life of a school program. Examples and results are discussed in terms of relevance to basic skills improvement efforts and cost-effects. (LMO)

Evaluation of an elementary level science curriculum unit (MATAL) illustrates intensive evaluation. This method involves classroom observation by trained observers, formulation of course objectives, student interviews (ability tests), and lesson planning. It stresses the identification of learning difficulties which hinder attainment of course…