How to generate information that can be used in the evaluation of problem solving by school principals was studied, drawing on a survey of 36 California principals. A proposed conceptual framework was tested in interviews with 30 other principals. Information generated by one principal illustrates problem solving in action. (SLD)

The methodological and practical problems that are especially common in or unique to assessment research in correctional settings are discussed. The distinctive culture of correctional institutions and the complications caused by governing bodies contribute to the particular problems encountered in collecting and analyzing data. (SLD)

Discusses several data collection procedures involved in four manageable writing classroom evaluation measures. (MG)

Discusses assessment of elementary students in the second year of the statutory implementation of England and Wales' national assessment program. Researchers developed models of teacher assessment practice that reflected different beliefs about the nature of teaching and learning and different reactions to national assessment. (SM)

Data from the experimental functional analysis of challenging behaviors of 27 individuals with mental retardation were analyzed to assess agreement among three forms of interpretation. Results found that the methods of interpreting function from experimental assessment can give different results and that test-retest reliability of the experimental…

Describes a model for conducting functional assessment in the home. The model uses a trans-disciplinary technical-assistance team to assess and plan interventions for young children with severe challenging behaviors. Discussion includes the kind of information needed, specific examples of data collection in the home, and the benefits and barriers…

Focuses on ethical issues that can arise in the collection and analysis of data in evaluations. Addresses four issues: (1) the application of cost-benefit thinking to judgments about research ethics, (2) the quality of research design, (3) the need to explore the data, and (4) the censoring of data. (Author/SLD)

In this interview, Dr. Richard Van Acker discusses federal requirements for functional behavioral assessments (FBAs) and the teamwork involved in conducting an FBA. Various components of FBAs and the approximate time required are outlined and examples are provided of structured data collection for use in the FBA. (CR)

Explores the effects evidence-based practice and the guideline movement will have on evaluation in the future and discusses the impact on evaluation of three aspects of the current information revolution: (1) e-government; (2) new approaches to data access; and (3) real-time evaluation. Also considers the sources of evaluation innovation and the…

Since the mid 1990s of last Century, university rankings have become very popular in China. Six institutions have published such rankings; some of them have also detailed their ranking methodologies. This paper features a general introduction to university ranking in China, and to the methodologies of each ranking discussed. The paper also…

The Internet and World Wide Web are increasingly used to accelerate progress in a variety of fields. These applications go beyond the traditional technology- or computer-related fields and have expanded to nontechnical fields, which have benefited greatly from the use of the Web as a data-gathering and management support tool. The purpose of this…

Most publications on outcomes assessment take a holistic approach: they focus more on the whole of assessment than on its components. They describe entire academic assessment programs and their cumulative impact on institutional effectiveness. Some evaluation articles characterize assessment components such as instruments, findings, and use of…

Thomas Jefferson recognized the value of reason and scientific experimentation in the eighteenth century. This chapter extends the idea in contemporary ways to standards that may be used to judge the ethical propriety of randomized trials and the dependability of evidence on effects of social interventions.

In a study on public television viewing, data taken from KQED San Francisco (California) revealed that the pattern of "cume build-up" and viewing to program genres was absolutely similar in non-pledge and pledge months. The percentage of audience that watched 7 or more other pledge programs was well over 50% for many of the shows. These…

This paper proposes a model to establish which criteria are considered by stakeholders as valid for evaluating a program. The model is developed with the aim of increasing the credibility and use of evaluations. Stakeholders are involved in the identification of potential evaluation criteria, and ratings of validity and priority are used as the…