Staff development programs and evaluation designs can be improved by applying four principles: (1) Range of evaluation criteria should match range of outcomes; (2) Program outcomes should be concrete and specific to assist in formulation of evaluation criteria; (3) Evaluation design rigor should reflect the program's power; and (4) Evaluation…

Discusses Theory Z, the Japanese philosophy of work and job training. Examines the 13-step matrix of this theory. These steps include: knowing the company's organization and management philosophy; implementing the philosophy; developing interpersonal skills; testing oneself and the system; involving the union; and stabilizing employment. (CT)

Reviews the student services evaluation literature and presents a metamodel for selecting evaluation models. The metamodel is based on the comparison of the common dimensions of all evaluation models. Identifies five common dimensions that collectively determine the usefulness of any evaluation model. (RC)

There are seven important steps in the development of a communications campaign to promote public health: (1) analyzing the situational realities; (2) axiological examination of proposed targets; (3) describing the sociocultural context; (4) mapping the psychological matrix; (5) selecting the campaign theme; (6) constructing persuasive…

Discusses the meaning and objectives of environmental education and the methods for and purpose of evaluation in this discipline. Provides a broad, working definition of environmental education, suggesting that such broad definitions necessitate the identification of a few measurable objectives as "indicators" of an environmental…

Evaluation of health education programs has depended primarily on a behavioral approach, emphasizing quantitative assessment of knowledge and attitudes about health. The success of health programs can be explained more fully if, in addition, a qualitative approach is used to help determine why people adopt good health behaviors. (PP)

Suggests that many aspects of quality assurance in health care can be applied to social service agencies. Reviews what has been learned about quality assurance in health care and suggests guidelines for its implementation in social services. (Author/JAC)

The article suggests that accuracy data alone provide insufficient information upon which to base instructional decisions, particularly for severely handicapped students. It discusses the merits of data that relate behavior to a time base. Characteristics of various time-based measures are described and data collection examples are presented.…

Comprehensive Analysis of Special Education (CASE) is an instrument designed to assess the extent of services being provided in classrooms or learning environment settings to severely/profoundly handicapped children. (SB)

The goal model is appropriate for evaluating effectiveness in complex service organizations because there are measurable outputs. An empirical method is provided for the identification and measurement of organizational goals. Perception of effectiveness could be improved if goals were made to coincide with the desires of user groups. (DWH)

Ten computer languages are compared and contrasted. A series of programs focusing on the average of two numbers are designed to point out differences in console input, console output, and common arithmetic. (MP)

Four steps to curriculum innovation are outlined: (1) identifying descriptive dimensions; (2) specifying practices implied by the innovation; (3) describing actual practices; and (4) comparing actual with intended practices across the critical dimensions of beliefs, objectives, instructional materials, and teaching strategies. (Author/CP)

To audit school climate requires sound comprehensive planning and should include assessment of the climate dimensions of human satisfaction and human productivity. (Author/JM)

Describes work performed under the Spelling Error Detection Correction Project (SPEEDCOP) at Chemical Abstracts Service to devise effective automatic methods of detecting and correcting misspellings in scholarly and scientific text. The trigram analysis technique developed determined sites but not types of errors. Thirteen references are listed.…

Investigated the feasibility of implementing the Profile Analysis Technique (PAT) in the Colorado Division of Rehabilitation. PAT profiles and questionnaires were sent to counselors, supervisors, and administrators. Although rehabilitation personnel expressed dissatisfaction with some aspects of the PAT, they generally felt it provided useful…