Indicators of fund-raising costs and productivity are discussed and trends in fund raising are assessed. It is suggested that less of the educational and general expenditures are going to college and university advancement programs, but that gift-dollar costs remain constant. (Author/SF)

Although the ratio of program costs to dollars raised is an important measure of effectiveness, there are many variables among colleges and universities that must be considered when fund-raising efforts are assessed. Both tangible (size, academic offerings, type of institution) and intangible (spirit, energy, ability) variables are discussed.…

The internal validity of the RMC models, especially Model A, is examined. Concern centers on limiting evaluation to cognitive outcomes, using constant percentile as the no-treatment expectation, and using norms for one test to establish the expected no-treatment performance level for another test. (MH)

A study to compare the impact of responsive (case study) and preordinate (questionnaire) approaches to program evaluation was conducted among 29 professional personnel affiliated with Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Respondents preferred the responsive approach to the preordinate method; however, the responsive approach was more…

The author notes some elusive learner outcomes that have received little attention in career education evaluation, principally skills in adapting to social change and in seeing clear relationships between school learning and future careers. He explains his experiences in evaluating these elusive aspects in the Georgia Governor's Honors Program.…

Approximately two-thirds of all United States and Canadian medical schools have provisions for the evaluation of their departments. Some of the forces leading to the popularity of departmental review, the review process and the various ways it can be managed, and its implications for medical school administration are discussed. (Author/JMD)

Over 10,000 health-related sites exist on the World Wide Web, but there is no consistent system for evaluation or review of their information. This article describes elements to consider in constructing and evaluating Web pages (content, authorship, purpose, and page aesthetics). A health-related Web site evaluation form is included. (SM)

Rasch methodology, often used in educational research, was used to assess psychometric limitations of a scale designed to measure fear of falling in older persons. Simultaneous calibration of scale items improved its lack of scale definition. Implications for assessment of self-efficacy perceptions and planning treatment programs are discussed.…

A program to develop culturally appropriate child and family service standards in First Nations communities was evaluated. Process and outcome benefits were achieved through multiple focus group interviews and using a feedback and data consultation stage to involve community residents. (SLD)

Community enterprise projects link higher education students with the not-for-profit community and provide opportunities to acquire skills and competences not available in commercial experiences. Outlines personal and academic benefits to students, highlights benefits to communities and volunteer groups, and discusses competence assessment…

Comments on "Assessing the Comfort Zone of Child Care Teachers in Serving Young Children with Disabilities" (Buysse and others) and discusses the social value of inclusion for young children with disabilities. Explores the use of social-validity assessment to evaluate inclusive placements and current training efforts. (CR)

Describes how one group of beginning preservice teachers constructed meaning about portfolios during an introductory course in the teacher education programs. Surveys of students who had and had not participated in a portfolio-like intervention indicated that intervention students had significantly increased knowledge and understanding of the…

A multimethod approach to program evaluation using quantitative methods, subjective assessments, and qualitative case study methods was used to evaluate a federally funded grant to improve quality of life for persons with developmental disabilities. Discussion focuses on the strengths and weaknesses of each evaluation method and impact of the…

Describes a schoolwide research improvement initiative that was designed to improve information literacy in a high school setting. Discusses self-study and examination of student work; cognitive issues; school culture; online resources that were developed; improving search strategies; discouraging electronic plagiarism; creating pathfinders;…

Responds to a critique of this author's article on consideration of purpose and intended use when making evaluations of assessments, commenting on three areas from that critique that warrant further discussion: considering the uses of assessment tools; global quality versus content specificity; and creating a toolkit of measures for examining…