This report compares five information-gathering efforts sponsored by the Dissemination and Resources Group of the National Institute of Education. These five activities were R&D System Monitoring--examining the structure, activities, funding, and communication flow at the systems level; Information Needs Sensing--identifying the information…

The Conference was held because of a recognition by the Committee on Scientific and Technical Information (COSATI) Task Group on Library Programs and the Federal Library Committee of a fundamental responsibility to interact in a meaningful way with the non-Federal sector--the state, local and private users of Federal information resources. This…

Willson's informal analysis of the impact of 20 project evaluations suggests that many federal- and state-mandated evaluations have little effect on decision making. William J. Gephart reacts to this analysis and suggests reasons why evaluators' reports may not be used. Finally, Willson supports secondary data analysis. (GDC)

The second conference on Federal Information Resources continued the discussion, begun in 1970, between the Federal library and information community and the research library community. Although each had its particular mission and problems, there is agreement that some problems are common to the two groups and that, in at least some instances, the…

Volume I of this 4-volume report contains the research instruments used in an 18-month project which was designed to understand the rural poor in terms of their information-seeking and information-utilization behavior patterns. Randomly divided into 3 groups, 840 families from 7 target counties in northwestern Florida were studied by a group of…

This guide is intended to be a reference for persons needing to know where to find information about science education, career opportunities, and other programs for physically handicapped individuals. Sources listed in the guide include: (1) Federal agencies that run assistance programs for the handicapped; (2) Professional societies specifically…

Research studied the activities of four special units set up by four Federal agencies to handle the diffusion and utilization of their respective research products. Comparative functional profiles of each unit were first developed and revised to constitute a consensus self-portrait. Next, data on the research utilization networks of two of the…

The 1990 Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act established an accountability system for vocational education based on "outcomes" such as academic skill gains, job placement, and program completion. Current congressional proposals for workforce training differ in the emphasis they place on individuals,…

Results of the National Center for Education Statistics' (NCES) evaluation of its collection of data for the Higher Education General Information Survey (HEGIS) are examined. Concerns regarding accuracy, timeliness, and uses of HEGIS data collection are addressed. To review the literature of higher education and publications concerned with some…

Testimony given by Associate Director of Education and Employment Issues in the Health, Education, and Human Services Division of the General Accounting Office discusses challenges the Department of Education faces in carrying out its mission to improve the quality of education and ensure equal access. The Government Performance and Results Act of…

This report concerning information on education in the United States addresses three questions: (1) what has happened over the past 15 years? (2) what are some reasons for the decline that has taken place in information gathering activity? and (3) how far does the problem in information gathering extend? Federally sponsored research and…

The document studies the availability and use of manpower data in vocational education and delineates the underlying factors influencing data usage. Information was collected from 10 States selected from 10 Federal regions. Descriptions of the findings are presented for each agency according to the following categories: (1) State vocational…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress is a project which annually surveys the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of young Americans. Its basic mission is to provide information useful to educational decision-makers and practitioners. The project has contributed to American education, but its assessment results have been of limited…

An extensive study was made of information dissemination by a compact of seven state education agencies which formed the Interstate Project on Dissemination. First an historical perspective for information dissemination was developed, followed by an examination of legislation and regulations pertaining to dissemination. Suggestions were formulated…

A study assessed the need for occupational information at the national level. During the study, researchers interviewed representatives of the following agencies and organizations: the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Bureau of Occupational and Adult Education, the American Vocational Association, the National Advisory Council on Vocational…