Participants' usage of informational variables in learning visual relative-mass discrimination in collisions was tracked by means of PROBIT correlations. Four groups received feedback that was true or accorded with either of three nonspecificational cue variables. A majority in each group adopted the feedback, but several participants defied the…

Presents a mathematical model of a decision maker subject to goal uncertainty which shows that a dominant course of action will always emerge. The theory of multivalued functions is used to express goal uncertainty, and a specific example is described to provide insight into how the procedure works in practice. (Author/EM)

The study indicates that librarians and audiovisual directors can provide inservice training to teachers which meets their individual needs and which results in fuller use of materials owned by the school (Author/MM)

There are many ways to collect information about college teaching. Many are quick, easy, and unintrusive, and are valuable supplements to the standard source of information, student ratings. A matrix of data needs and corresponding sources of course, instructor, and student information helps refine the information gathering process. (MSE)

Investigates the combination of terms and document weighting functions in information retrieval. Describes weighting functions based on how information is used within documents and collections and uses them in two types of experiments: one based on combination of evidence for ad hoc retrieval, and one within a relevance feedback situation.…

Information Based Evaluation (IBE) is identified as a design procedure for assessing a variety of projects, programs, and educational changes. IBE was used to evaluate a Comprehensive Diagnostic Teaching Center (DTC) which, in addition to providing teacher training and services to handicapped pupils, would bring together and focus all of the…

Conditions that can enhance college teachers' acceptance and productive use of feedback about instruction are outlined, including understanding of the purposes of evaluation, who provides the feedback, the message itself (form, timing, sources, and subsequent messages), characteristics of the recipient, immediate environment, and consequences…

Describes a performance technology approach to paperwork reduction for managers that looks at information as a stimulus designed to prompt or initiate a desired behavior or response from the reader. Guidelines for improving performance through the use of information that serves as directions or feedback are given. (LRW)

This paper suggests ways of structuring the content of feedback experimentally to test hypotheses of interest. Use of the feedback process in this manner suggests a variety of research and intervention tactics, many of them unexplored and some of them implying ethically questionable conduct. Consideration of this question also helps illuminate the…

Discusses need to humanize test-giving by making individual's best interests major concern. Relates importance of educating public regarding effective programs and school personnel about effective usage. Reviews selected measurement literature. (CJ)

Sixty-three special education teachers in Ohio were surveyed to describe reports (received from school psychologists) on the basis of types of information provided and to rate the usefulness of the reports. Areas for self-assessment and development by psychologists to improve their report-writing are suggested. (Author/CM)

For student rating data to be useful in improving college teaching, consultants and faculty need to know how different evaluative purposes effect evaluation results, and they must be able to interpret and use the data at hand. A series of steps should be followed to help ensure valid data interpretation. (MSE)

To be effective, information on early childhood education should (1) be directed towards the appropriate audience, (2) be written so that it is understandable to that audience, and (3) provide data to help the user make meaningful judgements. The wide range of educational and occupational levels of people working in the field of early childhood…

The growing complexity of society has resulted in increased attention to the problem of knowledge production and utilization. This review of the scholarship pertaining to this subject traces the topic in its most general sense. Three fields of interest have received attention from researchers: 1) the relation of research to practice; 2) the nature…

The second installment of a Building Cost File. Deals with putting cost data to use in estimating. The building classification code rounds out the actual filing guide. Related articles are EA 504 949-951, EA 504 571-572, and EA 504 578. (Author)