This paper, for practitioners and researchers, is based on a computer search of the ERIC database and other references, and organizes and summarizes the literature on needs assessment in counseling, guidance, and personnel services. Following the brief introduction, a definition of terms used in the paper and a discussion of the purposes and…

This ERIC Digest discusses implications derived from the final report of the National Commission on Excellence in Education, "A Nation at Risk." The first implication is a motivational one for measurement specialists: it is an ego-booster. The report is replete with results yielded from various testing programs, the fruit of the…

This report provides an overview of the current applications of computer technology to construct test items and/or to formulate tests according to sound measurement principles. The test items may be computer-generated from strategies programmed by test constructors, or pre-constructed by item writers and stored in computer memory. The tests…

In this digest, "career counseling" refers to activities intended to improve individuals' ability to make career decisions. Studies have shown that career counseling helps individuals as much as well-developed psychological, educational, or behavioral interventions. But more studies are needed to explain this phenomenon; this digest…

Career development in Canada has been gaining prominence over the past decade. This digest outlines the principles on which career development must remain focused. First, the meaning of "career success" needs to be reconceptualized. With companies downsizing, people need to be able to view themselves as successful, despite changing…