Introduction: Activity theory, developed in the USSR as a Marxist alternative to Western psychology, has been applied widely in educational studies and increasingly in human-computer interaction research. Argument: The key elements of activity theory, Motivation, Goal, Activity, Tools, Object, Outcome, Rules, Community and Division of labour are…

This chapter discusses current methods of formative evaluation and suggests that these methods themselves need to be subjected to more critical research and evaluation in order to provide them with a more scientific base. Topics addressed include problems and methods associated with data gathering, evaluation designs, number of subjects available,…

Evaluation of a middle school humanities program is the focus of this report. It explains how to identify information needs and set priorities, how to obtain information from a variety of sources, and what to do with the data collected in terms of formulating recommendations for the school board. The variety of evaluation approaches presented are…

The Center for the Study of Evaluation (CSE) model identifies conditions under which evaluators intervene in educational programs, provides for a sequence of evaluation activities and conditions under which departures from this sequence occurs, and defines the relationship between the evaluator and the decision maker. This paper provides a study…

Since the service requirements of a utility depend on the distribution of population and land use in the service area, the planning for future requirements depends on accurate projections of future distributions. This systems approach model organizes land use data as an aid to facility planning. Included as variables are residential, commercial,…

The author suggests a simple three-stage model as a guideline for systematic curriculum evaluation: evaluation of goals; collection, organization, and analysis of data; and decision making. (Author)

Examines problem areas of training needs analysis (TNA), first by presenting a model of the TNA process, then by listing sources of data available for TNA (based on an analysis of the literature), and finally by proposing a method of choosing appropriate data-gathering techniques for TNA. (CT)

This paper is concerned with the challenges of qualitative research on workplace learning that occurs within co-operative (co-op) education. Co-op education is extensive in Canada, with an estimated 10% of the student population enrolled in co-op secondary education each year. The context for this study was a veterinary clinic in which four co-op…

The data-gathering model for the National Assessment offers many uses and implications at state and local levels for accountability and curriculum development purposes. (Author/KM)

The effective communication of desired information between the generator and the user requires one to accommodate variances in decision-making style, behavior, and context. The premise that decision making in organizations follows the classic rational model is discussed. (Author/MLW)

The purpose of this paper was to compare job classification decisions that are reached by using three different types of job analysis information: task-oriented, worker-oriented, and abilities-oriented. Practical implications of the findings of the study are presented. (Author/KC)

Discusses components of a consumer feedback system and methods for the systematic collection of information. The system used by the "Teaching-Family Model" approach to residential treatment illustrates the successful implementation of feedback. (Author)

This paper outlines some of the interview approaches and observational techniques that social scientists use in field study. Discussed are scheduled interviews, open-ended interviews, the delphi technique, participant observation, process observation, and lurking. (Author/AV)

Modifies the "What's in a Bag?" activity to effectively and engagingly demonstrate the nature of science. Describes each step of the activity and lists necessary materials. Shows students that, like scientists, their scientific models change as more data are gathered and incorporated into what is already known. (NB)