This study examines how high-quality professional development can promote the diffusion of effective teaching strategies among teachers through collaboration. Drawing on longitudinal and sociometric data from a study of writing professional development in 39 schools, this study shows that teachers' participation in professional development is…

Improving achievement testing depends on advances in the conceptualization of the skill domains on which student achievement is assessed. Discussed are the nature, elements, and construction of necessary frameworks for the skill domains of interest. Construction includes strategies for determining component skills, interrelationships among…

The supervision/management of a project that identified the educational objectives in the basic skills for South Carolina, and which relied heavily on a contractor's services, is retrospectively viewed. Some potentially generalizable principles of supervision for such development projects are isolated. (Author/AL)

The Multiattribute Utility Model combines subjective goal definition with objective data analysis. Goals are defined, ranked, and weighted. Subjective opinions about their attainment are assigned against decision alternatives considered by the school. Bayesian analysis of data enables revision of prior opinions about the realization of goals…

This paper outlines a proposal for "local program coordination" and assesses its consequences; discusses its educational rationale; describes how local coordination would work and what issues must be explored in assessing its merits; and looks ahead to changes that will affect the prospects for implementing this proposal. (Author/BW)

This exploratory paper analyzes the federal policy for an impact study of research and development projects in vocational education. Positive effects were found on student outcomes, project personnel, and on occupational education practices. (Author)

Four innovative educational and three criminal justice programs were studied to determine whether dissemination/implementation with close fidelity to the original model or implementation according to local needs was more effective. Well-operationalized programs were usually adopted and implemented with fidelity acceptable to program developers.…

Several aspects of national competency tests are discussed: two conceptualizations; arguments pro and con; the federal perspective; a distillation of support and opposition to arguments judged unique to national competency tests; and a hypothetical procedure for implementation. (MH)

Evaluative findings from a comprehensive internship program for beginning teachers in Alberta (Canada) are reported as a basis for assessing the value of such internships. Findings from nearly 6,000 respondents supported the usefulness of the approach and suggested recommendations for program development. (SLD)

This researcher discusses what he has learned about the field of program evaluation and makes three observations: (1) Testing does not define key objectives in evaluation. (2) Politics influences what clients want to know. (3) Case studies are necessary for epistemological reasons. (LMO)

Describes developments in the fields of learning theory, assessment, and politics of national and state assessments. Shows how use of these developments and modern assessment and evaluation methodologies can address some long-standing problems in Chapter 1 evaluation. Focuses on linking classroom and school improvement with Chapter 1 program…

Problems were investigated in organizing a program for faculty development among institutions of higher education, business, government, and nonprofit agencies. A sample of faculty members from higher education institutions and officers from industries and agencies were interviewed. A model for exchange of personnel was developed and tested.…

The author perceives the field of evaluation to be changing in several significant ways: (1) support for planning efforts is diminishing; (2) numbers of full-time staff working on these projects is diminishing; (3) personnel specialists are becoming generalists; (4) specialties are becoming blurred; and (5) conceptual and technical paradigms are…