Background: The field of collaborative biostatistics plays a critical role in translating scientific discoveries into practical applications by providing sound statistical analysis, ensuring data integrity, and facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration in translational science and decision-making in healthcare. The role of a collaborative…

Background: Statements or commitments making use of numbers have an important place in government policy. They appear at all stages of the policy process: campaigning, formulation, monitoring and evaluation. Many types of sources are involved including research studies, national survey information, routine operational data collections and special…

The main controversy as a result of the commercialisation of international education markets is that international students especially those from China are unable to perform as well as UK students in UK universities. So far, research has yet to identify the influence of placements on the academic performance of Chinese students from entry to…

The homogenous projects-base concept is defined. Next, the necessary steps to create a homogenous projects-base are presented. A metric system is built, which then will be used for analyzing projects. The indicators which are meaningful for analyzing a homogenous projects-base are selected. The given hypothesis is experimentally verified. The…

The main purpose of the study was to ascertain the benefits of employing a hybrid evaluation approach to assessing a teacher education programme's objectives or intended outcomes. The benefits of employing the hybrid evaluation approach enacted through its evaluation survey component was seen in the fact that it acts as a guide for participants'…

The article reviews the ways in which norm-referenced developmental age (DA) and developmental quotient (DQ) evaluation data are currently reported in preschool early intervention program evaluation studies. The concept of intervention DQ in contrast with pretest DQ is proposed as a more meaningful way to report evaluation data. (Author/DB)

This article focuses on the use of statistics in policy and evaluation research and the need to present statistical information in a form that is meaningful to mixed audiences. Three guidelines for formulating and presenting meaningful statistics are outlined. Understandability ensures that knowledge of statistical methods is not required for…

Ratings of evaluation consultant and evaluation report were influenced by use of jargon and data but were generally unrelated to whether they were read by a lay or professional audiences. In contrast, extent of agreement with recommendations were related to audience type and rarely related to the style of the report. (Author/GK)

Data on people with disabilities can be used to confirm service needs and to evaluate the resulting impact of services. Disability statistics from surveys and administrative records can play a meaningful role in such efforts. In this article, the authors describe the array of available data and statistics and their potential uses in rehabilitation…

By demystifying traditional rational accounting perspectives, the work of Ginsberg (TM 508 964) offers a basis to develop notions of accountability in relation to meaningful work processes. (BW)

Prior to graduating from high school, the vast majority of youth in the United States will take part in at least one community service activity. Although it is frequently assumed that community service is inherently beneficial to those that take part, the activities and processes of youth service programs tend to be unsystematic and vary widely.…

Premature application of quantitative indicators formerly used for individual assessment and research to bureaucratic decision making can produce side effects that are dysfunctional in nature. In order to illustrate this phenomenon, the author reviews a general literature and utilizes examples form mental health care. (Author/BW)

The aim of this study was to develop an instrument for evaluating how an education program has been implemented. Such evaluation can provide insight into the effectiveness of a program. Examined here was the Olympic Education Program used in Greek schools since 2000. In it, students learn the history of the Olympic games and the importance of…

This article presents the methodology used by the Finnish Education Evaluation Council in the national evaluation of social and communication skills in vocational education and training. The evaluation concentrates on key competences such as learning-to-learn skills, communication skills, social skills and entrepreneurship (Implementation of…

In support of Ginsberg's theory (TM 508 964), a third corollary to the Conservation of Discretion Law is proposed: Where possible, the worker will use a statistic not as a statistic but, rather, as an instrument to reduce the workload. Three illustrations are presented: grade point averages, crime rates, and recidivism rates. (BW)