In many European languages, the words "assessment" and "evaluation" are synonymous, but in English the two terms are used differently. Educational "assessment" is learner-focused and part of professional pedagogy, relating directly to the accountability of practitioners and schools to learners and their families.…

Political groups, social movements, and organizational influences are sources of values which influence an evaluation study. Value positions can help define and delineate an evaluation problem but, if the values influencing the results are not explicit, the evaluative research may be viewed as something other than it actually is. (BW)

It is suggested that educational objectives lack clarity since they are caught between the paradigms of quantitative and qualitative methodologies. A qualitative evaluation process is proposed, wherein rationale theory is compared to practice. Quantitative information may constitute part of the data, but is not an objective in itself. (AEF)

A social learning model focusing on intrinsic outcomes of vocational programs is proposed. It would assess technical skills and knowledge, communication skills and literacy, and personal skills and attitudes. Instruments should be devised to measure characteristics of the learning setting, learner involved activities, and nature of consequences of…

This article reviews research to identify factors that seem to account for vocational education's limited impact on economic returns. Methods are suggested in which evaluation may direct vocational programs toward a synthesis of educational goals. Students' job skill development and intellectual growth should be the objectives of vocational…

The fundamental assumptions of evaluation are recognition of the multiple realities or truths, and importance of rationality. The major roles of evaluation are critical examination, clarification, and facilitation of change. Finally, the evaluator should be aware that political, human, economic, and legal influences on an evaluation relate…

Evaluations of special education interventions are different from research on medical interventions. Educational evaluations would be more useful if they applied an actuarial, or probability approach. Information should be collected over time and using various measures, thus increasing the available data. (GDC)

Research methods and results used to assess the economic outcomes of vocational education are illustrated. Positive cost benefit analysis findings have been replaced by negative, or minimal, conclusions of large-scale effects assessment. This technique may be used to explore potential effects on both economic and noneconomic outcomes. (DWH)

This article focuses on the development of traits of self-regulation within vocational education and training (VET). This perspective is in accordance with the general objective of VET within the German speaking countries and is addressed in the objective "education and training for the ability of self-directed planning, regulation and…

This paper presents one perspective on a new methodology of program evaluation which defines four phases corresponding to the operational life of a school program. Examples and results are discussed in terms of relevance to basic skills improvement efforts and cost-effects. (LMO)

PLANA is a training program for subject matter analysis and construction of instructional objectives. This evaluation compared the performance of PLANA-trained and control-group teachers as to their precision in defining teaching objectives and their corresponding instructional tasks and test items. (BW)

Problems associated with evaluating the restructured curriculum and educational system implemented in Kenya in 1985 are reviewed. Most of the problems center around time constraints and the large numbers of students versus the small numbers of teachers and administrators. (SLD)

PLANA is a training program for subject matter analysis and construction of instructional objectives. This investigation tries to find out whether education students in the PLANA program differ from other students on planning instruction processes. (BW)

Elementary school principals rated attitudes and behaviors concerning the utilization of student achievement data: (1) commitment to influencing student achievement; (2) control in utilizing student achievement data; (3) use of data to evaluate programs and teachers; (4) effectiveness and accountability in use of data; and (5) principals' own…

The Learner Report (LR) (A. D. De Groot, 1974) is an instrument to identify educational objectives that resist obvious measurement. An overview is presented of studies using the LR and problems and solutions found in the literature and identified in a survey of 16 Dutch LR users. (SLD)