The speaker is optimistic. Mainly because there is only one way to go--up. (Editor)

A report by the project director of Kansas City's Computer Assisted Instruction Laboratory in Mathematics and Science. (LS)

A model is proposed for gathering information about staff development efforts conducted by schools of education. The model can be used to evaluate staff development undertakings, report significant data, and help other institutions design comparable programs. (PP)

Reports the implementation of a quality assurance program in Colorado mental health facilities, designed to help managers know how they were doing on operational issues. The program was simple, low cost, and easy to implement. All levels of management found it a useful tool. (Author/WAS)

Evaluates a correctional treatment program to demonstrate how the research design and not the treatment intervention may be responsible for outcomes. The program, Project Papillon, used group counseling and rational emotive therapy to treat drug abuse. Suggestions are offered for designing future evaluations more accurately. (Author/JAC)

By consciously applying evaluation techniques before they adopt a new program, health educators can increase the likelihood that the program will meet their needs. Guidelines are provided for posing questions about the new program, that are normally raised at the program's end, as part of summative evaluation. (Authors/PP)

A systematic approach for managers to make data-based decisions using management information systems in human services delivery settings is described. It involves a behavioral definition of management information use, the identification of behavior disruptions in information use, and an intervention designed to reduce disruptions and promote use.…

The article describes four schools that use a continuous progress or nongraded approach to pace gifted elementary students. Article inserts present information on the Richardson Study (a national study of gifted education) and guidelines for developing continuous progress and nongraded models. (SW)

Evaluated a 16-week nutrition education program that combined a mass media campaign with provision of point-of-purchase materials in supermarkets. Small gains in nutrition knowledge were found, especially among those recalling exposure to the educational materials. Evidence of short-term increases in target food usage were also found. (Author/JN)

The contemporary context and some recent trends affecting college program reviews or evaluations, current options in purposes and practices, and impacts on programs and institutions are discussed. It is recommended that the process be viewed as a contribution to the general knowledge base for campus constituencies rather than as "right answers"…

Reviews the research on vocational assessment instruments for evaluating the mentally retarded and suggests that school psychologists, vocational educators, and special educators can work effectively in developing procedures for meaningful evaluation of the mentally retarded students. (Editor/CT)

Tested effectiveness of a sequential goal-setting training program in increasing and maintaining productivity for mentally retarded individuals and whether the goal-setting program was as effective with very low developmental levels as with levels in the moderate range. Work productivity differed significantly based on level of retardation and…

In a simulated adversary-advocacy evaluation of a computer-assisted school guidance program, the evaluation audience's reaction to different forms of data, the order of argument presentations, and the rated attitude of the evaluator are shown to influence audience agreement with evaluation recommendations. (CM)

Several concepts and themes fundamental to program evaluation are identified: value positions, concept of fairness, and the lack of an ideal applicable to all situations. Evaluation references are selected covering the topics: evaluation approaches, evaluation issues, evaluation in higher education, and administrator evaluation. (MLW)