A program in Yakima, Washington, offers further proof that children can be immeasurably helped during the earliest years by their potentially best teachers--their parents. (Editor)

Describes the Australian Traineeship System (ATS), a program integrating formal education and employment designed to increase options for dropouts. Discusses problems involving the centrality of ATS's educational component and implementation of a program evaluation strategy. Includes two references. (MLH)

The study examined the effectiveness of an instructional child abuse prevention instruction program by staging a situation in which each child (N=44) had the opportunity to leave the school with a stranger. Self esteem before instruction and knowledge/attitude scores after instruction were found to be predictive of a reduction in vulnerability.…

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville has a system of regularly scheduled program reviews of all academic units at all levels, using both internal examiners and consultants from government and industry. Responsibilities of each review are shared by the academic unit, its college, and the provost's office. (MSE)

Presents a description and an evaluation of a formal training program for new catalogers that uses class sessions and a training manual in addition to actual cataloging experience. Appendices provide samples of training materials and the training schedule. (Author/CLB)

Reports on a study of the impact of modern communication technology on the distance education system evolving in British Columbia. Analyzes data concerning satellite-based, live interactive television programs broadcast by the Knowledge Network. Recommends a focus on methods of delivery and student characteristics. (CH)

Describes a project that evaluated students' attitudes and achievement when working with CAL (computer-assisted learning) lessons designed using the Coursewriter authoring system. A second concern was the efficiency and effectiveness of the authoring system itself. Project results are presented along with a discussion of the lesson design. (CT)

Four Head Start teachers, taught to use the "incidental teaching" technique (transmitting information or practicing skills with children during unstructured situations) were observed in free play situations with language-delayed children. Results indicated that an inservice training workshop and written and verbal feedback resulted in…

Twenty-two undergraduate student teachers participated in a question-answer strategy training program. This study evaluated the effects of that training on teacher questions and learner responses. Methodology and results are reported. (JL)

Recent evaluations of manpower training claim that: (1) nonexperimental methods produce unreliable estimates of program impacts and (2) randomized experiments are necessary for reliability. National Supported Work Demonstration data are used to reexamine nonexperimental estimates of net program impact on posttraining earnings of high school…

Two studies used experimental data to evaluate nonexperimental methods of program evaluation for employment and training programs. Results of both studies indicated that the nonexperimental methods might not accurately replicate the experimental estimates. Also, new methods for constructing comparison groups yielded little improvement over…

Estimates of the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act's net impact on participant earnings, using Continuous Longitudinal Manpower Survey data, were compared to a similar sample from the Current Population Survey. The use of multivariate matching and weighting yielded acceptable results. (GDC)

The methodology of data envelopment analysis, (DEA) a linear programming-based method, is described. Other procedures often used for measuring relative productive efficiency are discussed in relation to DEA, including ratio analysis and multiple regression analysis. The DEA technique is graphically illustrated for only two inputs and one output.…

Develops a conceptual and analytic framework for rural sociologists to document program results and consequences and to aid policy and program decisions. Addresses program/policy evaluation from perspectives of structural analysis, control programming, and simulation. Emphasizes dynamic, nonrecursive nature of evaluation processes. (LFL)

A study was conducted to develop a diagnostic instrument for students to evaluate student teachers. The result was an instrument containing 40 evaluation items divided into four major categories: personal traits, professional competence, student-teacher relationship, and classroom management. Results of instrument use are discussed. (CT)