This paper challenges Hanushek and Woessmann's (2008) contention that the quality and not the quantity of schooling determines a nation's rate of economic growth. I first show that their statistical analysis is flawed. I then show that when a nation's average test scores and average schooling attainment are included in a national income model,…

In four articles adapted from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) Research Report Series, Issue 2 of ETS Research Spotlight provides a small taste of the range of assessment-related research capabilities of the ETS Research and Development Division. Those articles cover assessment-related research aimed at developing models of student learning,…

In this article, we introduce a person-fit statistic called the hierarchy consistency index (HCI) to help detect misfitting item response vectors for tests developed and analyzed based on a cognitive model. The HCI ranges from -1.0 to 1.0, with values close to -1.0 indicating that students respond unexpectedly or differently from the responses…

One solution to the problem of obtaining test scores in order to assess multiple outcomes of educational programs is a basically simple technique called matrix sampling. Matrix sampling is the estimation of total test score statistics by administering random subsets of test items to randomly selected students. This chapter lays out the specific…

This speech concerns the dimensions of context-oriented evaluation and begins with a discussion of the differences between measurement, research, statistical methodology, and evaluation. Decision-oriented evaluation is described as a process in which the evaluator has, as a major concern, the responsibility to determine likely decisions prior to…

This paper details procedures to be followed in analyzing multiple program options and time allocation for significant effects. A multiple-option supplementary education program was evaluated by the application of multiple regression analysis as a general data analytic system. (Author)

This document contains three papers from the Methodology Project of the Center for the Study of Evaluation. Methods for characterizing test accuracy are reported in the first two papers. "Bounds on the K Out of N Reliability of a Test, and an Exact Test for Hierarchically Related Items" describes and illustrates how an extension of a…

Reasons for the failure of the classical empirical concept of measurement to evaluate educational programs are discussed. Action oriented evaluation is presented as an alternative, and is illustrated by a program to integrate foreign and native language curriculum development and student testing in Germany. (CP)

A two-year study designed to evaluate an elementary language arts program in the Grande Prairie School District (Edmonton, Alberta) through an assessment of student achievement was conducted from 1983 to 1985. A major focus of the study was the area of listening, and the listening tests and teacher's manuals presented in this document are intended…

Discusses early feminist efforts in psychological assessment, and reviews general issues related to feminist methodology. Successful impact and lack of impact of feminist criticism are illustrated by the revisions of the Strong Campbell Interest Inventory and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (1990), respectively. (SLD)

Recent research results strongly suggest that the theoretical problems of change measures have limited practical significance for measuring individual growth, and it is important to determine whether this is also the case for measuring school impact. Accordingly, in this study artifical data were used to assess the correlation between several…

The National Assessment is a plan for a systematic survey of knowledges, skills, understandings, and attitudes. The development of citizenship assessment described in this paper typifies the processes undergone for each subject--art, career and occupational development, citizenship, literature, mathematics, music, reading, science, social studies,…

An evaluation of the first year of "The Electric Company" is provided. Volume 1 is comprised of the following chapters: I. Introduction; II. Preparing for the Evaluation (Research Design and Sampling Procedures; Field Operations; The Treatment--the in-school viewing treatment, the at-home viewing treatment, and the content of The…

This study uses an adaptation of the Illuminative Evaluation method in examining experiential learning through a case study of its application in practical legal training. The study's prime focus is on the experiential learning method known as the "current matter" process as conducted by the College of Law, Sydney (Australia). This…

A two-year study designed to evaluate an elementary language arts program in the Grande Prairie School District (Edmonton, Alberta) through an assessment of student achievement was conducted from 1983 to 1985. This final report describes all facets of the study and presents the researchers' findings and conclusions. Following a preface, the report…