Looks at the large-scale experiments on the testing of oral proficiency in English, French, and German that have been carried out over the last five years in the Swedish gymnasium. Various kinds of tasks and different grading criteria have been used, and the practical problems of scheduling and of teacher training have been discussed. (nine…

This review of the Test of Early Written Language concludes that the test succeeds in identifying students who are below their peers in writing and in measuring long-term gains in written language achievement; but its format makes it difficult to document specific strengths and weaknesses and its reliability; and validity have not been…

This study focused on the validation of Generalizable Reasoning Skills assessment instruments with students with disabilities in secondary vocational programs. Results indicated that student self-ratings, teacher ratings, and a performance test were internally consistent and precise measures of reasoning skills for some uses but that most…

A study reveals the need for extensive refinement of the Revised Perceived Environmental Control Measure purported in the past to be a reliable and valid instrument to measure the relationship between the psychological construct, "locus of control," and environmental action or environmentally responsible behavior. (MCO)

This article briefly reviews findings from more than 250 research studies on instructional leadership and productive schools and discusses development and field testing of a needs assessment instrument for assessment of the continuing education needs of principals. (IAH)

The Consent Screening Interview was developed to enable consumers with mental retardation to express views and preferences about community residential placements and indicate to service providers their ability to give informed consent. Analysis of content and construct validity and interrater reliability, involving 69 subjects, revealed that the…

This study, involving 24 children or adolescents with pervasive developmental disorders, assessed 3 autism scales: Autism Behavior Checklist, Real Life Rating Scale, and Childhood Autism Rating Scale. The study analyzed interrater reliability, correlations between pairs of the three scales, diagnostic classification cutoff scores, and…

Researchers studied the reliability of the modified push-up test in measuring upper body strength and endurance in elementary through college students. It also examined the accuracy of partner scoring. The test proved much easier to administer than the regular floor push-up. It was valid and reliable for all students and suitable for partner…

The development and testing of a measure of pharmacy student performance in the clinical setting is described. Participating faculty refined an instrument for its ability to measure eight behavioral objectives of patient presentation. Items were of Likert or dichotomous format and measured problem-solving and communication skills. (Author/MSE)

Two parent report inventories geared at assessing language skills in toddlers are examined, in terms of reliability, validity, and application. The MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory: Toddlers and the Language Development Survey are compared and their combined use in handicap identification is discussed. (PB)

This article describes the second edition of the Attention Deficit Disorders Evaluation Scale (ADDES II), an individually administered behavior rating scale developed to assist in the identification and service of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorders. Its purpose, administration, interpretation of scores, standardization,…

The Silver Drawing Test of Cognition and Emotion was standardized for Brazilian children (N=2,000). ANOVA results are presented for age and education groups from early grades on, including distinguishing adult education levels; results are compared for U.S. and Brazilian populations. Growth in test scores, emotional content responses, and…

This study, utilizing data from 208 educators, obtained estimates of the reliability of the four subscale version of the 40-item Computer Attitude Scale (CAS); provided detailed information regarding the factor patterns of the CAS subscales; and provided evidence about the differential validity of the CAS among four groups with differing intensity…

This study examined preliminary psychometric properties of the Teaching Practices Observation Scale (TPOS), a newly developed observational taxonomy for assessing teacher behaviors during free play with young children. Behaviors of 42 child caregivers and junior kindergarten teachers were coded using a combination of time-sampling, event-sampling,…

Although peer reviewing of writing is a way to create more writing opportunities in college and university settings, the validity and reliability of peer-generated grades are a major concern. This study investigated the validity and reliability of peer-generated writing grades of 708 students across sixteen different courses from four universities…