Because teacher-to-student ratios often make it difficult for teachers to work individually with students on skill-building activities, educators and researchers have developed and evaluated procedures in which audio-recordings are used to improve basic academic skills. In the current paper, we describe and analyze reading, math, and spelling…

Research nationally and internationally found that technical graduates are lacking in employability skills. As employability skills are crucial in outcome-based education, the main goal of this research is to develop an Employability Skill Assessment Tool to help students and lecturers produce competent graduates in employability skills needed by…

Confirmatory factor analysis was used to explore the internal validity of scores on the TerraNova Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills/5 using samples from a southwestern school district and standardization samples reported by the publisher. One of the strengths claimed for battery-type achievement tests is provision of reliable and valid samples…

Evaluated the criterion-related validity of one state's basic skills requirements for teacher licensure. All 186 participants met the basic requirements when enrolled as teacher education students, but the reading scores of 77 participants and the mathematics scores of 67 did not meet the state's current requirement. Findings provide no…

Reviews evidence regarding the content, standards, and use validity of the International Adult Literacy Survey's performance scales and self-assessment scales. Concludes that there are serious questions about the performance scales and that self-assessment data may help identify adults who believe they have poor literacy skills. Suggests that…

An instructional program based on a learning hierarchy and involving the addition of fractions was presented to fourth grade students in a pretest - posttest design. The results of the tests were analyzed using both Walbesser's and White's techniques for validation. There was sufficient disagreement in the results to prevent a conclusion of…

This study evaluated the use of facilitated communication (FC) paired with a direct instructional strategy to improve the basic academic skills of 12 youths and young adults with autism. Results did not support use of FC as an educational tool, with subjects averaging below-chance performance in FC and both control conditions. (DB)

Many adult basic education programs use the Tests of General Educational Development (GED[R] Tests) to measure the skills and knowledge associated with a high school program of study as well as to assess the achievement gains of adult learners through participation in their programs. Using data from the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy…

Traditionally, correlation coefficients have been used to validate course placement decisions based on test scores and high school grades. Because placement systems restrict the range of both the predictor and outcome variables, correlation coefficients based on data from students enrolled in particular courses are understated relative to what…

This article examines recent research on full- and extended-day kindergarten programs held every day. Preceding the review are general comments concerning methodological concerns and a description of essential features of the literature. The review is organized in terms of specific end-of-year effects because administrators seeking justification…

This paper deals with the evaluation of an out-of-school tutorial program, CROSSROADS, which was funded under the U.S. Department of Education's Basic Skills Improvement Program. Like many projects funded under the Basic Skills program, CROSSROADS was terminated after two years even though it had been funded with the expectation of four years for…

This book, which is intended for professionals in the assessment/evaluation/measurement, vocational and technical education, and educational psychology communities, contains 16 papers examining specifications of work force competencies and assessment of competencies. The following papers are included: "Review of Workforce Readiness…