Discusses problems with the ACTFL/ETS Oral Proficiency Guidelines and examines inconsistencies relating to three assumptions of oral proficiency (OPT)--hours of study, accuracy/interest, and errors. Further, it is argued that the main problems with OPT arise from an analytic approach and the native speaker yardstick. (SED)

Compared perceptions of hyperactive children with those of a nonhyperactive matched control group on sense of coherence, life satisfaction, and perceptions of parental roles. Results indicated hyperactive children demonstrated lower levels of sense of coherence: their environment seemed to them to be less ordered, to be less manageable, and to…

Addresses two concerns about how educational reforms are being carried out: (1) the definitions being used to determine what is basic in education, and (2) the tests being used to measure those "basic skills." Suggests some solutions for teachers who recognize the legitimacy of public concern and the necessity of public support. (HTH)

Reviews judicial decisions involving school staff evaluation systems. Courts remain reluctant to interfere with the summative evaluation process of a school district. Administrators must apply reasoned, ascertainable standards in employment decisions in order to withstand judicial scrutiny amid the array of legal constraints on the evaluation of…

Description of an objective method for assigning weights to questions on examinations includes discussions of classical test theory, knowledge organization, and how task analysis can be used to identify knowledge elements required to solve specific problems, rank them, and assign objective weights to exam questions using a Pareto distribution (7…

Describes the components of SEEN, a computer program which provides an environment that prompts the user to create, support, and test an hypothesis, and its applications in an introductory world literature and an art history course. (MBR)

Describes development of a test using slides and corresponding multiple-choice questions for second-year occupational therapy students in child studies course. Reasons for choosing the test format are discussed and an outline of test construction procedures is given. An evaluation of the test indicates problems encountered and benefits gained.…

This response to Batsche and Peterson's article discusses the theoretical, empirical, and pragmatic merits of projective assessment when performed in the context of a comprehensive personality assessment battery. The projective measures should not be considered in isolation. The author concludes projective techniques are not incompatible with…

Recent changes in the objectives and techniques of testing India's university students are examined, including trends toward continuous rather than biennial or annual evaluation; internal (institutional) rather than external, standardized examinations; replacement of essay exams with more objective methods; and a letter grading system. (MSE)

This study presents exploratory evidence to prove that student computer usage is correlated with academic performance using course grades as an academic performance measure. No conclusive evidence was found to indicate student performance and computing are related, but a significant relationship between course instructor and computer usage was…

Grade equivalent (GE) scores for elementary school achievement tests are defended in response to efforts to ban their use. Equal interval developmental scoring methods for the Sequential Tests of Educational Progress and the Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills are criticized. (BS)

This study of 4,506 journal articles reveals that 4.4% of psychology article titles and 33.4% of mathematics article titles contained at least one eponym each (expression consisting of individuals's name plus word denoting idea associated with person). Twenty-two references, sample eponyms and citations, statistical tests, and source journals are…

Changes in schools and teacher education programs are interrelated and involve political, economic, social, and educational reforms. This article explores the current situation of the teaching profession and discusses the importance of incentives. (DF)

Results obtained from 11- and 15-year-olds on tests of understanding of decimal place value and its influence on addition and subtraction skills are reported and discussed. (MNS)

Discusses 32 studies which address the relationship between creative drama and language skills. Also provides a chart that includes the following information on each study: drama treatment, language measurement instruments, population, control group or alternate treatment, significant results, conclusions, and other factors studied. (PD)