Describes the University of Arizona's plan of action for defining and testing second language proficiency at the fourth semester level (a college requirement). Tasks include (1) reviewing proficiency literature; (2) redefining the second language requirement by using the ACTFL proficiency guidelines; (3) developing testing techniques; and (4)…

Reviews research into children's use of television and discusses two studies, one from the United States and one from West Germany, that focus on media in families. A study currently being completed is also described that examines the effect of cable television on children's and adolescents' media use in Austria. (LRW)

Advocates that student affairs professionals who are designing student development programs and services to improve academic achievement, take into consideration the relationships between learning styles and achievement. Developed Inventory of Learning Processes to assess students' learning styles and strategies. Showed that students with high…

Argues that teachers should be encouraged to use not just pencil-and-paper tests but also observations, interviews, and even students' journals to gather information on which to base their evaluations. (PK)

Found peer-counseling training for Black students in a predominantly White university to be significant in furthering psychological growth. There was movement in the areas of moral reasoning and ego development as measured by the Defining Issues Test and the Sentence Completion Test. Advocates providing programs aimed at improving psychological…

Studied how individuals test hypotheses about themselves. Examined extent to which Snyder's bias toward confirmation persists when negative or nonconsistent personal hypothesis is tested. Found negativity or positivity did not affect hypothesis testing directly, though hypothesis consistency did. Found cognitive schematic variable (vulnerability…

Using samples of college students of very high ability and strong academic background, sex differences in performance and perceptions of performance in introductory chemistry and mathematics courses were studied. Considerable differences favoring men were found, and these appeared to be due primarily to differences in mathematics background.…

Changes in Scotland's curriculum have led to changes in student testing. A system of grade-related criteria has been developed--descriptions of expected performance in key aspects of a subject at different grade levels. (GDC)

This study compares physician performance on the Computer-Aided Simulation of the Clinical Encounter with peer ratings and performance on multiple choice questions and patient management problems. Results indicate that all formats are equally valid, although multiple choice is the most reliable method of assessment per unit of testing time.…

Currently used standardized measures for testing competency do not predict classroom performance. Unique qualities that ethnic minorities bring to classrooms, such as language and cultural knowledge, should be viewed as assets. More realistic criteria are necessary in order to solve the shortage of minority teachers. (Author/GC)

This study concerns the selection of mathematically talented students at the beginning of secondary school in Australia, using a version of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). Age and sex differences were found. Younger and older students responded to SAT items in qualitatively different ways. (MNS)

A cross-racial comparison of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) was made with the revised version, the WAIS-R. Three groups of Anglo, Black, and Mexican-American male college students were administered both versions of the WAIS on the same day. Significant differences were found among the racial groups. (Author/LMO)

Two easily computed test statistics are proposed for testing the equality of two correlated proportions when some observations are missing on both responses. The performance of these tests in terms of size and power is compared with other tests by means of Monte Carlo simulations. (Author/BS)

The impact on Native Americans, Hispanics, and Caucasians of competency examinations and grade point average requirements for admissions to teacher education programs was investigated. Strategies to lessen this impact are given. (MT)

Reports on a project undertaken at St. Louis Community College (MO), during which a sample of technical high school students were tested to establish their knowledge/competency levels in selected data processing subjects in an effort to develop testing procedures and criterion levels for advanced placement. (AYC)