Includes five articles that discuss (1) outcomes assessment in higher education; (2) the librarian's role in academic assessment and accreditation; (3) what library skills to teach high school students; (4) an innercity high school library programs; and (5) accountability for bibliographic instruction programs in academic libraries. (69…

Researchers investigated the extent to which elementary student teacher evaluation forms used by teacher training institutions embodied evaluative criteria identified by teacher effectiveness research. Reviews of 368 programs' forms indicated significant variability and a need for clear conceptualization of elementary teacher training programs.…

Review of 11 studies of health professions curricula incorporating training in professional self-assessment found initial student disorientation and distrust to be common. However, among successful programs both noncognitive and cognitive benefits appeared. Results suggest that self-assessment training promotes more mature, collegial, productive…

Guidelines for appropriate test preparation practices are presented to ensure that tests used in high-stakes situations generate scores that represent their domains validly. These guidelines do not rely directly on two evaluative standards proposed by W. J. Popham (1991), although they share the concern for appropriate test preparation. (SLD)

Conditions influencing conduct and impact of state-level program evaluation are explored. A model is offered as a guide for assessing conduct and impact, and its use is demonstrated by a case study contrasting the approaches of two states examining an issue raised by the Federal Health Care Financing Agency. (SLD)

This study examined the utility of Wechsler's Deterioration Index, which compares short- and long-term memory capabilities. Three studies with a total of 120 children (ages 6-14) found that the index did not predict learning disability status but did distinguish children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder from nondisabled children.…

Describes an alternative method for identifying exemplary practices in early childhood education programs. In this approach, parents and practitioners identify exemplary practices after coming to know the practices and the context in which they operate through observation, interview, and document review. Discusses methodological issues raised by…

Six articles provide an overview of the multiple approaches to evaluating the problems of homelessness and introduce the challenges of evaluating interventions for the homeless. The first part focuses on research about homelessness, and the second part describes major demonstration programs and their evaluations. (SLD)

Effects of Ohio's mandatory seat belt law on seat belt use, number of car accidents, and number of fatal and severe injuries were evaluated for January 1982 through March 1988. The monthly average number of accident victims was 2,002. Implications for public policy formulation and implementation are discussed. (SLD)

Six existing statistical procedures (models) for indirectly assessing the prevalence of need for alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health services across subareas of a state are described and critiqued in terms of epidemiological and statistical characteristics. Specific advantages and disadvantages are listed for each model. (SLD)

The University of California's (Los Angeles) Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing survey of state assessment directors reveals that about 25 states currently study or develop performance assessments. Obstacles to statewide use of performance assessments were expressed. The new Student Assessment Exchange should…

Reviews and analyzes the politicization of investigations of child abuse, emphasizing the issues of veracity and substantiation of child abuse reports. Scrutinizes recent major litigation illustrating the loss of professional objectivity. Political and ideological agendas are undermining the credibility of the mental health and social work…

New concepts and developments in student leadership theory, research, and practice in higher education are discussed, focusing on such issues as a shifting of cultural and gender issues surrounding leadership, rapidly changing demographics, assessment of leadership development, and community building. (MSE)

Discusses formative evaluation of courseware and describes a study of undergraduates that compared the effects of two methods of formative evaluation on the revision of a computer-assisted instruction (CAI) program written in HyperCard. Use of the one-to-one method and the small group method of evaluation are explained, and posttest scores are…

Discusses a study of the ability of 11 variables to predict performance, achievement, teacher evaluation, and retention of fifth grade beginning instrumentalists. Reports that scholastic ability and academic achievement tests were leading predictors of performance achievement. Concludes that socioeconomic status and self-concept played prominent…