An effort to operationalize the logic of confidence construct is described that uses item development, factor analysis, and reliability and validity tests. Data from public school and higher education teachers indicate correlations for teacher logic of confidence, status obeisance, professional zone of acceptance, and autonomy. (TJH)

The Psychotic Behavior Rating Scale uses a factor analysis approach to aid in differential diagnosis of autism, schizophrenia, mental retardation, aphasia, and other severe handicaps. The scale is compared with five existing qualitatively developed instruments, noting similarities and dissimilarities among the various scales. (Author/JDD)

A number of research reports and meta analyses on student evaluation of college teaching were reviewed. Student ratings were found to be multidimensional, reliable, valid, and relatively unbiased. Results were useful for feedback, course selection, and personnel decisions. Marsh's Students' Evaluations of Educational Quality (SEEQ) was also…

Multidimensional item response data were created. The strength of a general factor, the number of common factors, the distribution of items loadingon common factors, and the number of items in simulated tests were manipulated. LOGIST effectively recovered both item and trait parameters in nearly all of the experimental conditions. (Author/JAZ)

An evaluation study of learning outcomes for secondary art education in The Netherlands is described. A student self-assessment questionnaire (learner report), based on De Groot's Self-Assessment Theories, was sent to 1150 students after final exams. Students wrote learning effect sentences, ranked 30 possible learning effects, and answered…

Describes information system being developed by Unesco's General Information Program and Brazilian Institute for Information Science and Technology to overcome lack of timely, relevant data to support national information decision making. Principles and examples of practical applications of the system are presented. Prospects and requirements for…

The Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire (OCDQ), modified by Thomas and Slater for use in South Australian schools in 1970, was based on four factors (rather than the original eight): principal supportiveness or operations emphasis and teacher disaffiliation or intimacy. A recent study in New South Wales has validated this four-factor…

Multidimensional scaling (MDS) was used to derive the dimensions underlying student ratings of instruction. A weighted MDS revealed that departmental affiliation, course structure, and intensity of teaching were particularly salient to the raters. The findings are discussed in light of the current literature on student ratings of instruction.…

The Lisrel-model with structured means was used to study similarities and differences in the development of mathematical ability between two student groups as measured by two tests on three successive occasions. Procedures for testing models to assess the contribution on an individual parameter to the goodness of fit are described. (Author/BS)

Investigated attributes of 61 online searchers that were believed to affect quality of search results: creativity level (measured using two self-report inventories); intelligence level (approximated from GRE verbal and quantitative scores); and personality traits in regard to masculinity, femininity, and self-esteem (measured using…

Using 559 fifth graders, measures were collected to assess multiple dimensions of academic self-attribution, self-concept, and inferred self-concept, and academic achievement. The specificity and predictability of the observed patterns of relations support the construct validity of interpretations based on both the self-attribution and…

Path analysis was used to test the relationships between the resources provided to site councils in site-based management (such as administrative support for site-based management), council communication and decision making practices, and perceived outcomes in terms of effectiveness and stakeholder satisfaction. Data were collected form 12 schools…

This study examined the conceptions of teacher evaluation criteria of 9th- and 12th-grade teachers and administrators. Four representative members of each group (n=12) were interviewed and asked to identify and define indicators of instructional practice based on the context of their allocated roles and experiences. It was hypothesized that…

This paper conceptually explains higher-order factor analysis and methods for interpretation. A review of first-order factor analysis is presented that provides the foundation for the summary of second-order factor analysis. Higher order factors are derived from the correlations between the lower-level factors. An example study is provided to make…

This study investigated the nature of spatial ability, as measured by four instruments based on spatial orientation and visualization, and its relationship to the mathematical performance of elementary school pupils. Participating in the study were 127 elementary school students, 72 boys and 55 girls, ages 10 to 11 years. Spatial ability was…