A decade of interest in the evaluation of college teaching has produced both a wide variety of approaches and a concise set of practical guidelines for assisting college teachers in improving instruction. (Authors/MSE)

Teacher appraisal, now required in England and Wales and expected in Scotland in due course, should be open rather than secret. It should be done with emphasis on peer support; teachers should play a central part and be given the time to watch each other's lessons. (JHZ)

This study used the Model for Assessing Learning with Logo (Nolan and Ryba) to examine effects of Logo programming on junior high school students' thinking skills. The model addresses both student acquisition of Logo-related thinking skills and the extent to which they transfer skills to noncomputer problem solving tasks. (MBR)

A study of Israeli university students' attitudes about the value and use of findings from student evaluations of instruction is reported. It examined student opinions of the relevance of certain evaluation criteria and their relationship to student characteristics and expectations. (MSE)

A study of high school students learning computer programming was conducted to determine the impact of programming on particular mathematical and reasoning abilities, the cognitive skills or abilities that best predict programming ability, and what students actually understand about programming after two years of study. (MBR)

The relationship between living group social climate and freshman scholastic achievement was examined in 36 fraternity groups and 18 male residence hall groups. Certain aspects of a living group's social environment were significantly correlated with the freshman members' level of achievement. (Author/MLW)

Discusses teacher evaluation in Great Britain, abandoning some common assumptions about "correct" teaching methods and hierarchical and "outside" appraisal systems. Advocates peer evaluation, flexible criteria, faculty discussion, and staff development as a primary purpose. Describes an evaluation sheet to be used by observing…

Analysis of achievement test scores of 439 tenth-grade students found the hypothesized variables of IQ, socioeconomic status (SES), self-rated motivation, peer-rated studiousness, peer-group status, and parent-rated home environment contributed uniquely to achievement variance; SES, sex, and language medium of instruction were superfluous in the…

Describes a one-semester conversational language course based on specific proficiency goals. The oral proficiency pre- and posttests, goal contracts outlining performance objectives for each chapter of the text, specific instructional and grading techniques, and class activities are detailed. (MSE)

Two large samples of high school teachers were rated for teaching effectiveness by the teachers and by their students, using the IDEA Form H. Factor analyses yielded highly similar underlying dimensions. Convergent validity coefficients were significant for all factors, supporting the validity of student ratings. (Author/GDC)

To investigate performance patterns on strands of the mathematics curriculum, locally developed criterion-referenced benchmark tests were administered to all kindergarten through fourth graders in the Minneapolis public schools. Total test scores and strand scores were analyzed by ethnic group, gender, and socioeconomic status. (Author/BS)

Teaching should be thought of not as a science but as a performing art. Teachers should learn their craft through classroom apprenticeships in teaching studios/schools under the supervision of master teachers coupled with the study of pedagogical theory. Rewards should correspond to the quality of performance. (JBM)

Because of the dramatic changes in the education climate of school districts, the so-called schoolmaster, like the dinosaur, has vanished and the plenipotentiary school administrator, who the public now perceives as the school's chief executive officer (CEO), has emerged. A school administrator is not merely an education leader. Rather, like a…

This paper, second in a series of papers on alternative education, examines the academic programming in alternative education programs by reviewing the literature specifically focused on the academic programs in alternative education and summarizing a survey of fifteen alternative education programs. It suggests options for further research on…

American Colleges and Universities are continuously challenged to increase access to higher education, improve the quality of student learning, and control or reduce the rising cost of instruction. These challenges are interrelated. As tuition costs continue to rise, access is curtailed. When high failure rates prevent students from successfully…