Austin Community College mailed an Employee Satisfaction Survey in spring 2000 to 2,903 employees. The survey form asked respondents to rate college-wide and/or campus services that they had requested or received during the past year in terms of promptness, quality, attitude and overall service. The overall survey return rate was 15.4%, but rates…

This document consists of the first 10 articles of volume 8 of the electronic journal "Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation" published in 2002-2003: (1) "Using Electronic Surveys: Advice from Survey Professionals" (David M. Shannon, Todd E. Johnson, Shelby Searcy, and Alan Lott); (2) "Four Assumptions of Multiple Regression That Researchers…

This paper summarizes results of telephone interviews with key personnel at 19 (out of 22) agencies receiving grants under the Center for Mental Health Services program, one part of a 5-year evaluation study examining the impact that utilizing measurable outcomes has on service systems. This component focused on the conceptualization and…

Research has shown that student mid-term feedback has significantly increased subsequent ratings of teacher effectiveness, student achievement, and student attitudes when the feedback results were accompanied by expert consultation. A gap in the literature is an instrument intended to provide specific feedback on systematic planning and delivery…

Describes a two-semester course held at a French college for a group of Saudi student technicians with the objective of providing both general communication skills in the French language and technical skills. Discusses evaluation instruments, including systematic interviews with students, and their impact on the learning rate. (MES)

Visual evaluation techniques provide the kinesiologist with a method of evaluating physical skill performance. The techniques are divided into five categories: (1) vantage point; (2) movement simplification; (3) balance and stability; (4) movement relationships; and (5) range of movement. (JN)

The assessment of behavior patterns and levels of functioning of visually handicapped students is essential for establishing effective educational programs. The article discusses the factors in formative assessment, the types of data to be collected, and the most appropriate measurement instruments that are available to evaluate a variety of…

Participation, empowerment, and sustainability are basic tenets of community development work of the Inter-American Foundation, but these are difficult to measure. The Grassroots Development Framework breaks these concepts into concrete, measurable components to evaluate sustainability over time and short-term cost/efficiency results of community…

Describes a project to explore how mathematics teachers can use assessment of students' learning to shape their own instructional practices. The project had two goals: (1) to make sense of what students understand, how they understand it, and what counts as evidence of understanding; and (2) to use analysis of materials that document students'…

Introduces a theme issue on reflective practice in California's Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment program. Papers highlight: state policy mandating teacher reflection; the California Formative Assessment and Support System for Teachers; teacher skills and beliefs for promoting reflective practice in novice teachers; beginning teachers'…

Discussion of the importance of cultural considerations in instructional design focuses on audio messages in multimedia materials. Describes the development of a Web-based audio instructional series by a consortium of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, including planning, context selection, implementation, cost effectiveness, formative…

Many current assessment practices are incompatible with the goals of independence, thoughtfulness and critical analysis; common forms of assessment are not consistent with the behavior of academics in their own contributions to knowledge; and the assessment policy of many departments undermines approaches to learning. (Author/MLW)

Teacher-directed versus student-oriented remediation methods in high school physics classes in Nigeria were compared using 121 fifth-form students. Formative, achievement, and intelligence tests were administered. Teacher-directed remediation treatment enhanced learning and was more effective than was a student-oriented method. (TJH)

Reports on design and rationale of Online Access to Knowledge, a computer intermediary developed by Online Access to Knowledge Project to enable users with little or no training or experience in bibliographic searching to conduct their own searches. Topics covered include software design, tutorials and assistance programs, and conclusions based on…

Discusses the nature and function of formative assessment in the development of students' expertise for evaluating the quality of their own work. Highlights include the transition from teacher-supplied feedback to learner self-monitoring; qualitative judgments; communicating standards to students; multicriterion judgments; and implications for the…