In 1990, a survey was conducted of colleges in the Mid-Plains Technical Community College (MPTCC) area to determine the most effective organizational structure and staffing patterns for institutional research and to assess the kinds of information most needed. The survey instrument was mailed to 30 administrators in the Area Office and at…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is a survey of the educational achievement of American students and changes in their achievement across time. The NAEP has collected information for over 20 years to assist educators and policy makers. This guide intends to: document current NAEP methods for both state and national…

The paper presents a comprehensive approach to evaluation of programs for postsecondary students with learning disabilities. The evaluation design is suitable for programs in 2-year and 4-year settings, and incorporates both process and product evaluation methods. The approach was used to evaluate learning disability support services at Housatonic…

The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) conducted a study of 1,358 bachelor's degree graduates of the class of 1986 to examine two factors: (1) age at entrance and graduation, and (2) length of time required for graduation from several specified beginning points. The study required four sets of data: demographic, age related data, time-frame…

A matrix model for the collection, management, and utilization of data was developed at Eastern Iowa Community College District, (Davenport, Iowa) for evaluating institutional effectiveness. The model was examined in relation to various assessment instruments and the evaluation of functional areas and programs. Surveys of six different target…

To help vocational education administrators and practitioners, this paper presents a framework for vocational education program evaluation. Evaluation is defined as the act of rendering judgments to determine a program's value; two major types are formative and summative. Vocational education evaluation should take a broader and more comprehensive…

To provide services and instruction to students based upon identifiable needs, the Individual Student Profile (ISP) System (an automated database system, not yet implemented) was developed. ISP is designed to include three components: academic, health, and self-concept. These components were chosen to coincide with the three learning domains:…

Various strategies have been designed to address the needs of individuals who require supplementary assistance to maximize their potential through accelerated, compensatory, or special education programs. Proper identification of those students who can benefit the most from such services has become an important consideration for educators. In the…

There is no difference in principle between developing and developed countries in deciding whether it is desirable to collect panel data. However, there are many relevant circumstantial differences in developing countries. A number of aspects of the collection and use of panel data from developing country households are reviewed. Sampling issues…

This guide is designed to assist school personnel to profile their data on student behavior to support school improvement goal setting. A profile is a document that presents a broad description of student performance in the areas of academic achievement, behavior, and attitude. The profiling process is outlined in eight steps: (1) plan the…

Papers on statistics which were presented at the 1986 International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) conference include: (1) "Library Data Collection in Brazil (Nice Menezes de Figueiredo, Brazil); (2) "Fact-Finding on Statistics and Reference Tools in Japan" (Yuriko Sugimoto, Chihomi Oka, Ikuko Mayumi, and Keiko Kurata,…

This document describes the development and assessment of a methodology for generating on-the-job-training (OJT) task proficiency assessment instruments. The Task Evaluation Form (TEF) development procedures were derived to address previously identified deficiencies in the evaluation of OJT task proficiency. The TEF development procedures allow…

This paper presents criteria for establishing the trustworthiness of naturalistic inquiries, and specific techniques to facilitate their achievement or determine the degree of their achievement. The following criteria are briefly described: fairness; and ontological, educative, catalytic and tactical authenticity. Explored in greater detail,…

A plan was developed to improve followup study response rates by refining techniques for data collection and improving student motivation to respond to daily requests. Factors affecting response rate to followup surveys were investigated, and alternative approaches were recommended. Findings indicated that current procedures--two mailouts of…

This document consists of four symposium papers each providing a critical examination of a particular data collection technique in vocational education research. Texts of the following presentations are provided: "Mail Survey Research," by Betty Heath-Camp; "The Telephone Interview as a Data Collection Technique," by James P. Key; "The Personal…