Discusses how to design and develop an effective Web site to enhance instruction based on a graduate course at California State University at Hayward. Topics include the analysis phase, content organization, site architecture, interface design, testing, and the evaluation process. (LRW)

Study investigated the association between university social-work students' ratings of teaching ability and several course, student, and instructor variables. Analysis of over 5,000 standard evaluation forms indicated strong positive relationships between ratings of teaching effectiveness and ratings of skills, as reflected by course organization,…

Reports on a study where subjects were asked to evaluate the level of musical intensity expressed in various music excerpts. Defines musical intensity as that which conveys strong, ardent, or concentrated emotion. Compares subjects' ongoing evaluation (continuous) with a single concluding (summative) evaluation. Includes a list of orchestral…

Implementation of the 1995 South African Qualifications Act necessitates a shift in the student-assessment model. Faculty must cope with increasingly underprepared students. Computer-assisted assessment is one alternative, but engaging the learner in the assessment process, through authentic and collaborative assessment processes, may be the best…

These steps are described for implementation: inform stakeholders of the importance of alternate assessments, educate all students to high standards, identify partners to support participants, use a practical process to decide eligibility, develop standards-based Individualized Education Programs, use a variety of assessment strategies, use scores…

Questions current emphasis on standardized tests and discusses several factors about the tests that should prompt reevaluation of their usefulness. Issues discussed include: development and design of standardized tests; the correlation between test scores and socioeconomic position; the discrepancy between test designs and accurate reflection of…

This article introduces diverse language and dialects of the Asian Pacific and describes their specific phonetic features. It also delineates the speech characteristics of the English spoken by those individuals whose English has been influenced by their local or native tongue. Clinical challenges in transcription and beyond are discussed.…

This article provides a critical review of empirical investigations on the use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and assistive technology with individuals with autism or pervasive developmental disorder. The review is presented by six topic areas: assessment, staff/family training, supports for augmented input, supports for…

This article compares different claims that have been made concerning acquisition by transitional rule-based derivation theories and by optimality theory. Case studies of children with phonological delays are examined. Error patterns are argued to be implicationally related and optimality theory is shown to offer a principled explanation.…

This article reviews the methods commonly used to evaluate journals, looking particularly at indicators relevant to journals in the humanities. It then applies these methods to a sample of Australian humanities journals. The indicators used are: level of holdings in large overseas academic libraries, coverage in international databases, standards…

The difference in gain scores produced by traditional pretests and those produced by retrospective pretests when compared to posttest scores on the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument for preservice teachers was investigated in this study. Results indicated that gain scores using the traditional pretest produced significant improvement in…

This study provides an empirical description of the dimensions of community values, beliefs, and opinions through a survey conducted in the Pueblo Indian community of Zuni in New Mexico. The sample was composed of 200 randomly chosen community members ranging from 21 to 103 years old. A principal component factor analysis was conducted, as well as…

This article provides benchmark measures of college student credit card usage by utilizing a pooled sample of over 300,000 recently opened credit card accounts. The analysis compares behavior over 12 months of account history for three groups of accounts: those opened by young adults through college student marketing programs; those opened through…

Most researchers agree that several broad-based steps are required for the effective use of data in education. First, states or districts must agree upon which data elements and indicators to collect. Then, those responsible for collecting the data must ensure its integrity. Once the data is considered valid and reliable, educators must have the…

This article discusses how to develop portfolios in physics in order to assess student attainment of course goals. Portfolio assessment can include many forms of alternative assessment. Portfolios require students to collect and reflect on examples of their work. This form of assessment forces alternative ways of thinking by the teacher about what…