Reviews research on obsolescence (decline over time in validity or utility of information), citing two major state-of-the-art reviews and subsequent research involving citation studies and use studies based on circulation and reshelving statistics. A problem-solving management model developed to aid libraries deal with obsolescence is discussed.…

Teachers in England and Wales were asked about their use of teachers' centers and leaders of teachers' centers were asked about materials produced by the Schools Council. Hopes originally voiced for coordination between teachers' centers and the Schools Council in the dissemination of new materials have not been met. (IS)

Evaluated the extent to which similar decisions concerning student placement were made by multidisciplinary team members based on varying amounts of assessment information. Found that individuals who reviewed large amounts of information made decisions similar to those who reviewed little information. Found about half the decisions accurate.…

Non-quantifiable knowledge, involving sensory information, conceptualization, and imagination, is discussed in relation to educational evalution. Evaluation is discussed in terms of educational connoisseurship, or the art of appreciation; and educational criticism, which informs, interprets, and appraises. (MH)

Information use in senior-level university decision-making councils involves organizational, interpersonal, and individual processes. Leadership styles emphasizing a group-process team approach to decision making are best for utilizing information to form policy. (Available from: Jossey-Bass, Inc. 433 California St., San Francisco, CA 94104,…

The British Columbia Learning Assessment Program is a province-wide program designed to aid in decision-making processes about curriculum revisions; preservice teacher education and in-service programs; resource allocations; and future research needs; and to inform various publics of educational attainment. The article provides an overview of the…

A survey examined secondary school teachers' perceptions of the effects of program, student, and teacher evaluations on instructional improvement. Results indicated that student evaluation was most effective in influencing teachers to revise their instruction. Teacher and program evaluations appeared to be ineffective as change agents. (MH)

Characteristics of evaluative studies used by California state legislators are discussed: specificity in addressing particular policy decisions; factors which contribute to or hinder the accomplishment of educational objectives; balanced studies with a range of indicators; and attention to local concerns, and to fiscal and legal issues. (MH)

Using the 1995 National Research Council ratings of doctoral programs in 41 fields, a statistical methodology is offered for assessing how measures of program size, faculty seniority, faculty research productivity, and faculty productivity in producing doctoral degrees influenced raters' decisions. Then using data for one field, economics,…

Discusses concordancing activities tailored for use with English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students in the Cambridge Advanced English course in Australia. The article focuses on students selecting appropriate vocabulary to complete gapped text. Findings indicate that these activities benefit ESL students by providing authentic examples of…

Institutional development research officers are problem solvers who can take a kernel of information about individuals and create a profile of their lifestyle and finances that provides fund raisers with a beginning point for contact. In turn, fund raisers in the field often can provide researchers with new information for profiling. Program…

The ways in which Spence School, a New York private school for girls, and Dartmouth College (New Hampshire) cultivated and won top alumni donors are described. In each case, the development office and administration encouraged the donor's personal involvement in areas of interest at the institution, and donor enthusiasm and participation…

Describes a study that investigated whether library instruction could impact undergraduate business students' attitudes and uses of three information formats: print materials, library databases, and Web resources. Results indicate that after library instruction, student held more favorable attitudes toward print resources and used them more than…

Describes a survey at the University of Wyoming in which faculty and academic professionals were asked how they acquire information and how they require or encourage students to access and use information. Highlights include characteristics and roles of faculty who use technology; and who has responsibility for developing students' information…

Those who develop and use student faculty rating systems have an obligation to make them support good practice. Effectively communicating evaluation results to higher education policymakers includes helping them understand system goals and what is needed to achieve them. Training information users in the skills of using the information is…