Online assessment of any type is attractive to educators because it allows large amounts of student data to be gathered and accessed quickly. Indeed, online, summative assessments--generally end-of-course, state-level, and placement exams--are making the annual student testing ritual a meaningful audit instead of what some call an…

Although much recent attention has focused on gaps in the achievement of different groups of students, the problem has been with us for decades. This paper presents the problem as one of reducing variation in students' achievement, and reviews the work of renowned educator Benjamin Bloom on this problem. Bloom argued that to reduce variation in…

Considered appropriate mechanisms and instrumentation to measure structure and form and their use as criteria upon which to base accreditation. (Author/RK)

A look at the evaluation report of the radio/correspondence study program established in Kenya. (HB)

A description of an evaluation model which provides a standard method to be generalized in every evaluation setting. (HB)

Describes an index for the evaluation of a media product. A pretest measure of an aspect of the product is taken, the audience is exposed to the product, a posttest measure is taken, and the index is computed as a ratio of the difference scores to the total change possible. (MER)

An EIPOL grid which combines five major dimensions of a broad-based evaluation system with different steps of a project cycle provides a basic operational framework for designing and adopting a more functional system of reform evaluation. (Editor)

A survey was sent to members of the Evaluation Use Topical Interest Group (TIG) to determine their perceptions about and experiences with evaluation use. Responses from 282 members show agreement on the major purposes of evaluation and an increased use of performance-results oriented and formative evaluations. (SLD)

Argues that there is a need for further theoretical development regarding formative assessment, which needs to take account of disciplinary epistemology, theories of intellectual and moral development, students' stages of intellectual development, and the psychology of giving and receiving feedback. Sketches the direction this development might…

Examines focus groups from a performance technology perspective, describes the focus group process, and discusses uses and misuses. Suggests that due to the depth and accuracy of insights revealed, focus groups have potential to aid performance technologists in their analyses of performance deficiencies as well as their formative and summative…

Reviews research on six theoretical propositions central to psychodynamic psychotherapy: (1) establish an alliance; (2) patient displays central relationship theme (transference); (3) transference interpretations are helpful; (4) therapist interprets transference; (5) patient gains self-understanding; and (6) patient's improvement is reflected in…

Discussion of formative evaluation focuses on the history of its use by behavioral psychologists, and refutes the notion that it is a new idea. Names that have been used for the evaluation process are reviewed, and examples of formative evaluation in a variety of settings are given. (11 references) (LRW)