Suggests some tested methods for superintendents to determine whether their administrators are truly practicing instructional leadership. Emphasizes the importance of visiting classrooms and attending inservice workshops at each school. Effective instructional leadership calls for getting others involved with improving overall performance. (MLH)

Discusses the need for system upgrades of automated library systems in order to support ongoing software releases; obtain new functional modules; satisfy new library requirements; conform to new industry standards; and utilize new technology. Guidelines are presented for deciding when to upgrade and implement changes in these areas. (11…

The evaluator's roles--change agent, manager, resource person, interpreter, and liaison between the project and the funding agency--are described, concerning the evaluation of innovative projects in education. Difficulties in obtaining desired commitments (i.e., a project's financial commitments and its positive attitude toward the evaluation…

Fourth-generation program evaluation is a collaborative, responsive approach that attaches great importance to the claims, concerns, and issues set forth by various stakeholders. This model stresses value pluralism and has several community-involvement phases: planning, data collection, results, final evaluation report, and follow-up. (20…

If evaluation is to communicate and promote student learning, it must be separated into formative and summative components. A grading policy that provides nonthreatening feedback (via observation of student work, group evaluation activities, classroom participation, homework, reports, discussions, and portfolios) can help students concentrate on…

Discussion of constructivism focuses on instructional systems design (ISD) and how it can help develop constructivist instruction. Highlights include ISD limitations; objectives and learning analysis, including Competency-Based Teacher Education and levels of learning; task analysis; and formative evaluation processes. (23 references) (LRW)

Examines the ideology and expectations of early screening for linguistic difficulties in young children, discusses effective intervention, and presents an alternative to screening: formative assessment. (SK)

Presents Big6 scoring guides which focus on the process of solving information problems as well as the final results, so that the guides are useful for both formative and summative assessment. Examples are given for elementary and secondary school projects, and a general template is also provided. (LRW)

Reciprocal, paired, qualitative, formative peer assessment of academic writing by 12 educational psychology postgraduate students was compared to staff assessments. Although there was very little evidence of conflict between views of staff and peers, assessments focused on different details. Students found the process time consuming,…

Examines the process of review as a method of formative evaluation of texts. Bases the description on three empirical studies of professional writing practices including the goals of review, the actors involved in the process, the moments in the text production process that review is taking place, and the procedures followed. (SG)

Surveyed students about how "reaction cards" (index cards for student comments) affected their classes. Faculty also reported on card use. Found that students believed the cards had a positive impact on their classes by improving communication, increasing involvement, and improving their connection to material. There were also some negative…

This process evaluation examines the psychosocial services of students who were assigned to an alternative educational program for disciplinary reasons. Study demonstrates the intensive school social work services needed by students assigned to an alternative educational program before they can begin to be productive in traditional school.…

Conducted a formative evaluation of an osteoporosis prevention health education program using several methods, including questionnaires completed by 256 women, and then compared formative evaluation results to those of a summative evaluation focusing on the same target group. Results show the usefulness of formative evaluation for strengthening…

Universities and colleges are increasingly recognizing the need for programs in oral communication across the curriculum. Many small colleges that do not have faculty in communications do have faculty in theatre who are skilled in oral communication. This article describes a pilot program in oral communication coaching for undergraduate students…

This study, on one hand, reviews different strategies applied in Romania regarding the assessment of the children with special educational needs; on the other hand, it takes into account the relationship between assessment and formative learning on Piaget's theoretical basis. Finally, several standardized forms of assessment designed for the…