Criticism of standardized tests is extensive, and a number of claims of test misuse have been made. Test misuse is discussed in six common circumstances. (1) Test users accept the title of a test as an accurate and complete description of the variable being measured, not having full knowledge of the test, its items, and the test manual. A…

Two studies were conducted to determine how students perform psychomotor tasks and how teacher behavior influences performance. Study 1, conducted with about 100 technical students in a metal working class in a technical school in The Netherlands, showed that a process-based heuristic approach, stimulating students to perform complex psychomotor…

Application of the Achievement Formula to three school districts in northeastern Ohio is described. The formula--developed in association with the Effective Schools/Teacher Effectiveness Research Program--is a paradigm for district self-study, whereby elementary and secondary schools analyze student achievement data. Data are displayed on a…

A study examined the interaction strategies of one teacher for promoting student writing in the dialogue journals of 12 limited-English-proficient sixth grade students and the effect of these strategies on the length and complexity of the students' writing. The teacher strategies identified include requests for a reply and personal contributions…

A study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of a training program to help teachers instruct students in finding the relationship between questions designed to test their comprehension of a text and the location of possible information for answering those questions. Specifically, the study examined whether training would enhance student…

This report reviews issues and previous empirical studies surrounding prediction of educational attainment, preparation for college, college aptitude assessment, and prediction of achievement in college for Hispanic students residing in the United States. First, a demographic overview of Hispanics, concentrating on population size, ethnic subgroup…

Methods and approaches used at the U.S. Army Research Institute to investigate intelligent computer-assisted foreign language instruction are discussed. The research described explores the use of hypertext and natural language processing for improving language training by articulating student knowledge structures and for providing, incidentally, a…

Covariance structural analyses (LISREL) were used to examine latent mean differences in general self-concept (SC), academic SC, English SC, and mathematics SC between low-track and high-track high school students. The study report is preceded by a theoretical model of adolescent self-concept and discussions of academic track as a social referent…

Statistics on higher education, a review of developments during 1985-1986, a list of resources and references, and information on the National Education Association (NEA) are presented. Information is included on: new books on higher education, federal legislation concerning higher education, federal higher education grants, and winners of college…

A model of attrition for specially admitted black students (low high school achievement and low assessed college aptitude) at the University of Pittsburgh was tested. The majority fell into the lower end of a socioeconomic range and often had inadequate precollege preparation. The attrition model was examined using a linear structural equation…

One of the new dimensions of vocational and career counseling is the recognition of the continuity in careers. Despite periods of unemployment and despite a radical change of occupations, the person having these experiences of change is still the same person. Although a career involves the life pursuits of a person, there are several differing…

In this article the authors discuss the relationships in college classrooms from the perspective of feminist teaching. With attention to power dynamics, they analyzed 17 early childhood course syllabi in order to elucidate those relationships. The authors present examples from the syllabi of course content, class experiences, and syllabus language…

Science career preferences of junior high students, while not stable predictors of ultimate career choice, do serve to direct and maintain individuals along the paths to careers in science. In this study, factors relevant to science career preferences of black eighth grade students were investigated. This issue is of particular import to blacks…

This follow-up study helped determine the predictive validity of parent and teacher ratings and scores from the Early Identification Assessment Battery. This assessment involved a random selection of 4-year-old children scheduled to enter a French immersion program in the Ottawa, Canada, school system. In the spring of grade 1, 63% of the original…

This review of the Northern California (NorCal) Cooperative Research Project on Student Attrition, which was conducted between 1968 and 1970, provides detailed information on how to use the findings of the study to identify those students who are most likely to drop out of college during their first term. Chapter I provides background information…