A field study of Canadian Government bureaucracy illustrates two perspectives on strategic decision processes. Processes follow a structured progression or are anarchic, wherein decisions are inferred from outcomes of fortuitous combinations of events. Both perspectives facilitate processual understanding but fail to specify the influence of…

Dutch television producers investigated methods of redesigning thematic educational broadcasts directed at independent adult learning. Results focused on context and image, content, form, and appeal to the audience. (Author/LRW)

Characteristics of new information technologies have implications for their evaluation. The instability of most technologies, and their novelty for most users, calls into question the value of experimental summative studies. Their interactive character challenges the traditional formative paradigm. Case studies and field experiments can help to…

Effects of training four urban high school principals in problem solving with adolescents and family members were assessed in simulation and naturalistic settings. Quality of problem solving exhibited was greater following training. Other principals indicated that the training program would be beneficial to themselves and other school…

The formative evaluation of an experimental French class is described; several common evaluative techniques and their specific findings for this class are discussed; and the use of the formative approach for evaluation of innovative second language instruction is supported. (MSE)

Latent image processing is a method which reveals hidden ink when marked with a special pen. Using multiple-choice items with commercially available latent image transfers can provide immediate feedback on take-home quizzes. Students benefitted from formative evaluation and were challenged to search for alternative solutions and explain unexpected…

The Administrative Decision-Making Skills Project, undertaken for the New Zealand State Services Commission, is described. A philosophical model of decision making and the associated teaching/learning package for government officers is evaluated. The project, including instruments, methodology, and major findings, is evaluated. (Author/LMO)

Analyzes the transfer of "Sesame Street" to Brazil and Mexico. Explains how the short-run success and long-run failure of the transfer can be found in the nature of the supplier-receiver relationships and in the emphasis on product transfer rather than process modification and adjustment. (PD)

Questionnaires were developed for students and teachers and used with National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Software Evaluation Checklist to compare student and teacher perceptions of computer assisted instruction software. Results indicate that formative evaluation should include feedback from both students and teachers to improve software…

The paper considers some of the problems involved in the interpretation of participants' evaluations of management development programs. In particular, it argues that, in the case of participative "open evaluation" sessions, it is important to recognize that participants' attitudes and feelings toward the learning group may influence the…

This article proposes a formative appraisal system for improving classroom instruction that is characterized by a small number of teachers for each supervisor, cooperative goal setting, and the use of modeling techniques, low-inference observation instruments, and regular, timely feedback. Anticipated benefits include greater teacher…

Describes an automated curriculum mapping program at a northeastern school district that enabled the district to obtain a wide range of useful data pertaining to curriculum implementation. Difficulties in mapping procedure and data collection are recounted, an evaluation design is described, and guidelines are provided for efficient maps. (TE)

Describes four stages of the assessment of instructional materials: (1) research and development; (2) assessment of prototype materials; (3) formative evaluation; and (4) summative evaluation as used in the Vocabulary Development Project. (DEP)

Teacher Growth and Assessment (TGA) is a comprehensive teacher evaluation system that includes structures for both accountability and professional growth, taking teacher evaluation to a new level. TGA provides the opportunity to use teacher evaluation data to plan professional development, involve teachers in self-assessment, and structure…

Assessment can be one of the most difficult aspects of teaching. The educational, emotional, and formative ramifications of judging a young person's work can weigh heavily on the mind of a teacher. In spite of the anxiety it poses, knowing how to assess students in order to improve instruction is a core principle of effective teaching. This…