Examines research conducted at the British Open University using the research paradigm of phenomenography to discover what students understand about particular concepts in social science. The use of student interviews for formative and summative evaluation is described, and changes in course materials based on the results are discussed.…

Explains the design and development of BISTATS, a computer application using dBASEIII for compiling bibliographic instruction statistics that was developed at State University College at Buffalo. Highlights include system design and development, data items included in the records, programming procedures, and testing and modifications. (LRW)

Recent research on formative and summative evaluation concluded that: (1) student ratings are most common and increasing in popularity; (2) student ratings are reliable; (3) evaluations influence salary, tenure, and promotion; (4) evaluations improve teaching effectiveness; (5) faculty satisfaction varies with institutional context; and (6)…

An approach to course evaluation that distills a number of student perceptions of the course and using the resulting list of problems as a basis for student-teacher discussion is outlined, and its application in formative evaluation of University of Cape Town courses is described. (MSE)

Peer-Mediated Self-Appraisal facilitates merit pay decisions by combining summative (standard professional review) and formative (teaching processes and strategies) evaluation. It requires clear teaching standards, objective measures, and community acceptance of teachers as professionals. Two figures compare formative and summative evaluation and…

This description of a formative evaluation of the instructional systems doctoral program at Florida State University includes a mail survey of program graduates who were asked to rank instructional systems competencies, the questionnaire and evaluation methodology used, results of the study, and subsequent modifications to the program. (MBR)

Discussion of a library media center's online microcomputer catalog as compared to use of a traditional catalog includes: patron use (students and teachers), advantages for library instruction, access availability study, reaction by users, catalog system management, and activity journals for documentation. Twenty-three related readings are…

Films, filmstrips, and textbooks were planned as part of a system to provide information about IGE for school personnel, to assist them in developing teaching and administrative policies, and to encourage support from individuals in school districts, state educational agencies, and teacher education institutions. (MM)

This book explains and exemplifies formative assessment in practice. Drawing on incidents and case studies from primary classrooms, it describes and analyses how teachers use formative assessment to promote learning. It argues the case for formative assessment with reference to sociocultural perspectives on learning and it examines this in the…

Countries that begin implementing the Intel[R] Teach to the Future Essentials course after March of 2006 are required to collect data using the Intel[R] Teach Essentials End of Training Survey to help support program improvement. This End of Training evaluation toolkit provides guidelines on: (1) End of Training Survey administration; (2) The…

The Inland Empire Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment Program (IE-BTSA) is in its third year of funded development and implementation of assessment strategies designed to guide support of beginning teachers. The IE-BTSA program is grounded in a cognitive and developmental model of how beginning teachers move along the continuum from novice…

Few research studies have examined the use of student ratings of instructors from the standpoint of their ability to be interpreted and their subsequent usefulness. This study examined the effects of a training session conducted by experts in the field of student ratings of instruction. The first question was to determine the knowledge, skills,…

There are a great many types of violence prevention programs in schools, and many are demonstrating signs of success. Funders will not provide resources for programs, nor will schools know how to choose them, unless quality evaluation data are available to show their effectiveness and promise. Resources to conduct a meaningful evaluation are often…

As the value of media-delivered information is increasingly emphasized as a powerful instructional tool, user knowledge gains are being more frequently investigated. Formative evaluation techniques that assess learning are often employed. While it is important to appraise this aspect of an instructional program or Web site, it is also necessary to…

This document presents the proceedings of the sixth National Monitoring Conference concerned with implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Introductory material describes the purpose and background of the document and the federal monitoring of states, including the Continuous Improvement Monitoring Process (CIMP) and…