Describes and presents an example of some of the techniques of "illuminative evaluation" of English-as-a-Second-Language courses, emphasizing the usefulness of summative evaluation and the involvement of students in evaluation. (Author/CB)

Seven papers are presented that demonstrate new directions and practices in the evaluation of training programs. Different perspectives and approaches are represented, but in each case the evaluation described has been successful in making trainers more effective and accountable. (SLD)

Considers the usefulness of educational indicators for helping small schools evaluate educational improvement. Describes a project to establish comprehensive and accurate data profiles for a small schools consortium in east central Kansas. Concludes the project has led to significant improvements in achievement, instruction, leadership, and school…

The effects on policy and practice of national surveys of education conducted in Scotland were evaluated. Surveys carried out as early as 1953 and 1963 have had little impact. Research must deal with contemporary issues and be relevant to local circumstances in order to influence policy. (SLD)

Discusses techniques for improving training program design and administration through effective evaluation. Describes three sample case studies that compare trainers, facility/location, and course content; trainee reactions are plotted on a graph. Presents trainee feedback forms that identify aspects of a session, rate effectiveness, and record…

The institutional self-study required by a university hospital's reaccreditation process is explored, with a discussion of benefits and costs. A reaction by C. F. Waltz and A. Belcher reaffirms the value of reaccreditation studies and discusses ways of minimizing costs without compromising comprehensiveness and utility of results. (SLD)

Describes methods for stretching a popular adult library materials budget. Highlights include prepurchase evaluation and selection; acquisitions; fund raising to support selection funds; distribution; weeding; promotion; and lobbying. (Author/AEF)

Views of five members of the evaluation community in Washington (D.C.) concerning the future of evaluation in the federal government are summarized. Evaluators include (1) E. Chelimsky; (2) M. F. Mangano; (3) J. S. Wholey; (4) R. C. Sonnichsen; and (5) C. Wye. (SLD)

Regular classroom teachers and special education teachers (total n=130) were surveyed to determine their attitudes toward assessment reports written by other professionals. Results indicated lack of enthusiasm, hostility, and resignation to the assessments' perceived irrelevance and uselessness. (Author/JDD)

The lack of sound and practical guidelines and materials, which precludes adequate technical assistance, is one cause of the inferior quality of evaluation practices in bilingual education. Other contributing factors include incompetent program evaluators, misinformed local administrations, inappropriate state and federal policies, and complex…

The effect that formative evaluation in the mathematics teaching process has on achievement, transfer, and retention of mathematics content and student attitudes was studied with 29 junior secondary school students in Nigeria and 31 controls. Results demonstrated the potential of formative evaluation to diagnose student problems and give immediate…

Evaluation and strategic management are related in that each attempts to improve the quality of policy decisions and each has evolved from a product-centered focus to one in which implementation and utilization are vital. Evaluators should understand strategic management theory to evaluate its applications appropriately. (SLD)

The utilization of program evaluation is addressed and illustrated through the case study of a family reunification program at a New England child welfare agency. It is argued that evaluation is an exercise in power in an organization. Evaluators who understand power can work with the realities they find. (SLD)

The extent to which evaluation results answer different stakeholders' needs was explored in the evaluation of a business English course at Van Leer Institute for the Development of Executive Assistants in Tel-Aviv (Israel), using diagnostic tests. Students (n=52), teachers, curriculum team, and administrators could use the evaluation results. (SLD)

A multiple-case, "tracer" study was undertaken involving 11 research projects of the "Education et Vie Active" (Education and the Active Life)--a national vocational education program in Switzerland--to assess the importance of contacts between researchers and practitioners. Iterative data from interviews, observations, and…