Evaluation of instruction has become an important issue in higher education in the last two decades. Distinctions which help clarify the study of instructional assessment include: (1) formal versus informal evaluation; (2) summative versus formative evaluation; and (3) evaluation of a teacher versus evaluation of instruction. (JN)

Non-quantifiable knowledge, involving sensory information, conceptualization, and imagination, is discussed in relation to educational evalution. Evaluation is discussed in terms of educational connoisseurship, or the art of appreciation; and educational criticism, which informs, interprets, and appraises. (MH)

Illustrates why teachers ought to evaluate their own teaching, showing how personal involvement in the evaluation enhances the significance of the results. (RL)

Describes the replication study undertaken by the British Columbia Union Catalogue (BCUC) to assess three online systems and their potential to meet the technical and economic needs of a number of libraries of all types and sizes in British Columbia. References are provided. (CHC)

Criticizes Strasser and Deniston's post-planned evaluation (TM 504 253) because of their: (1) emphasis on evaluation research; (2) imposition of experimental rigor; (3) inapplicability to human service projects; (4) inattention to congruity between the program and its environment; (5) distinct characteristics of program evaluation; and (6)…

The Center for Educational Administrator Development (CEAD) utilizes a multifaceted, ongoing evaluation design to measure the impact of administrator inservice on personal growth and school climate. The Center's use of evaluative data for needs assessment, program monitoring, and summative evaluation is described. (SJL)

Reports on a University of Michigan project that developed and evaluated programed materials that would help library science graduate students become acquainted with representative reference materials and learn through simulated situations how to meet the informational needs of patrons; includes methods, schedules, findings, and analysis.…

Learn, Explore, and Practice (LEAP) is an intelligent tutoring system for training new customer contact employees in customer interaction skills (problem solving and sales) as well as domain knowledge, such as telecommunications products and services. This article describes the design and evaluation (formative and summative) of the first version…

Reports on Project 1 from the Evidence-based Practice in Science Education (EPSE) Research Network. In this project, a group of teachers develop banks of diagnostic questions in four science topic areas: electric circuits, force and motion, matter and chemical change, and biochemical life processes. (DDR)

Explains the Big6 approach to teaching information skills and describes its use in a high school social studies class to improve student test scores, teach them how to learn, and improve the teachers' skills. Highlights include the balance between content and process, formative and summative evaluation, assignment organizers, and study tips. (LRW)

A framework for evaluation of computer technology innovation in schools is described. The framework draws on theory and research concerning student learning, innovations, technology, and new evaluation approaches. A formative evaluation framework used at two elementary schools largely serving disadvantaged, minority students provides an…

An experimental group (n=6) of student dentists received discrimination training and self-evaluation exercises on 4 waxing projects and 4 handpiece projects over 13 hours. An equivalent "conventional" group (n=7) received verbal feedback with models on 7 waxing projects over 13 hours. The experimental group outperformed the conventional…

Discusses the effectiveness of classroom trials as a method of providing feedback in the development process for educational software. The impact of formative evaluation on the development of computer-assisted learning (CAL) by a team is discussed, criteria for software selection are described, and steps toward successful implementation are…

Discussed is the conceptualization, development, and formative evaluation of a series of science education videodiscs. The formative data indicated that videodisc programs can enhance the effectiveness of teachers and substantively impact student achievement and attitudes. (Author/CW)

Issues that underlie the development of measurement systems to evaluate the social effects of supported education for disabled students are discussed. An assessment model which examines both outcome (i.e., increased acceptance, social participation, and levels of friendships) and process variables (e.g., specific social interaction skills) is…