The first of five sections in this paper describes the role of the Agency for Instructional Technology (AIT) in the formation of consortia for the development of curricula and the production of learning materials using electronic technologies in the United States and Canada. The processes of instructional design and formative evaluation adopted by…

This booklet is a collection of recommendations from participants in eight regional conferences held in 1946 by the American Institute of Cooperation and the National Education Association. The conferences consisted of small groups of agricultural leaders and educators from every section of the United States, who discussed common problems of rural…

The design and testing of an approach to reading instruction are described. The design system consists of five stages: analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. A needs analysis indicated the necessity to improve the reading skills of limited-English-proficient students. A group of 6- to 8-year-old students were identified for…

A formative evaluation of a pilot review and appeal process for the Maryland Writing Test (MWT) is described. The MWT is a large-scale direct assessment of writing. A three-year pilot phase was to culminate in the implementation of an operational procedure for the review and appeal of scores impacting a pass/fail decision for examinees. The MWT…

This review of the literature on educational radio covers reports on research from many areas of the world. Prepared as an internal report for the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and Educational Radio and Television (ERTV), it was intended to provide a basis for both fruitful discussions and more specific and practical local…

The computer-assisted learning (CAL) pilot project in Canadian penitentiary schools involved the use of computer courseware supplied from a central computer via telephone lines to terminals in the schools. Courseware was in three curricular areas: mathematics, English language arts, and the BASIC programming language. The evaluation was conducted…

The potential use of interactive videodiscs for teaching foreign languages, and factors to be considered in evaluating such programs, are discussed. Two types of existing programs, developed and used at Brigham Young University, are described: adaptations of existing video material, such as the classic Mexican film "Macario," and free branching…

A formative evaluation minimum competency test model is examined. The model systematically uses assessment information to support and facilitate program improvement. In terms of the model, four inter-related qualities are essential for a sound testing program. The content validity perspective looks at how well the district has defined competency…

A content analysis was conducted for all 60 programs of ThinkAbout, an instructional television series designed to strengthen the reasoning skills of fifth and sixth graders and to review and reinforce language arts, mathematics, and study skills. The study comprised separate analyses of three concerns: (1) demographic characteristics of…

Two methods of teacher evaluation, summative evaluation and formative evaluation, are examined. The summative theory calls for an assessment of teaching competence on the basis of which judgments may be made on matters pertaining to promotion, tenure, merit salary increments, or dismissal. Summative evaluation is strongly supported because it…

Shadow netWorkspace (SNS) is a web application system that allows a school or any type of community to establish an intranet with network workspaces for all members and groups. The goal of SNS has been to make it easy for schools and other educational organizations to provide network services in support of implementing a learning community. SNS is…

This paper describes the assessment procedures used by the Child and Family Resource Program (CFRP) to identify and address the needs of families and of individual family members. CFRP was developed as part of the Head Start Improvement and Innovation effort to provide individualized comprehensive developmental services to families with children…

The design and outcome of a bilingual education program evaluation emphasizing the instructional and attitudinal variables of the bilingual education program presently in operation is described. The purpose of this program evaluation emphasizing needs assessment is to gather base-line data for continued evaluations in the following years. The…

In 1978 the Commonwealth of Virginia initiated a three-year plan to develop basal fourth- and seventh-grade Virginia studies materials utilizing the resources of public and private institutions. The plan involved three stages: planning (1978-79), materials development (1979-80), and field testing and revision (1980-81). This document reviews the…

University supervisors' evaluations of student teachers were assessed to determine if the cognitive attainment of pupils taught by the student teachers was a rating factor. The sample consisted of 82 secondary level student teachers participating in a competency based teacher education program. Data collected for the study included a summary…