The recent national report on the quality of education in the United States has noted the need for effective methods of evaluating teaching performance. These evaluations are best done by administrators. The pros and cons of various approaches to evaluation are discussed. Includes five references. (Author/MD)

Interaction data from 96 married couples in which the husband was an alcoholic, depressive, or normal control were coded with Marital Interaction Coding System and subjected to multidimensional scaling, principle components analysis, and transitional probability analyses. Resulting solutions indicated several clusters common across methods and…

Describes a method used to acquaint art students with their painting subjects. The method requires students to study the subject closely and to make thumbnail sketches of details before they start to paint. Concludes that artists must observe their subjects closely to make the finished work believable. (GEA)

Freshmen and sophomore science education students (N=32) were observed to determine their performance (attentive responses) on four cognitive variables. One result found is that 44 percent of students used the fastest mode of short stimulation/short response time, but had the lowest mean score on the four cognitive variables. (JN)

Participant experience is a research method dialogically based on respect for the child. Researchers step inside the landscape of the child to share a life-form. Through an engaged body-presence they experience the atmosphere and meanings from within as they are perceived in a common horizon. (Author/LHW)

This article describes how a group of second graders improved their understanding of art by touring a photography exhibit. Included are three photographs and a sample of the tour guide's comments for each. (JDH)

Advantages and disadvantages of behavior rating scales and observation systems are presented, followed by preliminary validity data for the Mayes Hyperactivity Observation System, a clinically feasible system to identify preschool children with both Attention Deficit Disorder and Hyperactivity. Hyperactive and normal children were identified with…

Describes how an educational anthropologist's study objectives developed during fieldwork conducted in a fundamentalist Christian school and community. Asserts that this narrative reflects the strong relation of problem finding to problem solving in the practice of naturalistic inquiry. (KH)

Six steps in the ecological assessment model are described, from setting goals to developing a learning plan, and factors such as the physical milieu and classroom patterns are considered. Methods and sources of ecological assessment data are reviewed. (CL)

Compared interpersonal and behavioral observational systems in their ability to differentiate families with a bulimic-anorexic daughter using the modified Marital Interaction Coding System (MICS) and the Structural Analysis of Social Behavior (SASB). Results showed both measures successfully discriminated between groups, accounting for…

Describes a specific empirical method for the systematic observation of examiner behavior during psychoeducational assessments, the Systematic Observation Scale for Assessments (SOS-A). Discusses development of the instrument and presents data on intra- and interobserver agreement. The instrument is regarded as an initially adequate method for…

Examined the differential validity of teacher ratings of Inattention/Overactivity and Aggression among 48 clinic-referred boys. These ratings were correlated with observations undertaken in three different classroom settings. Results indicated that the teachers were able to differentiate significantly between these externalizing behaviors in the…

Type and comprehensiveness of training were experimentally manipulated (N=128) to study their effects on the reliability and validity of rated counselor empathy. Implications for observer training are discussed. (Author)

Observation is important in evaluation, but artifact collection should also be used as a supplement to observation. This article includes a framework for analysis of content, design, and presentation of such material in teacher evaluation. (MD)

A total of 30 third- and fourth-grade students, ages 8 to 10 years, were observed systematically over two school days to examine the nature of instruction and academic responding time for students at varying levels of teacher-perceived behavioral competence. Findings concerned the relationship between responding times and achievement. (Author/CI)