Reviews the research literature on the value of instructional media and guidelines for effective use in the classroom and reports the results of a recent survey of media utilization in elementary and secondary schools. A checklist and a rating form for evaluating media utilization practices in individual schools are included. (CDD)

Reviews a study of 117 students at the University of Saskatchewan which examined the relationship between high school computer experience and university achievement in introductory computer science. The pretests used are described, findings are analyzed, and student withdrawal patterns are discussed. (Author/LRW)

British education seems to be quite narrow and specialized, contrasted with U.S. education. The English system is based largely on testing and more fully reflects its social structure (more class oriented and less flexible than in the U.S.). (MLW)

Describes a study whose aim was to improve the quality of the structured oral interviews used in Denmark to test the English proficiency of high school students after five years of instruction. The study focused on construct validity and interscorer reliability. (SED)

Presents articles on test anxiety, personality tests, history of tests and benefits to be derived from their use, tests as tools in career decision-making, temperament needs for certain jobs (as determined by personality tests), interest inventories, testing exceptional students, and testing to evaluate vocational needs of special needs groups.…

This author reviews published data and presents new data relevant to the Spearman hypothesis concerning racial differences on cognitive tests. He concludes that across-the-board difference between SES groups occurs primarily on the general factor, and that there are major determinants of race differences independent of the general factor.…

The author responds to criticisms made by Jensen pertaining to tests of the Spearman hypothesis. The near-zero correlation between Blacks and low socio-economic status Whites is neither an artifact of methodology nor a sampling fluke. Low and high SES White differences are highly correlated with general factor loadings. (LMO)

Describes program operation, applications, and teacher and student opinions of DELPHI, a computer program used in a wide variety of subjects which allows students and instructors to enter questions anonymously for others to answer. These question-answer pairs are then presented to other students or the instructor for comment or evaluation. (MBR)

An environmental intervention model to improve the learning environment in Black colleges is proposed, including a skill development component, revitalized testing, an integrated reading program, junior-level comprehensive examinations, and an analytical reasoning course. (MSE)

Discusses Delgado Community College's new approach to student services, which has aligned the college's fundamental academic testing and placement functions with expanded career advisement and job placement services to create a logical progression of services. Highlights the roles of the Developmental Studies and Human Development Department and…

Argues that the Florida Teacher Certification Examination is culturally, linguistically, and philosophically biased against minorities. Suggested alternatives to testing are implementation of knowledge about effective schools, teacher workshops on effective techniques and attitudes for teaching nonachievers, and improved early education. (CMG)

The Supreme Court's opinion and concurring opinion in a case limiting the right of courts to overturn academic decisions, based on the case of university's dismissal of a student after his failure of an important examination, are presented. (MSE)

Discusses use of microcomputers for structuring, communicating, and disseminating information under the categories of instructional use (computer-assisted instruction), emancipation (number crunching), revelatory (discovery/simulation), and conjectural (hypothesis testing). Also discusses use of PROLOG language for modeling ecosystems and testing…

Recent attention to issues concerning the instruction and assessment of English language learner (ELL) students has placed them among the top national priorities in education. Policy has noticeably shifted from exclusion to inclusion of ELL students in the assessment and accountability system. However, recent research on and practice in the…

This issue of the SERVE magazine discusses using assessment and accountability to improve student learning. Articles include: (1) Can High-Stakes State Testing Be Improved? (Wendy McColskey and Nancy McMunn); (2) Standards of Classroom Practice: Defining a Vision of Quality in the Classroom (Nancy McMunn and Wendy McColskey); (3) Taking a Close…