The Anchor Test Study (ATS) provides a method for translating a pupil's score on any one of eight widely used standardized reading tests for Grades 4, 5, and 6 to a corresponding score on any of the other seven tests, as well as furnishing new nationally representative norms for each of the eight tests. In addition, the Study presents new…

A problem in the building industry is the lack of coordination of research efforts and the time lag between the completion of research and the incorporation of the results in practice. A partial solution is attempted in this survey of current and past research dealing with innovation and other problems in the building industry and related…

To increase student achievement and prepare all students to meet standards, educators must be well prepared. Teachers who know their content and strategies can open a virtual toolbox and take out what they need to help all students become successful. This thoroughly revised and updated edition of "Why Can't We Get It Right?" explains how…

This project involved field testing and revising the "Standards for Professional Development Schools" (PDSs) and developing an assessment process for their use. Eighteen PDS partnerships participated. They provided information and feedback, developed self-studies, hosted team visits, worked on visiting teams, and volunteered in ongoing…

Provides direction to child care center directors in conducting a climate survey which can indicate quality and staff morale problems with measures of motivation, commitment, satisfaction/dissatisfaction, responsibility, and staff concerns. Presents advice on the construct, administering, interpretation, and reporting of findings to avoid serious…

The University of Maryland Dental School's revised predoctoral general practice program includes a clinical component simulating actual practice, including patient, personnel and office management, team-building, marketing, specialist referrals, and quality control. The program is described and patient, student, and faculty responses to it are…

Discusses trends in the future of higher education and considers the possible resulting challenges for libraries, particularly the development of special collections. Topics discussed include management, developing cost-benefit measures, considering possible new users, inter-library cooperation, developing quality by communicating standards and…

The University of Amsterdam (Netherlands) uses self-study and peer review to enhance its required, periodic external quality assessments. Lessons learned include these: change must be tailored to the discipline; mutual trust, respect, understanding of the principles, and involvement among all parties is crucial to success; and management…

A recent effort to bring the Total Quality Management approach into an upper-division economics course at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is described, focusing on three major elements: (1) proficiency-based customer focus, (2) student involvement in team research projects, and (3) continuous improvement through ongoing student evaluation of…

Virginia Commonwealth University has implemented some pilot improvement programs using the Total Quality Management approach. These have included improvement of a personnel action processing form, creation of a campus computing service request tracking system, and development of an alumni program database. The pilot programs have taught lessons…

Considers the use of Total Quality Management (TQM) tools by library managers to develop quality relationships between staff and customers. Topics include building a shared vision, putting the needs of customers before organizational politics, cooperation between levels of employees, communication, teamwork, trust, redesigning processes and…

Three different approaches to the evaluation of higher education in European and Scandinavian countries are examined: evaluation of a single discipline across institutions (Finland, Norway, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom, northern Germany); evaluation of several disciplines within certain institutions (France, Germany); and internal evaluation of…

A study analyzed the institutional cost structures of Turkey's postsecondary vocational education system. Appropriate controls for institutional quality, discretionary allocation of staffing resources, degree of technical instruction in the curriculum, and regional variation are included. Average and marginal costs per institution are examined…

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has created quality assurance guidelines that help technology trainers and educators manage and organize training programs. This article briefly outlines program design principles, emphasizing needs analysis and outcome evaluation, performance documentation, and process management. ISO 9000…

The symbolic location of EUROCALL's 2004 conference in Vienna offered to both new members from Eastern Europe and established members from the West an opportunity to review the relationship between computer assisted language learning (CALL) and language teaching in general. CALL is defined as an "academic field that explores the role of…