Describes a model used by Michigan school districts, in collaboration with Michigan State University, in ongoing program- improvement efforts. The model is intended to help physical education leaders systematically address assessment of core program objectives, collect accurate data that directly affects instruction, then aggregate the data and…

Asserts that collecting assessment data from students is key to shaping effective instruction. Both informal and formal data about student learning not only shape instruction but also determine its effectiveness. Contends that continuous assessment that drives curriculum is a means of enhancing student and teacher performance. (Contains seven…

This article examines issues in the measurement of quality of life (QOL) within the field of learning disabilities. Discussion considers objective and subjective measures, value-based and value-free approaches, and traditional versus participatory approaches. The issue of using self-reports or proxies to gather and measure QOL data is addressed. A…

The study evaluated effects of a data collection inservice package on the frequency of collecting student progress data by four staff members in an integrated preschool program. Individualized instruction and feedback produced consistent increases in the amount of data collection, but minimal generalization to non-targeted children and maintenance…

The article identifies two data collection procedures (participant observation and interviewing) employed in qualitative research and discusses how these procedures can be used to investigate emerging issues in supported education for students with severe disabilities. (DB)

Described are features and functions of the Behavioral Observation System--Computerized (BOSCO), which was developed for TRS-80 laptop computers to integrate data collection and analysis functions and allow continuous recording of behavioral data during observation sessions. Applications are illustrated through brief descriptions of several…

Offers an overview of trends and issues in student tracking, including methods of collecting data, determining which data should be gathered, obtaining follow-up data, and using results to inform decisions about institutional planning and improvement. (DMM)

Data on survey methodology employed in follow-up surveys of graduates was collected, via questionnaire, from 226 teacher education programs. Response rates correlated significantly with number of attempts to reach graduates. Other variables included questionnaire length, postage provisions, use of incentives, response deadline, and personalization…

Describes situations in which children developed mathematical concepts through processes of sorting and classifying, comparing, measuring, matching with one-to-one correspondence, and enumerating. Data were gathered while observing informal discourse, during sharing sessions, and in a reading session. (MKR)

Describes the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program that aims at involving K-12 students in significant data collection and analysis which are then entered into a widely accessible World Wide Web site for use by other students, teachers, and researchers. Provides an invaluable base for developing a better…

Presents mathematics activities in which students try to discover as many patterns as possible using blocks in three colors. Includes reproducible student worksheets. (MKR)

Describes steps involved in developing and producing multimedia CD-ROMs. Topics discussed include planning; incorporating a variety of types of data; selecting data formats; selecting software; problems; replication issues; data preparation; and CD-ROM as an alternative to paper copies of conference proceedings. (LRW)

Provides a framework to describe the variability between negative auxiliaries in predicative constructions based on a quantitative analysis of data collected on African American vernacular English. Results indicate that, with the possible exception of the negative present variation, the alternations all belong to one underlying system. (56…

This article discusses the importance of conducting an initial needs assessment as part of gifted program development. The paper describes data collection concerning the general student body, gifted population, school district personnel, school and school district, physical setting, economic factors, community, and national and state gifted…

An empirical study of the speech act of definition in science lectures found that definitions signposted the logical/discourse structure of the lecture, helped to maintain comprehension as discourse progressed, and were often clustered together in discourse. (14 references) (Author/CB)