This guide provides advice on effective use of assessments in adult basic and literacy education programs. Chapter 1 considers different types of standardized tests, their purposes, their advantages and limitations, misuses of standardized tests, and other types of assessments. Chapter 2 on informal assessments defines alternative and informal…

A study examined literacy professionals' interest in gender issues in literacy education. A total of 1,519 K-12 teachers; reading specialists; teacher educators in reading, language arts, and related fields; library media specialists; and school administrators who make policy decisions related to literacy education completed a survey. Results…

The National Record of Achievement (NRA) is a standard folder containing information sheets that allow individuals in the United Kingdom (U.K.) to summarize their achievements and manage their learning and development in a nationally recognized format. Employer awareness and use of NRAs was examined through a telephone survey of 487 U.K. employers…

Unless investments in education increase significantly, schools will probably experience difficulty competing for talented teachers. This report presents findings of a study that investigated issues of teacher recruitment, compensation, development, and retention in private schools. Data were obtained through a questionnaire of 652 teachers at 21…

This longitudinal study was designed to ascertain if those teacher candidates (N=388) having failed to make or having made a more or less successful transition into the teaching field 7 years after the commencement of teacher preparation differed in academic aptitudes and academic abilities assessed upon commencement of teacher preparation. MANOVA…

This longitudinal study was designed to compare the academic, personal, and family characteristics of those teacher candidates persisting and not persisting through teacher preparation and the early years of classroom teaching. The candidates' (N=551) personal, family, and academic characteristics were collected upon commencement of teacher…

This article aims to: (1) improve novice and experienced science teachers' understanding of contemporary pedagogical research, its value in improving classroom practice, and how to effectively communicate this in an interview; (2) improve administrators' interviewing practices so that exemplary candidates stand out from other candidates; and (3)…

This final report presents an independent formative and summative evaluation of the National Library Services for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS/BPH) braille and audio magazine program. In this program, 77 magazines are distributed directly to subscribers, with 43 magazines available on audio flexible discs and 34 magazines available in…

This paper discusses whether or not revisions of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and the American College Test (ACT) have created such significant differences between the two tests that a student could conceivably score significantly higher on one than the other. The SAT has been revised to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student…

A study investigated the participation of black Americans in vocational education. Four national data sets were analyzed: "The High School and Beyond Surveys,""The 1987 High School Transcript Study,""The Schools and Staffing Survey of 1987," and "National Survey of Postsecondary Faculty." The analyses revealed the following: (1) at the secondary…

Although a large number of adults in the United States are assumed to need literacy training, little agreement exists on that number. Adults who attend literacy instruction are assumed to acquire the skills, but little is known about program effectiveness. Another assumption is that adults should define their goals, but this does not ensure that…

Among the recommendations of the "Nation at Risk" report (1983) was that a core curriculum of four units of English, three each of science, social studies, and mathematics, and a half unit of computer science be required. Between 1982 and 1992 the percentage of high school graduates earning the recommended units in core courses increased…

This updated annotated bibliography presents articles about portfolio assessment uses collected and reviewed by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NREL) Test Center to date. Documents have been obtained from a number of sources, including consortium efforts by the Northwest Evaluation Association and the Alaska State Department of…

This paper is a review of literature examining the definitions of cooperating teacher, college supervisor, master teacher, mentor, and recommended selection criteria in light of new teacher certification requirements in New York State for a full-year internship. Given the lack of clear role definitions, unintegrated research findings, and…

The purpose of this book is to equip trainers to perform with excellence. Chapter 1 focuses on how adults learn and interact, examines the impact instructors have on learning, and introduces the instructor performance system. Chapter 2 details the requirements of the instructor's job. Chapter 3 outlines the system that enables training managers to…