A modified version of gap analysis, an assessment tool used in professional service industries, was tested for its applicability in higher education. The model helps researchers discern the existence of gaps in organizational communication that influence stakeholder expectations and perceptions of quality. An exploratory study was undertaken…

In 1992, at the direction of the Superintendent of Schools of Leon County (Florida), the Multicultural Education Task Force was created. This task force commissioned, in the spring of 1994, a survey of district elementary and secondary school teachers focusing on their use of multicultural education strategies and their perceptions of the…

This manual provides a comprehensive guide to college activities associated with the implementation of General National Vocational Qualifications (GNVQs) in Britain. Part A addresses GNVQ curriculum planning and management at the college level. This part includes the following sections: description of the context; questions that need to be…

Providing an international perspective on how children learn to read, this second of 2 volumes presents research studies and classroom experiences from the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Jamaica, and Israel, drawing on evidence from 18 countries. Essays in the volumes highlight implications for design, implementation, and…

This review focuses on distance education research in Norway, although studies in Finland, Denmark, and Sweden are briefly mentioned. Examples are given of distance education projects from the 1970s to the present. Research in distance education has a more continuous tradition in Norway than in the other Scandinavian countries, and evaluation…

This study examined the similarity among 45 sibling pairs in the third through fifth grade, in their social and academic adaptation to the school setting as evaluated by multi-agent and multi-method assessment of adjustment. Measurements included teacher ratings and rankings of academic skills, social behavior, and peer acceptance; peer…

This paper describes one aspect of a multi-factor investigation of the parameters which mediate in the effectiveness of an inservice staff development program. The paper also represents an attempt to recognize and to meet the problems associated with the evaluation of inservice programs for teachers in terms of student outcomes. The inservice…

The purpose of this document is to provide teachers, administrators, students, and parents with samples of students' performances that exemplify standards in relation to the 1993 Grade 9 Science Performance-Based Assessment Tasks for the province of Alberta, Canada. A sample of 698 randomly selected students from 31 schools did the…

This volume groups papers discussing indicators of children's well-being into three areas: child health, education, and economic security. Papers concerning child health include: (1) "Prenatal and Infant Health Indicators" (Paula Lantz and Melissa Partin); (2) "Health Indicators for Preschool Children (Ages 1-4)" (Barbara L.…

Career exploration is a developmental stage identified by career development theorists and occurs typically during adolescents when boys and girls try out various work roles in part time work, volunteer work, or in school/community activities. This digest focuses on gender differences in the role of assessment in the exploration process. Girls…

The nature of the work environment as perceived by non-instructional staff was studied at the University of Michigan. Content analysis was undertaken of responses to open-ended survey questions answered by 4,891 non-instructional staff. Qualitative data from the content analysis were analyzed and compared to results of a quantitative data analysis…

The purpose of this digest is to describe school counselors' roles in the area of assessment through an historical review of testing in counseling, and to report on study findings regarding roles employers require school counselors to perform. Knowledge needed by counselors to obtain evidence, evaluate its usefulness, and interpret its meaning…

This paper examines the problems of centralized academic-indicator systems in light of the move toward site-based management. Problems with current practice are examined in the framework of critical inquiry. Alternatives to current accountability guidelines are presented that harmonize positivism with critical inquiry, while respecting both local…

A study examined structures, processes, and practices of assessing competence in nursing and midwifery education programs in Britain. The methodology included documentation, interviews, and observations. Most interviewees were clear about the shortcomings of traditional assessment. In a satisfactory partnership, all the partners made a significant…

This study consisted of a survey of 31 professional educators to determine their knowledge and attitudes concerning the use of portfolios as an assessment tool. Of the 31 surveys that were mailed to the subjects, 29 were returned, with a response rate of 94 percent. Out of the 29 professionals that were surveyed, only six had implemented the use…