Does educational technology work? Does its application in classrooms help children learn? Can teachers improve their own understanding and practice through technology? The answer is yes; however in a period of widespread concern about educational quality, teachers, parents, policymakers, and taxpayers deserve answers that go beyond fervent beliefs…

This paper discusses a pilot project in progress at Mantua Elementary School in Fairfax, Virginia begun on September 1, 1999 to develop, improve, and extend the school's current system of evaluating the effects of educational technology on student learning. The following sections are included: Purpose of the Project; Drawing upon the…

Two features limit the value of legislatively mandated high-stakes tests such as Alaska's Benchmark and High School Graduation Qualifying Exam as accountability tools in the current standards-driven environment. First, the sheer numbers of tests administered have led to a reliance on multiple choice and short-answer questions, with only minimal…

This study examined, through a designed simulation of a performance assessment of a typical teaching act, the possibility of measuring elementary preservice teachers' mathematics content knowledge without relying solely on the candidates' performance on a standardized mathematics test. Data collection involved a series of disclosed mathematics…

In this journal issue, articles examine various aspects of measuring creativity, productivity of gifted individuals, fostering psychological well-being of the gifted, and federal funding of gifted programs. Specific articles include: (1) "The Death of Creativity Measurement Has Been Greatly Exaggerated: Current Issues, Recent Advances, and Future…

This paper presents an alternative means of assessing faculty teaching that can be used by administrators. This method has been derived from in-depth faculty and student interviews, and its criterion of quality has been validated with empirical data through computer sensitivity analysis. The assessment process has been successfully tested in…

This book suggests that both students and teachers should think constructively about classroom literacy practices through the use of diagnostic-reflective portfolios--the result of a process of collection and reflection in which teachers and students collaborate to demonstrate a learner's growth over time. The book tells the story of a…

This guide was developed as part of a 4-year federally funded project designed to provide services to infants, toddlers, children, and youth with deaf-blindness in Kansas. The project included a pilot project on student portfolio development that documents longitudinally student accomplishments, needed adaptations, modifications, and…

Horry-Georgetown Technical College (SC) has completed graduate and employer surveys since 1994. The reports are divided into specific curricular areas leading to degrees or certificates for most of the programs offered at the college. Each section contains the original survey forms for employers and graduates, and the survey results and comments…

Austin Community College mailed an Employee Satisfaction Survey in spring 2000 to 2,903 employees. The survey form asked respondents to rate college-wide and/or campus services that they had requested or received during the past year in terms of promptness, quality, attitude and overall service. The overall survey return rate was 15.4%, but rates…

This book considers issues relating to the development, revision, and evaluation of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), including best practices that have been developed by states and school districts. It begins with an overview of the objective of education for all children regardless of disability, with appropriate goals and instruction to…

This document consists of the first 10 articles of volume 8 of the electronic journal "Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation" published in 2002-2003: (1) "Using Electronic Surveys: Advice from Survey Professionals" (David M. Shannon, Todd E. Johnson, Shelby Searcy, and Alan Lott); (2) "Four Assumptions of Multiple Regression That Researchers…

This paper summarizes results of telephone interviews with key personnel at 19 (out of 22) agencies receiving grants under the Center for Mental Health Services program, one part of a 5-year evaluation study examining the impact that utilizing measurable outcomes has on service systems. This component focused on the conceptualization and…

This guide provides Ohio parents of children with disabilities with information on multifactored evaluations. It begins by discussing the Intervention Assistance Team and what occurs at the assistance team meeting. It also explains that to begin the multifactored evaluation process, the parent must complete a "Request for Parent Consent for…

This Fourth Northumbria International Conference on Performance Measurement in Libraries and Information Services centered on the theme of "meaningful measures for emerging realities" and contributors surveyed the field of performance measurement from that perspective. The proceedings begins with seven keynote and invited papers from…