There are four major functions involved in the management of any human enterprise: planning, organizing, executing, and controlling. Educators would add an additional function--evaluation--although it is generally subsumed under control. The control function has been neglected in education. Control means formative (inprocess) evaluation plus…

The results from application of Stufflebeam's comprehensive decision-making methodology--the context-input-process-product (CIPP) evaluation model--to the evaluation of a dental team training program with expanded functions of auxiliary personnel (paraprofessionals) at a school of dentistry are described. In view of the expectations of health care…

At this time, those responsible for the retarded are asked to be accountable for new dollars spent. In most cases, tools and techniques that can be used to develop accountability models have not been integrated into systems that serve the retarded. This presentation deals with philosophies, tools, and techniques that can be used to improve present…

A major consideration in the dissemination of any evaluation reports should be the uses of the target populations who will receive them. In the development of evaluation in and for the Piedmont Schools Project, the following uses have been found critical: formative evaluation on a continuing planned basis and on request from program and…

The employment of judgment as an evaluation tool at the early stage of curriculum development is advantageous. The reasons why this is so are: (1) writers exhibit more readiness to change elements of the program during the early stages of curriculum development; (2) there is great economic advantage in using such an evaluation tool; and (3)…

A model checklist conceptualizing the evaluation process is presented and discussed. It is quite general and is intended to apply to the evaluation of educational products, procedures and most outcomes. The Pathway Comparison Model consists of the following: (1) characterization--how generally or specifically to describe the "treatment"; (2)…

Three types of evaluation used in program evaluation and the type of instrument or measure used are discussed. The three types of evaluation are: comparison group evaluation, analysis of learner outcome or product objectives, and process evaluation. Measurements employed are either direct or indirect. Most measurement in education is usually…

This project represents the first year of a proposed two-year program to develop FEHR-PRACTICUM (Formative Evaluation and Heuristic Research), a computerized game which simulates experience in a research evaluation assistantship or practicum. In the game teams of from two to five players are given the task of finding the "best" among several…

Two new directions for strengthening the evaluation and research efforts of school districts are discussed. The first direction is in developing a methodology for clarifying and systematizing formative evaluations; the second is in improving the attitude survey capabilities of school districts. (DB)

Advocates a new set of feedback principles: (1) providing feedback immediately is frequently less effective than later; (2) it is usually a poor idea to couple feedback with praise; and (3) holding people accountable for achieving objectives that they have set often decreases their performance quality. (VT)

Reports an experiment to find out if formative student feedback is effective in improving teaching. Results indicated that this was true when the feedback contained specific enough information regarding instructor classroom behavior. (VT)

Findings from the ninth annual Gallup Poll of the public's attitudes toward the public schools are exerpted. (JD)

Tells leaders how to design debriefing and processing sessions that allow outdoor education participants to integrate learning and achieve closure to experiences by setting aside time to reflect; asking proper questions; planning appropriate reflective activities; assessing collective and individual needs of group; and balancing variety,…

Discusses the growing use by educational psychologists and teachers of developmental and academic behavior checklists. Identifies the minimum criteria necessary for checklists and criticizes their use as many fail to meet these standards. Describes the limitations, misuse, and narrow focus of behavior checklists. (GEA)

Shows how observation of a second-language classroom activity can be used to assess student, teacher, and materials performance. The classroom activity involves the key skills taught in the course and mirrors the overall methodological approach of the course. (Author/CB)