The importance of evaluation and needs assessment balance in the planning cycle of adult education program development is discussed. A 10-step Problem Analysis Model is offered and explained to help educators develop an integrated, reality-based program that identifies a target group and defines and prioritizes needs. (DF)

The Development of Teaching Competencies course was developed for an undergraduate teacher training program and covered strategies of teaching and learning; high level thinking and personal growth; and evaluation methods and examinations. The Eclectic Examination was developed for use concurrently as a student evaluation device and for a formative…

Reports the findings of an investigation into student teacher failure in final teaching practice in training institutions in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Few students who complete a course of training fail. Reasons for this finding are discussed. A reappraisal of the approach to the final assessment of teaching practice is suggested. (CT)

Shows how a mastery teaching program was applied to one Iowa school district to improve and evaluate teacher performance. Emphasizes the principal's role in such a program. (JW)

This article reports the findings of a research study concerning an evaluation approach initiated by the Illinois Office of Education to provide local school districts with evaluative data and recommendations for self-improvement. Despite various shortcomings of evaluation methods and recommendations, authors conclude that the "IOE acted…

This paper's thesis declares that more direct, comprehensive, and adequate measures of teaching skill will necessarily encompass, though not directly measure, certain attitudes, values, and commitments presummed to correlate positively with teaching. (JD)

This paper shares findings from a formative evaluation that explores a professional development program, Intel[R] Teach to the Future Workshop on Interactive Thinking Tools. The Workshop trains K-12 teachers how to use online tools with their students, which are designed to foster higher-order thinking skills, and combine technology and…

This report summarizes the problems schools are encountering as they try to use data to gauge the effectiveness of standards-based education, accountability efforts, and school reform. It provides an overview of the education market, discusses the strengths and weaknesses of available software, and describes systems used by 19 states. The article…

High stakes summative assessment has been a significant element of educational policy in England and Wales for more than a decade. However, research evidence indicates that formative assessment is more likely to raise student achievement. Although some students are able to use summative assessment formatively, devising their own self-regulated…

This report is based on the analysis of initial interviews with the staff of the Freshmen Learning Community Program (FLCP). FLCP is a pilot program in engineering education that focuses on diversity and cultural change. The primary purpose of this evaluative study is to provide feedback while the learning community program is being implemented.…

This paper uses research findings on program evaluations over the last 20 years to derive 10 "Golden Rules" that will help school districts increase student learning. Each of the rules is described and illustrated within the context of a five-part quality assurance and evaluation system of program screening, field-testing, adoption and…

To analyze perceptions of what constitutes a safe school. different perceptions of what constitutes a safe school, an assessment of the first 4 years of North Carolina's Annual Report on School Violence (ARSV) is reported here. The ARSV is a collection of data on specific acts of violence occurring on school property. Data on acts of violence were…

This article describes the stages of a formative evaluation process for a professional development project. It was designed to support teachers in urban schools as they implement student-centered practices. The four stages of the evaluation that can serve as a road map for this type of collaboration are: (1) the program vision and anticipated…

Preliminary findings were generated from a formative evaluation that examined the implementation of a new secondary curriculum in Mexico. The study provides a deeper understanding about what is gained and what is lost when a decentralized curriculum is designed at the national level and implemented in local settings. Some insight is provided into…

This report presents results from a planned comprehensive evaluation of the implementation of Different Ways of Knowing (DWoK) for the Middle Grades in "Cohort I" schools. Cohort I consists of 15 schools in California, Kentucky, New York, and Texas that began implementation of DWoK for the Middle Grades in 2001-02, and thus have completed their…