The research related to laboratory work in science instruction is reviewed in this position paper. The history of the laboratory is outlined from its roots in the nineteenth century, and the goals of the laboratory are enumerated from a review of the literature. Research findings are critically analyzed regarding the effectiveness of laboratory…

This survey of recent developments in educational program evaluation is intended for persons who commission, implement, direct, or carry out evaluation studies. The attitudes of government officials, educators, and researchers toward assessment and their own evaluation needs are discussed. Various approaches to evaluation are briefly described;…

WORKSHEETS FROM AN AUTO-INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM IN HIGH SCHOOL ALGEBRA WERE USED TO COMPARE DATA PROCESSING METHODS. IN THE SCRIBE SYSTEM, WORKSHEET DATA IS TRANSFERRED FIRST ONTO SPECIAL SHEETS REQUIRING RECORDING OF ERRORS AND OMISSIONS ONLY, AND THEN ONTO IBM CARDS. THE IBM CARDS CAN BE USED IN A SPECIAL IBM 1620 ITEM DIFFICULTY ANALYSIS PROGRAM.…

School testing programs in many cases have been limited to obtaining an IQ score and achievement scores in reading and mathematics for each student. Testing in the U.S. Department of Defense Overseas Dependents Schools followed this pattern and was under attack from many sides. Consequently, the testing program was suspended in 1971 to provide…

During the past year and a half, the University of Toledo has developed a competency-based model for teacher education, the basic elements of which are (a) the explicit statement of performance objectives, (b) one or more sets of instructional procedures specifically designed for attainment of each objective, and (c) criterion-referenced…

Testing, assessment, and evaluation, all based on measurement, are assuming increasingly important roles in American society. They are becoming a more vital force in the world of work, in education, and in the processes of determining the effectiveness of social institutions. Educational Testing Service (ETS) convened a conference for education…

A suit was filed in 1972 in California by an 18 year old high school graduate who asserted that he remained functionally illiterate after 13 years of regular attendance in the San Francisco public schools. Claiming personal injury as a consequence of the failure of school professionals to exercise reasonable care in the discharge of their duties,…

This progress report describes study objectives, research design, field survey activities, and analysis plans for the evaluation of the Emergency School Assistance Program (ESAP), a federal program to aid local educational agencies in bringing about racial desegregation of their public school systems. A need for evaluation is explained in terms of…

This module is part of a competency-based staff development training package which presents a systematic approach to guidance, counseling, and placement. This package gives an overview of several ways of assessing one's own guidance program. On completion of the readings and activities of this module, the reader will understand why a current…

The Law Enforcement Assistance Administration's (LEAA) 1974 evaluation guidelines state that each State Planning Agency (SPA) "is expected to intensively evaluate...selected projects or groups of projects according to its planning needs." Evaluations are to "incorporate sound evaluation methodologies including, as appropriate,…

Taking the position that the Classical Experimental Evaluation (CEE) Model does not do justice to the process of acquiring information necessary for decision making re planning, programming, implementing, and recycling program activities, this paper presents the Inductive, System-Process (ISP) evaluation model as an alternative to be used in…

The main purposes of this study were to identify the evaluation needs of students, teachers, and principals, and to develop recommendations for an evaluation system within the school building. Students, teachers, and principals were surveyed to depict the availability and importance of eight different categories of evaluative information derived…

Strong school board-administrator relations are based on a clear understanding of the superintendent's responsibilities and regular, periodic evaluation. Few school boards have a formal method for evaluating superintendents, though many boards agree that evaluation is important for administrative accountability. A written set of evaluation goals…

The determination of assessment content is often made on the basis of cost, political "clout", and relevance, in that order. Three areas of assessment content are discussed: Broad areas, specific areas to be measured, and non-test information. The broad areas and non-test information are policy issues, while the determination of specific…

Four papers prepared for a training workshop sponsored by the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development constitute this document on State Title V program evaluation needs and criteria. Entitled "Why Evaluation of the State Title V Programs: An Overview from Different Perspectives", the first paper deals with seven major audiences…