"A Nation at Risk" (1983) recommended that teacher salaries and promotions should be based on merit evaluation, not merely on experience and education, as is the current practice. Problems arise because of varying merit pay definitions and difficulties involved with judging teacher effectiveness. Researchers have found that developing…

In all likelihood, computer use in early childhood will continue to increase. However, there is reason for concern about how computers will be placed into classrooms, what activities will be chosen for children, what interactions will take place, and whether these interactions will consider appropriate readiness and development levels. Computers…

Noting that plain language laws--designed to put the consumer on a more equal footing with business and industry when signing business contracts--have become an important new kind of legislation, this paper traces the development of such legislation and the need to evaluate its effectiveness. The first section of the paper describes the federal…

The grading system for technical practicums in theatre at California State University, San Bernandino uses an evaluation form completed by each student's practicum supervisor. The evaluation form gives concrete evidence that there are viable criteria for grading practicums, and also helps if a student wishes to challenge his or her grade. Usually…

This study looks briefly at work done in the field of teacher selection. It then examines the interviewing arrangements at Balls Park College (Australia) in 1970-71, when candidates were being selected for the teacher training course which began in October 1971. An attempt is made to discern relationships existing among: (1) the data available to…

This paper discusses four criteria for selecting covariates when utilizing the analysis of covariance in quasiexperimental research: completeness, causation, independence, and fallibility. Completeness is the extent to which the known or suspected sources of bias are accounted for by covariates used in an experiment. Causation is the requirement…

This booklet, written for parents and other citizens concerned about education, discusses some of the reasons why the arts are--and should be--a part of every student's basic education. Seven reasons are listed and discussed: arts as communication; arts and creativity; arts and understanding human civilization; arts and learning other subjects;…

This digest identifies the issues which must be addressed to make instruments and procedures for assessing school counselor performance efficient, fair, valid, and useful. (BH)

Recent concern about academic quality and costs has resulted in growing criticism of the transfer function of the community college. This criticism has arisen, in part, from the evaluations of university-based researchers who have argued that a very small percentage of community college students succeed in transferring to four-year institutions…

Student performance should be among the criteria used to evaluate teachers. Some advantages to comparing teachers on the basis of their students' learning are that such comparisons can provide (1) benchmarks by which to judge the validity of the criteria and measures of teaching effectiveness, (2) the evidence needed to match certain kinds of…

This article offers some suggestions as to ways in which the outcome of independent study programs can be assessed. (Author)

An interview with Howard E. Smith, Jr., who edits science and junior books at McGraw-Hill, and with Thomas G. Aylesworth, who edits books for young readers at Doubleday. They discuss the selection of authors and subjects for books; science fiction and biography; characteristics of good science books; and foreign books. (LS)

A brief description of the activities of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in the area of science for children, followed by a discussion of the criteria used in reviewing children's books in "Science Books." (LS)