An in-progress report of a study exploring the nature and content of children's concepts of their own and other countries is presented. Current literature on early development of concepts of other people and places is reviewed, followed by a description of the open-ended procedure adopted for gathering data. The test is being conducted in…

The growing emphasis on planning and evaluation in educational institutions has resulted in rapid implementation of various strategies. Participant-consultant observations were used to focus on the problems of the implementation. Organizational conflicts were identified, and coping strategies were developed by an external agent. Several…

This paper presents the designs underlying an IPI approach to ninth grade science implemented in the Jamesville-DeWitt schools in New York State. Briefly described are the generalizable instructional model, evaluation systems for assessing individual performance and the effectiveness of the instructional program and the support systems which make…

The formative evaluation of the curriculum, student attitudes, French achievement, and implementation of an elementary level core French program illustrates the usefulness of classroom observation and points to some general shortcomings in core French program content and teaching strategies. (MSE)

Procedures for using the Interactive Teaching Map to collect data and construct reliable measures of program implementation and outcomes are illustrated using data from the Delinquency Research and Development Project. Implementation analysis incorporating measures from classroom observation data can add to traditional experimental control group…

A new standard setting method, Mapmark, was recently developed by ACT Inc. in the course of a contract with the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) to set achievement levels for the 2005 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in Grade 12 mathematics. Mapmark includes elements of the bookmark method (Lewis, Mitzel, & Green, 1996;…

This book is designed to assist evaluators of nonformal education (NFE) and adult education programs in their continuing professional education and in the task of improving their capacities for genuinely formative, informative, and participatory assessment of educational practice. Fourteen chapters are organized into five sections. Section 1…

It is increasingly clear that even the best schools must engage in systematic and continuous appraisal of their performance, in partnership with the community. A joint planning process could start by engaging citizens in identifying critical issues, relevant assets, and key strategies that can move the community toward a preferred future. Chapter…

Presents survey results that reveal that most political science departments have clearly defined systems of summative teaching evaluation. These systems, however, lack diversity. Most rely solely on student assessment and use this primarily to identify potential problems. Recommends adopting more flexible and constructive approaches. (MJP)

Reports on a pilot study designed to assess the potential of computer-marked tests for allowing students to monitor their learning. Students' answers to multiple choice tests were fed into a computer that provided a full analysis of their strengths and weaknesses. Students responded favorably to the feedback. (MJP)

Research and theory on teaching the writing process is not being widely implemented in public school classrooms. Changes such as a greater emphasis on process in college composition classes and language arts methodology courses as well as careful selection of supervising teachers, inservice programs, and revamping of writing evaluation are needed.…

Three college instructors, teaching very different content (management, political science, and literature) and using classroom assessment techniques (CATs), compared the results. All found that CATs contributed to self-reflection, that designing CATs helps faculty focus on course and class goals, and that responding to CATs requires students to…

A formative evaluation of computer conferences for 100 preservice teachers over five semesters examined why and how students participated, focusing on grading system, grouping, collaboration, relevance, learner control, and technological preparation. Student conference messages and postcourse surveys from the first and last semesters were examined…

Teacher quality, however defined, is usually seen as the responsibility of schools of education. Rarely is it viewed as the responsibility of academic departments in the arts and sciences--that part of college or university where prospective teachers study the academic content they will draw on as teachers. Only recently has teacher quality come…

Dimensions of instruction and assessment were manipulated within a tertiary prevention to examine their effects on word and text reading development. In this article case studies of two children who demonstrated significant and sustained lack of adequate response to treatment are profiled. Results indicated that reducing group size, using…