Criterion-referenced and norm-referenced tests are compared, and norm-referenced tests are found to have inadequacies as a basis for evaluation or instructional improvement. Disadvantages of norm-referenced tests, which measure a student's performance relative to the performance of other students, are: (1) mismatches between local curriculum and…

Suggestions for evaluating experiential learning programs, especially the effects of various forms of experiential learning on different types of learners, are discussed. Evaluation designs currently in use involve a four-tier hierarchy: (1) participant responses; (2) use of measurement instruments; (3) attribution of measurable effects to a…

The California Evaluation Improvement Project (EIP) was initiated to improve evaluation skills of educators through in-service training and to improve the use of evaluation data for program improvement by local education agencies. Four aspects of EIP are discussed: (1) determining evaluation needs; (2) selecting an appropriate service delivery…

Twelve common errors which can invalidate an otherwise sound evaluation are identified, and ways to avoid them are presented. The hazards are: (1) grade-equivalent scores; (2) inappropriate statistical adjustments with nonequivalent control groups; (3) administering norm-referenced tests at inappropriate times of the school year; (4) inappropriate…

Primary objectives of this study were: (1) to assess the perceived needs for outside services at 121 school districts in the Arkansas State University (ASU) service area; and (2) to determine the preferred types of outside services. Each school district was categorized by four factors: accreditation status, student enrollment, geographic region,…

Recent legislation and court decisions have upheld the right of every child to a quality education. Public Law 94-142, The Education for All Handicapped Children Act, requires that all states provide an appropriate education for all handicapped children. Given that special education is a civil right, it is inevitable that educational malpractice…

The great difficulty encountered with most behavioral educational objectives is determining whether or not they have been achieved. The disparity between new methods and most evaluation practices tends to minimize solid learning achievement. In order to specify realistic objectives that will prove meaningful in measuring student behavior as an…

Because discrepancies between individual needs and institutional roles are so often neglected in planning educational change, attention to this dimension may prove worthwhile. Evaluators who have omitted the evaluation of the effects of educational innovation on the total system--not just the students--may find it productive to assume this…

A taxonomy of programmatic tasks in an educational evaluation and facilitation coordination system which encompasses tasks appropriate for evaluators, members of an evaluation unit, and members of facilitation and coordination units is proposed. In this comprehensive approach to the evaluation process, the taxonomy classifies and specifies tasks…

Major demands of accountability as related to performance contracting are outlined, as well as the limitations of standardized tests in meeting these demands. (AG)

This report reviews the benchmarking practices that are presently being used at community colleges. It introduces the concept of a "culture of inquiry" as a means for judging their potential value. It classifies benchmarking efforts among three types--performance, diagnostic, and process--and characterizes each by its typical use. The…

In response to the increased use of the Internet for information access and dissemination, and the explosion in the availability of resources which may be of interest to end-users, a number of services are now available which provide access to selected and evaluated resources. Many existing Internet search tools are inadequate due to the high rate…

Noting the paucity of information on the effectiveness of the growing numbers of programs promoting responsible fatherhood, this report examines the evaluability of responsible fatherhood programs. The report provides policymakers with an evaluation design for use with a variety of responsible fatherhood programs, and gives direction to…

An ideal assessment of hearing-impaired children includes: case history; medical examination; tests (of intelligence, personality, achievement, communication/language skills, and aptitude); neuropsychological assessment to identify learning strengths and weaknesses; and multidisciplinary team staffing and parent-teacher conferences. Twenty-eight…

Reviews the limited research on computer software alternatives to actual dissection in biology instruction. Concludes that research should include larger more representative samples; higher priority on psychometrically sound instrumentation; a paper-based comparison group; a design that carefully considers attitude; and practical measures to…