This article details the rationale and purposes of an ecology-travel course-trip made available to preservice education majors at a small liberal arts city college between 1975 and 1987. Included are the course objectives, pretrip planning and procedures, posttrip debriefing, and statistics on destination, participation, duration, and expenses for…

An auxiliary study of the direct observation method for counting periodical usage in Evans Library at Texas A&M University found that student observations contain substantial error and that aggregation problems and cost issues are fundamental constraints to this method. Concludes direct observation may be useful in calibrating the results of…

Interviews with 24 adolescents, observation of minors using cigarette vending machines, and studies of the attempts of 20 minors to purchase cigarettes over the counter all confirm that it is easy for minors to gain access to cigarettes in Chicago (Illinois). Implications for tobacco purchase laws are discussed. (SLD)

Three functional assessment methods were compared with four adults with severe/profound mental retardation and stereotypic behavior patterns. The results of the antecedents, behavior, and consequences observation and the Motivation Assessment Scale indicated a sensory function of the stereotypic behavior for all subjects, whereas functional…

A procedure-based observational scoring system and a notebook completed by students were evaluated as science assessments for 41 fifth grade students experienced in hands-on science and 55 fifth grade students inexperienced in hands-on science. Results suggest that notebooks may be a reasonable, although less reliable, surrogate for observed…

Teachers are isolated from their peers by classroom walls and invisible school barriers. Many evaluation systems are outmoded, and few opportunities exist for teachers and principals to stretch their traditional roles. Professional Partnerships, an alternative evaluation process, addresses these common concerns. Teachers establish voluntary…

Discusses the need for those involved in the education of young children to adopt a reflective stance toward their work. Considers the value, in research done by practitioners, of making observations and keeping records, studying unfamiliar topics, doing background reading, and interpreting and communicating research results. Applies these…

Discusses areas where teachers may harbor mistaken assumptions about their students' understanding when using graphing calculators: (1) confidence and competence with order of operations, (2) integration of algebraic and graphical knowledge, and (3) scaling a graph. (MKR)

Criteria to guide classroom assessment practice are determine the extent to which assessment practices are based on tasks and activities that are representative of instructional intention and translate into specific information collection, interpretation, evaluation, and reporting procedures; address the accuracy of the assessment; and consider…

Suggests guidelines for observing young children's developing control over their thinking and text-making knowledge. Presents evidence of distinct, observable differences between at-risk and non-at-risk preschoolers' knowledge of what a literary piece should be and how to monitor the product to make sure it meets an audience's needs. Discusses…

An observation procedure that can be used to observe cooperative learning in French instruction is presented. The procedure consists of setting up the cooperative learning activity and observing whether the cooperative group displays the second-language discourse found to foster second-language learning. Forms for recording observations are…

Head Start caregivers' positive and neutral interactions with nonhandicapped, and mainstreamed handicapped, children were observed while the caregivers engaged in caregiving and instructional activities. Caregivers were found to have higher positive and neutral interaction rates and higher negative interaction rates, with handicapped than with…

Outlines a method of direct supervision which has been applied to group employment counseling. Focuses on a means of supervisory observation. Suggests emphasizing the development of a positive context, minimizing the intrusiveness of the observation, and formulating the debriefing using a strength challenge format to effectively utilize this…

Describes a study that was designed to gather information about teachers' perspectives on achievement testing and to describe where the competency-based testing in the CUES (Continuous Uniform Evaluation System) program fits into the teachers' overall plans for teaching and assessing students. Recommendations for instructional design and teacher…

Discusses the purposes of assessment in programs for young children and the role of assessment in the context of children's lives, parents' concerns, and teachers' and administrators' situations. Also discusses how observation-based assessment can be used as part of a developmentally appropriate assessment process serving children, parents,…