In 1990, a survey was conducted to evaluate the occupational success of Piedmont Virginia Community College's (PVCC's) 1987-88 graduates. On a graduate follow-up survey, 62 graduates (48.1%) consented to having their employers surveyed. Of the 62 employers contacted, 56 completed and returned valid surveys, asking for an evaluation of the PVCC…

An examination is made into the possible reasons for underachievement in higher education, on the theory that personological variables such as persistence and diplomacy may contribute as much to success as I.Q. points. Various lists are provided of the salient factors, and their explanations, that contribute to underachievement, as proposed by…

The construct validity of biographical items in the Individual Achievement Record (IAR) was assessed in an attempt to develop a confirmatory factor model. This first phase of a two-phase study focused on the IAR's use as a predictor of job performance. The IAR is an empirically keyed biodata inventory containing 112 multiple-choice items. Item…

Any systematic approach to the assessment of students' ability implies the use of a model. The more explicit the model is, the more its users know about what they are doing and what the consequences are. The Rasch model is a strong model where measurement is a bonus of the model itself. It is based on four ideas: (1) separation of observable…

A study of general student performance in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland undertaken in 1975 is described, and efforts toward developing a new system of school-leaving examinations are discussed. The study was designed to assess existing student evaluation instruments, create new evaluation techniques and instruments, promote cooperation…

This presentation provides an in-process review of researching efforts at the U.S. Army Research Institute and the Institute for Defense Analysis to update their earlier studies of Computer Based Instruction (CBI) cost-effectiveness. In the presentation five topics are addressed: (1) the differences between education and training, and why they…

Assessment of student achievement in the workplace identifies workplace skills students may not demonstrate in course work. It also induces a continuous sensitivity to industry needs. On-job training tends to have sufficient formality to encourage organized assessment and off-job learning can involve assessment to the point of excess. However,…

In an effort to more clearly define the engineering method, this document attempts to draw distinctions between engineering and science. Part I, "Some Thoughts on Engineering," discusses strategies that engineers employ to solve problems, and the characteristics of the types of engineering problems. Part II, "The Principal Rule of the Engineering…

To overcome teacher isolation and help make teaching a more attractive profession, educators might consider a peer support system based on the Stanford Collegial Evaluation Program. This paper describes the program's background, functioning, barriers to successful implementation, and how to neutralize them. The Stanford program uses a peer…

Many researchers have demonstrated that student expectations of teacher competence can affect student performance outcomes. The artificiality of laboratory paradigms used in past research, however, may severely limit the generalizability of findings. A field study was conducted to test the idea that students' expectations regarding their teacher's…

The laboratory school for Southeast Missouri State University offers individualized French and Spanish second language instruction to secondary students by scheduling them together in one multilevel class. Students progress individually and in small groups through planned, self-paced, continuous progress programs. Each student is given a checklist…

Nontraditional approaches in higher education are discussed, with attention to: (1) economic and philosophical reasons for nontraditional education; (2) future thrusts; (3) nontraditional instructional modalities; and (4) the implications for higher education of the extensive use of nontraditional approaches. It is suggested that nontraditional…

Fifty-two fourth and fifth grade students, randomly assigned to three groups (1) competitive, (2) individualistic, and (3) no feedback control, received differential feedback regarding their performance in two 40-minute computer assisted mathematics sessions per week over six weeks. Attributions regarding academic outcomes in computer assisted…

Field tests of test items are useful in developing cutting scores for important tests, such as teacher certification examinations and high school graduation tests, because they indicate test item quality and estimate future examinee performance. However, field test data may provide a faulty indication of examinee performance on the real test.…

A study examined the objectives of supported employment programs for individuals with severe disabilities and identified performance measures to document the practices and achievements of such programs at the federal, state, and local levels. A set of proposed data items and potential performance measures was developed on the basis of programs…