The integration of assessment, learning, and instruction are discussed, focusing on the importance of students' prior knowledge. A literature review and analysis of 128 studies provide support for the assertion that assessment has an important impact on instruction and learning. Positive effects were found for progress assessment. (SLD)

Proposals satisfy a number of functions in evaluation work. This article examines how these functions differ depending on whether the proposal concerns a preordinate study in which methods are prespecified or an emergent study in which decisions about methods are made as the study proceeds. (Author/SLD)

The delivery of courses via videoconferencing from the University of Alberta to remote sites was evaluated by students, 70% of whom were Canada Natives. They expressed a need for more course information, advising, counseling, and access to students. The program had a 51% completion rate. (SK)

Describes a formative evaluation of a one-day introductory computer-based training course for university employees using a new online financial and purchasing system. Evaluated the effectiveness of the training, identified appropriate revisions that were incorporated into the training program, and examined learner attitudes toward the course.…

Reports on a group of teachers using formative assessment tools to pilot their students toward deeper understanding. Suggests that their efforts help in the implementation of the district's inquiry-based science curriculum. (MM)

Discusses classroom assessment techniques (CATs), formative assessment tools that require knowledge of one's discipline and a clear desire to increase student learning. Examples are provided from a Spanish grammar and composition course. (Author/VWL)

Describes a project in which graduate students with knowledge engineering experience used five different microcomputer-based shells to build a prototype application of an expert system to assist library patrons with business reference questions. The strengths and weaknesses of each product are discussed and compared. (seven references) (CLB)

The evaluation of second language programs is an educational task with profound potential for improving pedagogical practice. Evaluators who educate perform more than just a "service" function by helping people to learn, develop themselves, and refine their abilities to work more effectively. (CB)

Describes a formative evaluation proposal submitted to the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) in the United Kingdom to explore the potential impact of the Information Technology in Education Research (InTer) Program. The philosophies of evaluation and of the evaluator role are discussed, and aims and methodology of the evaluation are…

This article describes the cost-of-quality model used at El Camino College (California), which formally measures the costs associated with process improvement activities. A case study illustrates use of the model in evaluating a new process for reimbursing faculty and staff attending conferences. (DB)

Describes a system that performs automatic summaries of news from a large commercial news service encompassing 41 different publications. This system was compared to a system that used only the lead sentences of the texts. Lead-based summaries significantly outperformed the sentence-selection summaries. (AEF)

Presents a formal object-oriented specification model (OSS) for computer software system development that is supported by a tool that automatically generates a prototype from an object-oriented analysis model (OSA) instance, lets the user examine the prototype, and permits the user to refine the OSA model instance to generate a requirements…

Contends that, as career counseling shifts from educational to psychological focus, accountability issues become harder to address. Sees need for new model for career counseling evaluation, one that counselors consider relevant/practical, that can address formative and summative evaluation, and that is capable of embracing informal observations…

Assessment of college teaching is viewed broadly as the gathering of information for understanding and improving teaching as well as judging its quality. It is seen to play a crucial support role at each stage of instructional development: problem clarification, instructional design/redesign, and field testing and implementation. (MSE)

The use of the vignette method with a small group of respondents over a two-year teacher enhancement project sponsored by the National Science Foundation is described, and the usefulness of the method is reviewed. Vignette data provide material sufficient to answer evaluation questions. (SLD)