The Student Observation of Teachers and Teaching Techniques instrument (StOTT) was developed by high school students who served on the Student Advisory Board to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The StOTT instrument consists of 32 items. Each of the first 29 is included in one of the subscales: Teacher-Student Relations, Grades and…

To what degree testing can become adaptive is considered in three ways: from a formal methodological perspective; from a human process, stability, perspective; and from a sub-system or component view within an adaptive instructional system (AIS). With the advent of large computer-based training systems, the opportunity to broadly implement…

Recognizing that the first step in compliance with the 1964 Civil Rights Act requires the identification of racial attitudes, the Extension 4-H and Youth program utilized the Situational Attitude Scale (SAS) to assess the attitudes of its white professional staff toward blacks. This concern is based in part on the Extension's commitment to a…

The predictive validity of the Comparative Guidance and Placement Program (CGP) tests for two diverse curricular groups was examined. Three methods for developing predictive equations were compared. The CGP was administered to 417 Liberal Studies and 316 Business Technical students at a New England community college. Principal component analyses…

During the 60's, systems for the observation of classroom behavior have become an important area of educational research. Many new systems have been devised both for the evaluation of teaching techniques and for basic research into teaching processes. In the development of such systems the investigator must determine what behaviors are to be…

The Research Institute of the Illinois Institute of Technology conducted this study for the Cooperative Educational Research Lab., Inc. Emphasis was placed on determining the role of sociometric and diffusion analysis techniques in measuring the effectiveness of the Specialist in Continuing Education (SCE) function. Evidence was sought to…

It is asserted in this paper that some standardized tests do not do a good job of what they claim to do, and for some testing purposes nonstandardized tests are more appropriate or efficient. Under present circumstances, group I.Q. tests should be abolished. They provide no useful information that cannot be gained from achievement tests. And what…

Problems in the interpretation of standardized tests used to group children of limited backgrounds, cultural bias in tests, and the misuse of tests are considered. Reports on the use of specific tests with disadvantaged students are reviewed and some of the efforts being made to provide better interpretive data are discussed. Alternative…

In Part I of this report, educational accountability is viewed as being composed of three types. They are: goal, program, and outcome accountability. In addition, three accountability schemes which are considered exemplary of the kinds of proposals presently made and which cover a broad range of accountability types are also discussed. The schemes…

An investigation was conducted to determine whether the Parental Attitude and Behavior Inventory (PABI) Form III, a lengthy self-report instrument (577 items each for both parents) for assessing parents' attitudes and behavior toward their children and each other, could be shortened to a more feasible length. This terminal report summarizes the…

In a comparative evaluation of a standard true-false format for personality assessment and a forced-choice format, subjects from college residential units were assigned randomly to respond either to the forced-choice or standard true-false form of the Personality Research Form (PRF). All subjects also rated themselves and the members of their…

Some of the controversial issues involved in the use of objective tests by institutions of higher education, as this use affects the selection and attendance by members of minority groups, are reviewed. Admissions committees now rely on the ability of a test to predict students' performance at their institution to guide their selection. However,…

Learning processes, as measured by the Approaches to Studying Inventory, contributed to the prediction of freshman grades of 181 Australians. Other measures, such as college entrance examinations, locus of control, and student background characteristics, had less predictive ability. (GDC)

Noting that improving the quality of learning in primary schools and preparing children for a long, complex life in the twenty-first century requires the highest quality of teaching and professional training, this book is part of a series to improve teachers' skills in the classroom. The book is intended to offer primary school teachers a means of…

A study was conducted to review the concept of validity in the context of vocational education and training (VET) in Australia. The study included a review of literature, case studies, presentation of key findings, and recommendation of a tool to guide assessors. An eight-faceted approach to validity, based on Nitko, was developed, with each…