The effectiveness of any evaluation procedure, then, should be measured not only in terms of its validity, reliability, and objectivity but also with respect to the degree which the evaluation activity itself promotes and encourages the type of study which is contributory to shorthand proficiency. (Author)

Suggests that many educators may be using unrealistic standards in determining student failure. (JS)

Accreditation--institutional and program--is discussed in terms of the pros and cons of various accrediting groups, including governmental, regional, and specialized agencies. (MB)

Children learn best in a classroom that contains students with varied abilities and levels of intelligence. (CK)

Presents the findings of a study of the role athletics plays in Catholic schools in seven mid-central states. Focuses on the role of athletes in high school, the influence of a religious atmosphere on athletic activities, and student and administrator perceptions of athletic programs. (WL)

Outlines six methods of making comparisons of educational standards of achievement when opportunities for education are unequal in the various units of comparison. Applies the methods to data from the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement and 1979 data from Papua, New Guinea high schools. (NEC)

Provides a brief history of the issues involved in the case in which the Perchemlides family took the Amherst, Massachusetts school superintendent to court to win the right to educate its children at home. (IRT)

Argues that drastic measures must be taken soon to alleviate the present depressed academic standards and academic achievement of high school and college students. (Author/DB)

Discusses the challenges that education in the 21st century, particularly electronic learning, presents to quality assurance indicators. Suggests that new paradigms for accreditation and quality assurance are needed that include a set of universal attributes or standards that focus on the learner rather than the institution and include new…

Finds that dental education varies considerably across Europe, with differing traditions of stomatology and odontology. The European Union's Dental Directives are often poorly followed by individual schools, and differences will likely intensify as Eastern/Central European countries join. The DentEd Thematic Network Project, which aims to promote…

Reviewing the history of the standards movement, asserts that although the movement has stalled, its promise to improve instructional quality and educational achievement remains strong. Suggests that supporters of standards, without losing their focus on content, need to broaden their scope to include new scholarship on student learning in…

Describes a New Jersey program designed to help teachers understand and use state standards and test specifications to improve instruction, without merely teaching to the test, recommending that educators explore the processes of delineation, alignment, and calibration. This ensures that teachers understand the entirety of each subject area and…