The effect of the Mississippi Performance-Based Accreditation Model on operations in a local school district is examined. Specifically, this report describes the Tupelo, Mississippi school district's experience in producing improved pupil learning. The Mississippi accreditation paradigm is prescriptive. It is an evaluation driven system capable of…

This report summarizes the results of a project conducted to document the skills and behaviors that have been identified as essential for a work force facing the challenges of global competition in an environment of rapidly changing markets. The workplace competencies and foundation skills defined in "Skills and Tasks for Jobs: A SCANS…

Articles in this volume of the journal on English as a Second Language and applied linguistics include: "The 'ng' Challenge: Five Simple Rules for Pronunciation Prediction" (Carol A. Buss); "The Effect of Markedness on Epenthesis in Spanish/English Interlanguage" (Robert S. Carlisle); "Proficiency-Based Instruction:…

This report on the TMT (Training Modules for Trainers) Project, part of the Special Discretionary Grant Program developed by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) in response to the need for coordinated training activities, begins with a discussion of the emerging problem of upgrading teachers' computer literacy skills. A description of the…

The research study sought to determine the status of student assessment instrumentation and practices in programs dealing with the transition of special education students from school to work or postsecondary education, and to determine areas where current practice was not able to meet the changing demands of transitional services. Transition…

This study was conducted as part of a project to develop a competency-based electrical/electronics (E/E) curriculum in Arizona. During this phase of the project, the following tasks were completed: (1) examination of selected E/E jobs in Arizona to develop a list of electronics competencies; (2) tying of electronic competencies to a particular…

These proceedings include the following papers: "An Assessment of the National FFA Public Service Announcement Program" (Sutphin, Dillon, and Rush); "Educational Objectives and Administrative Criteria for the National FFA Contest Program" (Smith and Kahler); "A National Profile of Agricultural Teacher Educators and State Supervisors of Vocational…

The development of key competencies through higher education is of increasing interest in government, industry, and academics. The contributors to this collection of research analyses and case studies focus on the competencies associated with self-motivated autonomous lifelong learning. Examining a variety of issues from a British perspective, the…

A case is made for the use of computer assisted instruction (CAI) in Child Development Associate (CDA) training programs conducted on-campus in conjunction with an educational curriculum or conducted off-campus in conjunction with child care programs. The following points are made: (1) CAI can be used to supplement and amplify a teacher's…

The study of variance in observers assessing movement control in children with mild mental retardation found that observers who received informal training needed to observe twice as many trials to reach an acceptable standard of reliability compared to the observers who received competency-based training. (Author/DB)

This study was conducted as part of a project to increase the number of certified teachers who serve students with behavior disorders in the rural regions of West Virginia, improve the quality of training to participants at both the elementary and secondary levels, and retain certified teachers who teach students with behavior disorders. Improving…

This study investigated whether Child Development Associate (CDA) certificate holders in two San Francisco, California, Bay Area counties (Contra Costa and Alameda) felt that CDA certification had increased their professional self-esteem and career development within Head Start. It was hypothesized that the higher the teacher's level of formal…

Reports on a study of the effects of competency-based self- analysis of videotaped rehearsals by inservice music teachers. Examines the patterns of task presentation, student response, and immediate teacher feedback. Finds that research-based teaching techniques significantly increased teacher use of complete sequential patterns. (CFR)

This paper describes the development of standardized evaluation procedures for Pasco County's inservice teacher education. Since 1983, legislation requires teacher education centers in Florida to report attainment data based on measurable objectives. Using a classification system adapted from the "Rand Change Agent Study," directors and…

This paper examined some of the issues surrounding the Arizona Teacher Proficiency Examination (ATPE), including the rationale for teacher testing, the Arizona approach to testing, and selected student outcomes. Arizona moved from Legislative directive in April 1980, to the implementation of the Arizona Teacher Proficiency Examination in June…