The Black Country is a region comprised of four local educational agencies (LEAs) in the West Midlands, England. School-league table data for the period 1992-94 were collated to form a data matrix. Using cluster analysis, 11 types of schools were identified. An analysis of electoral ward census data yielded six types of localities. Both typologies…

This sequel to "Recording Progress" (Pathfinder 1) reiterates the principles of recording for continuous assessment in second language learning and describes the British system originally adopted to implement those principles. Implications of the National Curriculum for continuous assessment are considered and then ways are suggested for…

Responding to the need for users of schools to use their buildings in a way that creates a better internal environment for children and reduces harm to the environment, this document lists the environmental issues that need to be addressed and the corrective recommendations that designers and administrators can apply. Environmental issues cover…

The usability of Instructional Multimedia (IMM) applications is vital for their success and for the satisfaction of their users, as the confusion resulting from using poorly designed programs can be particularly detrimental to learning performance. A number of approaches for expert-based evaluation of IMM have been proposed during the past few…

Increased interest in research into school level environment has not been extended to special education in the United Kingdom, but J. E. Adams (1998) found evidence that differences in pedagogic practice between schools for children with moderate learning disability (MLD) and severe learning disability (SLD) were in part attributable to school…

Discusses the use of assignments that require students to write about works of literature as a substitute for taking literature examinations; reports results of a study of the types of literature-related writing tasks assigned in four schools in England. (GT)

Looks at the impact government initiatives on classroom practices and the process of writing. Notes that the first year of the project has gathered and analyzed data from a longitudinal study of writing in Ohio, and a series of contrasting case studies in England. Finds that government mandates set up professional dilemmas that teachers had to…

Describes one British teacher's study of teacher appraisal at his secondary school. The study discussed school-based practitioner research, gleaning perspectives about appraisal from colleagues, and encouraging dialogue regarding various concepts. Questionnaires and interviews with colleagues indicated a need for positive professional…

Compares the policies of inspection in Finland and England where the former promotes school self-evaluation and the latter utilizes the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED). Finds that OFSTED inspections affect teacher morale and focus on policies and procedures; in Finland, inspections lack a whole-school strategy but encourage changes in…

A project conducted by Britain's Further Education Unit: (1) identified and evaluated strategies used by Educational Guidance Services for Adults (EGSAs) to feed back to providers of learning opportunities the unmet needs of adult clients with particular reference to the unemployed and unwaged; (2) identified and evaluated mechanisms used by…

While research on school-based review is in progress, and while--thus far--it has proved difficult to show a causal link between school self-evaluation and educational improvement (especially when pupil performance is the main criterion of success), some schools have been quick to implement decisions regarding the curriculum that have arisen from…

Demonstrates that the common procedure of using examination results as performance indicators based upon residuals from regression analysis when applied to aggregated data gives unstable results. Suggests that aggregate-level analyses are uninformative and that useful comparisons cannot be obtained without employing multilevel analyses using…

A British study explored a student evaluation method that uses students' own records of their educational experience. Development of the instrument for recording student perceptions, the evaluation process, and findings are reported and central issues in this evaluation method are discussed. The instrument's use in preservice teacher education is…

This article examines why pupils' perspectives should be considered in development of residential school services and explains how pupils' perspectives can be accessed. Findings from a study of two British residential schools for boys with emotional and behavioral disorders found that the elements of schooling most valued by students were respite,…

Addresses some of the epistemic and practical issues facing alternative assessment, with particular reference to teacher assessment of spoken English as an additional language/second language (EAL/ESL) in the early years of primary education in England and Wales. (Author/VWL)