For years, financial aid administrators and others have debated the nature and structure of need analysis. As it developed, need analysis was based on commonly accepted definitions and basic principles of economics. Beyond the fundamentals of need analysis, there also developed expertise about exercising professional judgment (PJ) in reviewing…

The Using Evaluation Data Form (UEDF) represents a psychological lever for getting a program's decision maker to consider major evaluation findings. The form may be used at any point of the evaluation process when sufficient data exist to support a finding deserving of action or reaction by the project staff. By local policy, it is required for…

This handbook was developed to provide managers working with the National Science Foundation (NSF) with a basic guide for the evaluation of NSF's educational programs. It is aimed at people who need to learn more about what evaluation can do and how to do an evaluation rather than those who already have a solid base of experience in the field.…

The making of a decision implies a choice between competing alternative solutions. In a decision-making context including multiple criteria, the criteria (or their related variables) are placed in relation to each other. This provides a comparison to some fixed point or origin, reducing the problem to one which can be solved by optimization as in…

Presents a flow chart for turning good ideas into complete proposals before proposing them. The process involves clarifying the idea and assessing its current practicality, value for the program, compatibility with policy, implications, costs, funding sources, and implementation time requirements. (PGD)

The direction of this workshop is toward two major goals: (1) participant understanding of the kinds of information an evaluation can provide for educational decision making; and (2) participant understanding of the general procedures and problems involved in selecting, collecting, analyzing, and reporting that information. It is the intent of the…

The understanding of teachers as examples is missing from most attempts to evaluate effective teaching, yet teachers value this intangible aspect above all else. Those who are good examples are still learning how to teach, deal with people one at a time, and see value in the work of everyone. (CJH)

In 1983 the Far West Laboratory's instructional management program established Peer-Assisted Leadership (PAL), a unique professional development program for principals. No longer isolated, principals help each other develop analytical and other skills to become better instructional leaders. MLH)

The paper discusses issues related to concepts of preferences and choice-making among persons with severe disabilities. Included are suggestions for acknowledging preferences, teaching choice as a decision-making process, and the broader implications of choice-making among persons with severe handicaps as an expression of personal autonomy and…

Educators are provided with five suggestions for evaluating popular articles about learning disabilities. Suggestions include identifying the article's major focus, determining the perspective of the author, evaluating the theoretical soundness of the article, evaluating use of terminology, and evaluating the overall usefulness of the article. (DB)

Educators, in the United States and throughout the world, are looking for new structures to embue teachers with decision-making authority and responsibility. This study maintains that before changing existing structures, it is necessary to examine and improve the current decision making process. The report outlines 12 guidelines for successful…

This handbook is part of a series prepared by the Center for the Study of Evaluation (CSE) for evaluation workshop participants. Activities are suggested for teams of trainees to practice the use of the five stage evaluation model. The five stages are needs assessment, program planning, implementation evaluation, progress and outcome evaluation.…

This self study guide attempts through a series of questions to call the reader's attention to possible sources of bias in the comprehensive assessment procedure. Beginning when someone considers the possibility that a child has an educational handicap, the questions move through preparation and assessment, scoring, interpretation, report writing…

A seven-step instructional modification process was devised to match adaptations to individual needs of students with mild disabilities. The steps include clarification of elements under teacher control; decision about whether or not a problem exists; selection and grouping of modifications; and selection of modification option and implementation.…

A judgment checklist can be presented to camp counselors through brainstorming sessions in which actual or imagined situations are reviewed. Camper and counselor behavior results from choices they make. Talking to children about their behavior is easier when adult jargon like "inappropriate behavior" is replaced with child-friendly…