This paper is concerned with defining evaluation as a domain in instructional technology, and with specifying the sub-areas of the domain. In education, evaluation is the process of determining the adequacy of instruction. It begins with problem analysis, which refers to determining the nature of the solution and the parameters of the problem. A…

An evaluation was conducted of a comprehensive plan to restructure a primary school in Candler County, Georgia, into a non-graded, multi-age, continuous progress learning center. The project entailed restructuring the classroom, implementing a shared decision-making structure, developing a learning curriculum, and using portfolio assessment to…

Three papers contributed to the joint conference of the Arizona State Library Association (ASLA) and the Arizona Educational Media Association (AEMA) are presented. "Participatory Evaluation: Alternatives for Library Instruction Evaluation" (Dennis Isbell and Lisa Kammerlocher) describes the experimental library instruction evaluation…

Issues in collecting data on the classroom performance of teachers are discussed, with a focus on written descriptions of teacher behavior in contrast with videotaped observations. The central issue in this comparison is the comparability of the information when it is observed live and when it is simply recorded on videotape. The fundamental…

Qualitative methods for defining and assigning letter grades on classroom tests were studied. A hierarchical letter-grade scale is described that combines teachers' judgments of the importance of subject matter concepts and their classification of assessment tasks as reflecting cognitive processing skills identified from recent research. Using…

This paper suggests specific changes in Chapter 1 legislation (up for reauthorization in the fall of 1993) to make it more responsive not only to schools and students, but also to current school restructuring initiatives and new understandings of teaching, learning, and assessment. Recommendations are made in the areas of greater equity in access…

The effects of various megatrends in social and economic life on vocational education in Germany and other countries are discussed, and the evaluation of one approach to facing these megatrends is described. Trends include demographic changes and the conditions resulting from new technologies and environmental concerns. Such megatrends are…

This paper describes the process used to design and evaluate a computer-based tool that guides the development of lesson plans. The tool, PLANalyst, contains a small expert system with a human face that analyzes lessons and gives specific feedback for improvement. The process used to create PLANalyst can be generalized to the development of tools…

A case study in program evaluation that demonstrates the effectiveness of qualitative research methods is presented. Over a 5-year period, the Union for Experimenting Colleges and Universities in Ohio offered a baccalaureate program (University Without Walls) to local employees of a national manufacturing firm. The institutional research office…

GENESYS--GENeric Evaluation SYStem--is a method of streamlining data collection and evaluation through the use of computer technology. GENESYS has allowed the Office of Research and Evaluation (ORE) of the Austin (Texas) Independent School District to evaluate a multitude of contrasting programs with limited resources. By standardizing methods and…

The evaluation process and results of the 1989-1990 secondary school (grades 6 through 12) English language arts program of the Des Moines (Iowa) Independent Community School District are presented. This evaluation gathers, focuses, and communicates information that is useful for continuously monitoring the quality of the language arts program.…

In the 1988-89 school year, Bilingualism in the Computer Age completed its final year of instruction at Morris High School in the Bronx. The project provided bilingual instructional and support services to 240 Spanish-speaking students of limited English proficiency (LEP) and utilized computers to develop students' English skills and native…

Focusing on the 1988-89 academic year, this report outlines the procedures, actions, and findings of Germanna Community College's (GCC's) Assessment Steering Committee. Separate reports explain the methods and outcomes of assessments of the developmental studies program, general education curriculum, nursing program, and associate of applied…

This report summarizes evaluation information on reading, writing, and mathematics achievement among elementary and secondary school students in 310 school districts in Massachusetts, after the second year of implementation of the Basic Skills Improvement Policy. The report describes data collection, analysis, and reporting procedures, summarizes…

A descriptive-comparative study was designed to document the service delivery functions and impacts of three different parent-aide programs ongoing in Michigan. The study took place over the period of summer 1978 to summer 1979. The programs involved in the study were the Genesee County Department of Social Services' Volunteer Services Parent-Aide…