This action research project sought to enhance assessment for learning, focusing on a "mini-viva" whereby students explained and justified to the instructor selected aspects of their assignment after it was submitted but before grading. Found that student reaction was generally positive but there were some limitations of the method. (EV)

Notes the disagreements that occur between business communication teachers, their peers, and their students about the evaluation and grading of student work. Initiates a larger study of this problem by asking readers to rank seven business letters written by college students. (RL)

To assess the effectiveness of various composition evaluation methods, a study asked two freshman English classes to respond to three questionnaires on the writing of personal essays and methods of evaluation they had experienced. Responses indicated that all students had a fear of having their essays evaluated. Evaluation methods considered a…

A study was made to determine the procedures which supervisors and instructors of counseling practica currently use to evaluate the counseling effectiveness of masters and doctoral level practicum students. Inquiry was also made about the solutions adopted when a student is considered ineffective. The survey elicited responses from 89 individuals,…

Problems in improving the reliability of essay marks are examined in this Australian study that considers the markings of 338 essays, each marked by one of 13 graders. It is concluded that improvement is needed but the changes necessary for the improvement are not feasible. (LC)

Portfolio assessment has become a standard mechanism for the evaluation of prior learning for experienced students. An informal survey of portfolio narratives receiving faculty approval for credit at various postsecondary institutions indicates a wide range of declarative, analytical, and interpretive assertions recognized as "learning" in these…

A questionnaire was sent to college relations personnel and recruiters to determine how they viewed their role. They perceived their role as highly influential, expressed a high degree of job satisfaction, and felt that their influence on corporate personnel activities should be greater. (Author/KMF)

Following a literature review, this article analyzes the financial impact of credits for experiential learning on a major midwestern university. Both students and the institution appear to have benefited economically. Questions are raised concerning who should benefit from publicly supported education--students, society, or all three. Includes 28…

The preferred modality by which 50 right-handed female college students encoded experience was assessed by recordings of conjugate eye movements, content analysis of the subject's verbal report, and the subject's self-report. Kappa analyses failed to reveal any agreement of the three assessment methods. (Author)

In three experiments, undergraduates evaluated student performance based on two sources of information differing in variability: test scores and grades. Differential weighting occurred only when instructions linked variability to reliability. It was concluded that evaluators will not ordinarily use relative variability of scores as an index of…

This survey identified problems encountered by deans and admissions staff from 35 graduate schools regarding a typical undergraduate assessment and reporting procedures such as credit by examination, credit for prior learning or field experience, narrative transcripts, and pass/fail grading. Eighteen of these schools were studied in depth via site…

The ratings of 43 third-year medical students were used to investigate a method of computing the reliability of ratings. The students were evaluated on a four-point rating scale along seven dimensions of clinical ability: diagnostic ability; motivation; sense of responsibility; oral-verbal ability; effectiveness with patients; ability to take a…

Explores the utility of an informal reading inventory for assessing the reading abilities of college students. Determines the amount and kinds of information that can be learned from an informal reading inventory. Determines whether information gained from the Advanced Reading Inventory differed qualitatively from that obtained from the Nelson…

In response to a recent shift toward informal measures of teaching/assessment in reading education, this study investigated types of assessments and instructional strategies being taught in teacher education programs in five midwestern states. Surveys of reading education professors at state universities indicated that direct, informed assessment…

Argues for a diverse response to the issues and objectives concerning assessment. Highlights a wide variety of assessment procedures from foreign schools, each one relevant to the local culture and educational objectives. Discusses the inherent dangers in overemphasizing, as well as underemphasizing, assessment. (MJP)