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)

A study was conducted at a school of social work to determine the effectiveness of student decisions compared to faculty admissions decisions. Faculty predicted the performance of applicants they rated more successfully than did students. Clearly-determined admission criteria are needed to predict student performance. (SW)

The effects of similarity of persons being compared on self-evaluations, satisfaction with own performance, and evaluation certainty were examined. One experiment manipulated similarity of test scores and found no differences in evaluation certainty. The second experiment also manipulated individual attribute similarity. Greater certainty was…

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…

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)

Conventional grading is so ubiquitous that it is tempting to see it as inevitable and to feel hopeless about making any changes. It is often not reliable nor does it have clear meaning. Also, it does not give students feedback about what they did well or badly. Even while operating under a conventional grading system, composition teachers can use…

Unobtrusive measures are recommended as a means of assessing educational outcomes of colleges. Such measures can counteract the response bias which is common in questionnaires and interviews. Outcomes researchers are, in fact, asked to supplement standard measures with unobtrusive measures. Interesting data may result from observation of students'…

Many college and university teachers across the United States remain hostile, at least privately, to student evaluation of faculty performance despite the general use of such evaluation in the academy for the past three decades. However, professionals can use student evaluations to their advantage if they "stage a pre-emptive strike"--in other…

The Cooperative Assessment of Experiential Learning project (CAEL) has developed general principles for assessment of prior experiential learning which can be adapted for local circumstances and individual learning. An overview of the basic principles of good assessment practice, as represented in current CAEL publications, is provided. Procedural…

Principles and guidelines for the use of expert judgment of experiential learning are outlined. The report deals with a number of basic issues that apply to expert judgment, such as the role of the evaluator in defining criteria, and structuring the assessment procedure so that it will be reliable and valid. The importance of establishing…

The system or plan for faculty development and evaluation at the College of St. Francis is described. The plan was proposed by the division chairpersons, the faculty-owned Faculty Development Committee, the Office of Academic Affairs, and the entire instructional faculty at the college. Among the assumptions accepted were: (1) a system of faculty…

A general overview of the Cooperative Assessment of Experiential Learning's Operational Models project is presented. The information is intended to aid other institutions in developing a similar model. Three papers are included: Developing an Operational Model for Assessing Experiential Learning by Warren W. Willingham and Kurt F. Geisinger,…

The implementation of the Adult Degree Completion Program (ADCP) at Antioch-Yellow Springs is described. The ADCP is a transfer program designed to enable adults who have never finished colege to complete their undergraduate degree work, often without having to abandon their obligations to families or to professions. To enroll in the program,…

This final report of the Cooperative Assessment of Experiential Learning (CAEL) project provides an overview of the major activities of CAEL's first three years. It includes a brief history of CAEL, a description of the developmental work, and selected important outcomes of the field research. The Operational Models Project (which involves the…

A model for assessing and awarding credit for prior experiential learning is presented; the adult student's experiences are summarized in a portfolio. The model incorporates eight stages: facilitating the construction and assessment of a portfolio, identifying significant prior experiences, expressing the learning outcomes of prior experiences,…