The vocational education program needs of the nation's large cities were assessed by a mail survey of vocational educators in 106 major urban centers. Several procedural problems in generating appropriate instrument content and initial problems in obtaining data from respondents were encountered. Goal and objective statements generated through a…

This volume represents the output of a yearlong effort to clarify and firm the conceptual base that underlies educational RDD&E. It contains three commissioned papers authored by Drs. Hendrik D. Gideonse, Gene V Glass and Blaine R. Worthen, and by Leslie J. Briggs and one paper prepared by H. Del Schalock and G. Roger Sell of the staff of the…

Several developments growing out of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) are reviewed, with a discussion of their extension and application to other projects. These developments include: (1) complex matrix item sampling designs; (2) performance-based items in large-scale assessments; (3) vertical scaling; and (4) innovative…

Understanding the link between classroom assessment techniques (CATs) and cognitive learning theory not only allows college teachers to choose and design CATs that fit particular classroom needs, but helps them explicate to students the potential applications of CATs to study strategies in general. Once students make this leap, the effects of a…

Describing Pima Community College's (Arizona) institutional effectiveness program, this report provides related board policy, an overview of the program, and an analysis of each of the five program components. Following introductory materials and a board statement indicating the college's commitment to ensuring institutional effectiveness through…

This study was conducted to develop a process for identifying the effects of vocational education research and development projects and activities and to identify the effects of selected research projects on the vocational, technical, and adult education programs and students in Wisconsin. Technical and adult education faculty and staff who had…

There is a continuing need in evaluation research for the establishment of a relationship between evaluation findings and decision making. A method is proposed for a particular situation: annual funding decisions for projects in a large grant program in vocational education. Outcome and predictive impact variables were ranked by three groups of…

Traditional quantitative-experimental models of evaluation have failed to contribute to educational reform; they should be supplemented by qualitative-subjective models, which can be grouped under the rubric of naturalistic, or non-experimental evaluation. This naturalistic approach does not attempt to be value-free; rather, it recognizes that…

As part of Project IMPACT's efforts to identify and develop procedures for complying with the impact requirements of Public Law 94-482, a case study was made of Illinois Projects in Horticulture. Fourteen horticulture projects in high schools and junior colleges were discovered through a previous study, personal interviews with two University of…

This report describes the construction and use of a conceptual framework and procedures for a program-fair, comparative, classroom-focused assessment of 4 kindergarten reading readiness (KRR) programs in kindergarten classes of 115 school districts. Instructional program information systems were developed to provide the means to aggregate and…

Data from nine Michigan elementary, middle, and high schools highlight the challenges and common strategies found in the use of student assessment data to meet public demands for accountability. The information gathered from assessment tools varies by frequency and type. Educators have, historically, underutilized data to guide practice because…

Describes evaluation experiences in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, School District. Suggests that use of evaluation results can be maximized through a systems approach that involves developing and monitoring different performance indicators, and tailoring educational practice by focusing corrective action on areas where performance is found to be…

The author responds to alarm over declining national test scores by outlining possible improvements for educational practice and policy. (LH)

Focuses on the challenges educators have encountered in translating comprehension-strategies instruction research into workable, school-based interventions and, ultimately, into classroom practice. Research indicates teachers worry about the feasibility, fit, and scope of comprehension-strategies instruction. The need for technical and conceptual…

A multimethod evaluation of a major Canadian strategic grant program with surveys of 74 funded projects, 4 case studies, and interviews with researchers and grant application staff reveals the favorable effects of partnerships between research and practice on research and dissemination strategies in spite of ideological and pragmatic constraints.…