Six item bias detection techniques (distractor analysis, the Mantel-Haenszel procedure, Angoff's delta plot, Angoff's modified delta plot, Stricker's partial correlation index, and direct comparison of item difficulties) were compared for their ability to identify biased items at three stages of test development. The techniques were applied to…

The usefulness of portfolios for professional development and reflection was studied in the disciplines of physical therapy and nursing. The student sample may not represent the larger population of professional students, but data are presented as useful in understanding more about the general phenomenon of use of portfolios in professional…

This paper studies whether examinee characteristics are systematically related to mode effect across paper and computer versions of the same instrument, using data from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) of the Educational Testing Service in its Computer-Based Testing Pilot Study of 1991. The following characteristics of 1,114 examinees were…

In validating tests for course placement in college, the criterion variable is usually defined in terms of the grade earned in a particular standard course. This study considers the issue of interpreting incomplete (I) and withdrawal (W) grades either as unsuccessful outcomes or as missing data. The effects of either type of interpretation on…

Pilot projects designed to increase the access of young unemployed Australians to adult and community education (ACE) were undertaken in one rural and one metropolitan adult, community and further education region with significant rates of unemployment among individuals aged 15-24 years. Two consortia were selected to conduct the pilot programs,…

This paper describes the research agenda at Technology Based Learning and Research (TBLR) at Arizona State University, whose primary research mission is to provide information to guide the development and subsequent application of its technology based instruction (TBI) products. It is noted that the research question at the heart of the agenda is…

Ways to approach the evaluation of South Carolina's Parent Education Program are examined. The program's purpose is to improve children's school success by strengthening the family, particularly during the children's first 5 years. Program goals are to: (1) demonstrate effective methods of parent training and support that will enable parents to…

To address an unacceptable failure and withdrawal rate in an introductory psychology course at Ulster County Community College (UCCC), in New York, a project was undertaken to develop a Learning Assistance in Psychology course to help students with skills and concepts. First, a literature review indicating the need for remediation highlighted the…

This report describes the first operating year of Project Support, a 3-year gang/drug prevention program aimed at elementary students in six inner city schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District. The project involves the implementation of nine strategies described in the research literature as being effective in drug/gang prevention. These…

This document gives a summary of the main results of a conference held in May, 1986 and entitled "Adult Education and Community Development--Challenge and Response." The Conference marked the end of the Council of Europe's Project No. 9, which considered adult education as a factor of cultural, social, and economic innovation in…

The introduction of the trial state assessment program into the design of the 1990 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) raises questions about differences across states in sampling and administration practices. In addition, questions about the general approach to comparing state data to national data need discussion. Subject areas…

This checklist was developed to aid elementary school principals in long range planning for the school year. It is the product of the Management for Effective Teaching (MET) Project, which is funded by the Fairfax County (Virginia) Public Schools, and which is responsible for developing materials to help to implement objectives of the Program of…

The third and final phase of a three-year project to develop state-studies materials for Virginia is described in this report. The third phase involved continued pilot testing of fourth-grade materials, development of drafts of seventh-grade materials, and exploration of plans for dissemination. The report comprises six chapters. Chapter 1 reviews…

A study was conducted to evaluate the admission criteria being used by the Connecticut Regional Vocational Technical Schools for the years 1977-1979, in an attempt to determine whether or not admission criteria and success in school could be used to predict second- and third-year grades. In addition, a pilot study was developed to follow up…

Aims, design, curriculum materials, and evaluation results of a bilingual education pilot project which began in 1971 in several Manitoba schools are presented in this handbook. Designed to instruct native children in their own language, the project was begun to combat high failure and dropout rates among native children being taught wholly in…