A study, conducted in a basic educational psychology course which serves as a gateway course to a teacher education program at Michigan State University, focused on the development of new knowledge while it taught about the educational research process and the subject being studied. A new format for objective testing, alternate-choice questions,…

In the second year of a project investigating the ability of secondary school teachers to identify high-ability students, two questions were addressed: what student characteristics influenced teachers' judgments, and why checklists appeared to have little impact on teachers' judgments. A structured approach was developed to study student…

The report presents a summary of selected quantitative measures for August 1987 through July 1988 of students who applied for University of Florida graduate school admission, those who were accepted by academic departments, and those who subsequently enrolled. A brief introduction and listing of procedural assumptions precede the two figures and…

The design and evaluation of a rating scale for program evaluation in problem-based medical curricula are described. The design process was guided by a theory of how students learn in problem-based learning as modeled by W. H. Gijselaers and H. G. Schmidt (1988). The rating scale was used in an evaluation of a new problem-based, community-oriented…

Minimum competency cut-off scores on a statistics exam were estimated under four conditions: the Angoff judging method with item data (n=20), and without data available (n=19); and the Modified Angoff method with (n=19), and without (n=19) item data available to judges. The Angoff method required free response percentage estimates (0-100) percent,…

The keylist format (rather than the conventional multiple-choice format) for item presentation provides a machine-scorable surrogate for a truly free-response test. In this format, the examinee is required to think of an answer, look it up in a long ordered list, and enter its number on an answer sheet. The introduction of keylist items into…

This study investigated a number of questions regarding the nature of social concept development in young children. Subjects were 64 kindergarten children and 65 first grade public school students from lower to upper middle class socioeconomic levels, of whom 66 were male, 63 were female, 78 were Caucasian, and 51 were black. Two assessment…

The Performance Review, Analysis, and Improvement System for Educators (PRAISE) is a formative evaluation instrument designed to improve the performance of school principals. The system appears to be reliable and valid and is flexible enough to accommodate the needs of a variety of schools. Sample items and categories of the instrument include…

This paper focuses on the questions which arise as test practitioners monitor score scales derived from latent trait theory. Large scale assessment programs are dynamic and constantly challenge the assumptions and limits of latent trait models. Even though testing programs evolve, test scores must remain reliable indicators of progress.…

This guide is designed to serve as a reference to assist providers of Job Training Partnership Act-funded programs in selecting appropriate interest, aptitude, and pre-employment and job readiness tests. Descriptions of 53 interest tests, 38 aptitude tests, and 37 pre-employment and job readiness tests are provided. Each description contains…

This manual is intended to provide students, teachers, counselors, and other school personnel with a set of practical instruments and procedures designed to measure the generalizable mathematics skills of students in secondary vocational programs. Three types of assessment instruments and procedures are presented and discussed: (1) student…

The New Jersey College Basic Skills Placement Test (NJCBSPT) is designed to measure basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills of students entering New Jersey colleges. The test consists of five sections: Essay, Reading Comprehension, Sentence Sense, Mathematical Computation, and Elementary Algebra. The test is intended to answer the question…

The results of the first year of study of an approach in Tennessee using student performance assessments in the evaluation of teachers are summarized and the results of a field test on student performance and attitude are presented. The Tennessee approach places the responsibility for selecting and presenting the data on the teachers. About 130…

The validity of teacher locus of control (TLOC) as measured by an instrument adapted for this purpose was studied. The construct refers to the individual's perception that changes in his or her environment result from internal or external factors. An adaptation of a scale developed by R. C. Taylor et al. (1981) was used to measure TLOC. The first…

A 32-item Computer Self-Efficacy Scale (CSE) was developed to measure perceptions of capability regarding specific computer-related knowledge and skills. Bandura's theory of self-efficacy (1986) and Schunk's model of classroom learning (1985) guided the development of the CSE. Each of the skill-related items is preceded by the phrase "I feel…