There are many ways to collect information about college teaching. Many are quick, easy, and unintrusive, and are valuable supplements to the standard source of information, student ratings. A matrix of data needs and corresponding sources of course, instructor, and student information helps refine the information gathering process. (MSE)

Presents an activity involving students in a research project with pictures like those commonly found in elementary school mathematics textbooks and workbooks to sharpen student appreciation of the need for standardized methods of data collection. Illustrates that several different interpretations of the operations of addition and subtraction are…

Spreadsheets can help teachers manage a variety of routine tasks with ease. From creating class lists to taking surveys and graphing results, spreadsheet programs have limitless classroom potential. This article offers six ways to put spreadsheets to work, including class lists, all-about-me surveys, name tags, calendars, skill-building games, and…

Cultural differences, socioeconomic conditions, broken homes, and other problems are not grounds for allowing criminal acts to go unchallenged on school property. This publication shows administrators how to control and reduce the incidence of criminal acts, which create fear, anxiety, hostility, and a loss of confidence in the educational system.…

This monograph describes three types of evaluation that are potentially useful to school-based clinics: needs assessments, process evaluations, and impact evaluations. Two important methodological principles are involved: (1) collecting multiple kinds of data with multiple methods; and (2) collecting comparison data. Student needs can be…

To create an effective performance evaluation system for special education teachers, a cooperative educational unit in New York State reviewed both performance criteria and operational procedures involved with data collection. Using effective teaching literature, the group developed 18 criteria and accompanying descriptors acceptable to teachers.…

Policymakers at state and district levels disagree on definitions for terms such as "dropout,""withdrawn,""removed," and "early leaver." Until these terms acquire generally accepted meanings allowing comparisons across school district and state lines, existing information processing technology will be only marginally beneficial. Includes three…

Describes Minnesota's Preschool Screening program, the first to offer free, voluntary health and developmental screening for state preschoolers, and a related Early Childhood Assessment project to deal with inconsistencies in diagnostic referral rates among school districts. Questions test validity, reliability, and standardization samples and…

Data can help identify solutions to some of the biggest problems in schools. Yet few schools use data effectively. The purpose of this book is to help schools become aware of the advantages of collecting and using data (data analysis) for overall school improvement. The book begins with an overview of the current state of education and the…

This book offers an introduction for teachers, students, and other educational practitioners to the techniques that transform informal observation into a recognized research tool. It is intended for those with little or no experience with formal observation. Four chapters focus on: (1) "Observation as a Data-Gathering Technique" (how observation…

This study presents survey data from school district administrators on the rules and regulations that govern non-school use of public school facilities as adopted by 165 Missouri Public School Districts. It compares whether districts having written policies governing non-school use of facilities differed from districts with no such policies…

Presents a model for needs assessment in school programs. The approach collects data from personal interviews with students, parents, community members, and professional staff; from an analysis of the existing curriculum; and from an in-depth student profile. (Author/WD)

The process of school self-evaluation outlined here suggests that, as a first step towards providing relevant information to the community, the school study itself. The major aspiration is for teachers to describe and share professional practice with colleagues. (Author/SJL)

Students in grades three to four can collect, analyze, and represent data in order to determine which piece of playground equipment appears most popular. Students in grades five to six can investigate the geometry of playground structures using measurement and scale models. Lesson plans and reproducible worksheets are included. (CMS)

The collection of student data, both academic and behavioral, can enhance self-assessment and self-efficacy of special education teachers. The theory of self-efficacy is explained and techniques for collecting student performance data are suggested. (DB)