The Competency Development Scales (CDS) for teachers of exceptional children is described as an instrument to evaluate teacher skills and aid in subsequent planning of appropriate inservice training. The CDS consists of five major skill areas: general competence (such interpersonal skills as enthusiasm, responsibility, patience, and…

The guidelines are intended as a self evaluation and to improve K through 12 educational programs for visually handicapped students. Five options for the use of the guide (including as a self study instrument for a day school program following the intensive accreditation model but not applying for accreditation or as a supplement to the self study…

To bring educational research into focus with tested classroom practice, this booklet provides an introduction to small group discussion. The theory and research section discusses the importance of small group discussion, characteristics of small group discussions, group attraction based on Maslow's hierarchy of basic human needs, group decision…

This paper examines recent trends in the establishment of state-level policies for the performance evaluation of experienced teachers. "Trends" are defined as the prevailing state-sanctioned currents of thinking that undergird teacher performance evaluation policies. The document includes a paper that reports on the specific nature of…

This study assesses the role of online searching in school library media centers as it has been reported in the literature and also as seen in the results of a 1986 survey of school-based online providers and vendors. Although online searching in the school environment was not found to be broadly reported in the literature, the survey showed the…

The original impetus for this monograph was a grant from the New Jersey Basic Skills Council of the New Jersey Department of Higher Education to evaluate two college basic skills remedial programs (one in a four-year state college, one in a two-year community college) and to produce a handbook for conducting such evaluations. This monograph is…

This digest addresses principles of planning science programs for high ability learners. It notes various evaluation reports that have reviewed needs in science learning and teaching, identified essential science concepts and processes, and evaluated teacher enhancement programs and curricula. Research on gifted learners in science is briefly…

Engineering instruction is examined as revealed in a study of science education at two-year colleges which involved a review of the literature, an analysis of the catalogs and class schedules of 175 institutions, and a survey of 144 engineering instructors. The report first presents a general profile of engineering technology education based on…

This study explored the nature and extent of programs and services available for culturally diverse and economically disadvantaged gifted learners. Data were gathered through a questionnaire survey of directors of gifted programs in 49 states and territories and a questionnaire survey of 51 local school districts that have active programs for…

Physics instruction is examined as revealed in a study of science education at two-year colleges which involved a review of the literature, an analysis of the catalogs and class schedules of 175 representative institutions, and a survey of 45 physics instructors. Each of the two parts of the report reviews pertinent literature, reports study…

One in a series of 12 publications on two-year science education, this four-part monograph examines biological education as revealed by a literature review, a study of the catalogs and class schedules of 175 representative two-year institutions, and survey responses of 160 biology instructors. Part I first presents the findings of a review of the…