Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) provides international comparative data about students' reading achievement after four years of primary schooling, while also measuring trends over time, monitoring curricular implementation, and identifying promising instructional practices. Conducted on a regular 5-year cycle, PIRLS has…

The purpose of this paper is to inform the community about teacher appraisal methods in the School District of Philadelphia, outline the difficulties of the current system, and suggest approaches that would strengthen the teacher appraisal process. The authors gathered their information over three months in mid-2009 from multiple sources:…

This book presents practical skills for successful instructional design. Maintaining a balance between theory and application, it offers a flexible model that can be adapted for use in many settings. Examples are presented from business, higher education, and K-12 education. The 15 chapters are: (1) "Introduction to the Instructional Design…

This book presents a method for the qualitative assessment of text difficulty, a method that relies on a total impression rather than on an analysis of text features. The method is based on matching samples of text to exemplars that have been scaled for comprehension difficulty. These exemplars range in difficulty from those suitable for the…

An introduction and overview to document analysis as a retrospective data collection technique are presented. (PN)

An objective index-based textbook evaluation method that can be reliably applied to large collections of introductory textbooks is described. The method was designed to help teachers reduce the pool of available introductory texts to a manageable number for more in-depth treatments. Dimensions assessed were key concepts and major theorists…

Describes steps involved in preparing hierarchical charts for use in performance and instructional technologies. Thirteen examples are shown that deal with systematic instructional development, and guidelines for choosing the appropriate format are discussed, including content, audience, and resources. Evaluation procedures involving paired…

This booklet is about document analysis and its utility as a method in education evaluation, and is intended for evaluators in local school districts, regional education agencies, and state departments of education. Document analysis is described as a technique that relies heavily upon a variety of written materials for data, insights, and…

Assessment of writing skills must focus on the writing product to satisfy four educational functions: identifying unsuccessful writers, planning instruction, monitoring student progress, and providing feedback. Both qualitative and quantitative measures for five important aspects of the writing product are discussed: fluency, content, conventions,…

This model for evaluating vendor training package programs includes assessing value of promotional literature; requesting detailed information on program content, participant materials, instructor information, and cost breakdown; comparing program specifics to actual training needs; detailed instructional design analysis; and piloting the program.…

This study was conceived as a systematic replication of a content analysis of published science education research conducted by Horton et al. in 1993. As such, 47 research articles published in "Science Education" between 1988 and 1992 were examined. Also, this study further extended the findings of Shaver and Norton, and Wallen and…

Designed to assist teachers in identifying quality software, this guide provides software evaluation forms and associated evaluation criteria to aid in completing the forms. The two-part instrument is used in the evaluation process conducted by Alberta Education, which involves the Program Development Division and the Computer Technology Project's…

Outlines a method for translating college and university curriculums into usable information for collection analysis. The method is designed to meet the teaching and research requirements of faculty and students through understanding the needs of users, as well as the content of the collection. There are eight references. (Author/RAA)

Over 10,000 health-related sites exist on the World Wide Web, but there is no consistent system for evaluation or review of their information. This article describes elements to consider in constructing and evaluating Web pages (content, authorship, purpose, and page aesthetics). A health-related Web site evaluation form is included. (SM)

Paying less attention to the traditionally taught rational, logical argument analysis format, this book focuses on analysis of the emotional, non-logical persuasive language and techniques often seen in television advertisements. In so doing, readers become more discerning consumers and hone their writing skills. Designed as both a self-study…