Many issues were raised in the course of developing a process for evaluating the computer-supported instructional system in mathematics implemented in the Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools. This document discusses a representative selection of these issues, addressing individually each of the three major components of the instructional…

This paper lays out the rationale and implementation of student modeling and updating in the HYDRIVE intelligent tutoring system (ITS) for aircraft hydraulic systems. An epistemic level of modeling concerns the plans and goals students are using to guide their problem solving, as inferred from specific actions in specific contexts. These results…

This paper explores the role of computerized simulations as a decision-modeling intervention strategy, and views the strategy's different attribute biases based upon the varying primary missions of instruction versus application. The common goals associated with computer simulations as a training technique are discussed and compared with goals of…

The paper describes development of the Pupil Observation Schedule (POS), a computer based system which provides a framework for assessing, evaluating, and reporting behavioral progress of emotionally disturbed students. The POS is used to rate five skill areas--computation, language, reading, reference, and psychomotor skills; and nine behavioral…

Flight simulators, computer-based instruction (including both computer-assisted and computer-managed instruction), and maintenance training simulators are as effective, when used for training, as aircraft, conventional classroom instruction, and actual equipment, respectively. Data from about 100 studies are reported to support this finding. These…

Project PLAN* is a computer managed, individualized learning system developed by the Westinghouse Learning Corporation, and adopted in the St. Louis Public Schools. A summative evaluation of the system was performed. The use of a computer in Project PLAN* allows the teacher more time to spend with individual students and contributes toward record…

From six institutions in the Illinois Department of Corrections school district, 359 adult male inmates served as subjects for this research evaluation of basic skills. Three groups were in traditional self-paced instruction, and the other three groups were in Program Logic for Automated Training Operations (PLATO) computer managed instruction…

A multi-purpose, multi-user evaluation system was designed to improve the quality of the reporting of information gathered in testing and evaluation practices. One part of the system, the reporting system for information resulting from a district standardized testing program, was described. The Student-Problem Package software was modified to…

This paper describes efforts to devise a more effective method of assessing oral proficiency in English using a computer-based testing and computer-based test result management system. This new test would be designed to directly operationalize the second language constructs it measured, and would be developed with reference to the best practices…

Efforts to evaluate the use of technology in education tend to be inconclusive because they lack specificity about what types of technology are being considered, what types of evaluation are being used, or both. While different evaluative studies focus on different valid objectives, the studies will provide generalizable information of practical…

Indicators of current issues and concerns in the assessment of science teaching and learning outcomes are discussed. The greatest public attention to science test scores is devoted to scores from assessments that are external to schools, including national assessments such as the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), international…

The purpose of the Web Retargetable Course Generation System, or "ReCourse," developed at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Massachusetts) is to facilitate both distance and on-campus learning via the World Wide Web. ReCourse's features include the ability to retarget a Web course for different levels of students, multi-user chat rooms, a…

These six conference papers from the Biennial Conference on Postsecondary Education for Persons who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing focus on academic issues relating to individuals with deafness or hard of hearing. The first paper, "Exploring Assessment Alternatives for Deaf Students" (Karen Clack), discusses different methods of evaluating students…