A new teacher certification law, enacted by the Maine Legislature in 1984, included a chapter which delineated standards and procedures for creating and operating support systems for candidates seeking a higher level certificate, a transitional endorsement, and/or renewal of the master's level certificate. This chapter requires that all teachers…

This paper discusses three methods of assessing student teacher performance: checklists; measurable objectives; and teaching performance tests. Checklists, recommended by some schools of education, need to contain a comprehensive set of knowledge, skills, and attitudinal behaviors pertaining to quality student teaching. Checklists permit a…

A process evaluation was conducted of the Saginaw, Michigan Public Schools' Prekindergarten Program. During the 1985-86 year, 454 children participated, based on their Prekindergarten Readiness Screening Device scores. The half-day program was funded through Chapter 1 of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act to develop the school…

In 1985-86, the Albuquerque (New Mexico) Public Schools, through Chapter 1 funding, entered the final year of a 3-year pilot of Early Learning Programs (ELPs) at four sites in the district: (1) Lavaland; (2) Longfellow; (3) Tomasita; and (4) Alamosa. Four- and five-year-old children (N=272) participated in the pilot program. Seventy-five percent…

In order to focus on important contributions of elementary school instructional media centers (IMC's) to the educational program, a study was conducted to determine the presence of conditions of positive self-concept--cooperation, independence, success, positive atmosphere, challenge, feeling of value or acceptance--in such centers. A descriptive,…

Designed to compare instructional strategies and effectiveness of medical school faculty using both in-person and two-way television delivery systems, this paper presents classroom observation data obtained from presentations by seven faculty members of the College of Medicine at Texas A&M University over a 9-month period. It includes a…

Data were collected relevant to the major decision and evaluation questions concerning the Title VII Pre-Kindergarten Program. This volume is a reference for those interested in replicating or studying the research and evaluation of this project. The instruments used to evaluate students and teachers are explained and evaluated. The Peabody…

To determine the nature of middle school education as it is currently practiced, researchers randomly selected 100 seventh-grade students in 100 schools in 30 states, and assigned an observer to write down each student's behavior and describe the learning environment at specified intervals during the school day of February 17, 1977. Analysis of…

A reading program's effectiveness can be assessed by investigating skills improvement together with attitude improvement. Frequently, teachers make questionable assumptions about student reading attitudes. To provide educators with a more accurate picture of students' expressed feelings, students' attitudes toward reading should be measured with…

After noting classroom techniques that made a difference in student learning, the authors focus on reducing the distractions of a school environment and providing principals a classroom observation instrument. They suggest a student observation form to be used by principals, analyzing six student behavior categories. (JW)

This study examined high-performing after-school projects funded by The After-School Corporation (TASC), to determine what characteristics, if any, these projects shared. Evaluators reanalyzed student performance data collected during the multi-year evaluation of the TASC initiative to identify projects where the after-school program was…

This paper discusses the El Paso Collaborative for Academic Excellence and how it helps improve the literacy skills of all children in El Paso, Texas. The goal of the collaborative is to ensure that all children are successful in school and are prepared to enter and be successful in a four-year college. Its role is to expand leadership and…

Microteaching, or peer teaching, is an activity that requires science methods students to plan, teach, and evaluate a particular lesson. The peer teaching activity, although obviously similar to teaching a lesson in a traditional classroom, enables the methods students to teach to a small group of their peers, thus easily receiving constructive…

Part of a larger project, "Technology, Educational Media & Materials--Assessing the Social and Cultural Impact of Group-Based, Videodisc Math Instruction in Mainstreamed Classrooms," this study addressed the question of whether the level of student achievement differs across levels of implementation of a mediated program that is based on a…

This evaluation was conducted to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the Psychological Services Program in the Dade County Public Schools, Florida. The program provides psychological evaluations for students under consideration for special education. This includes students with emotional, mental, and/or physical handicaps and gifted…