The author discusses several dimensions of evaluation utilization in educational settings as a step toward clarifying the meaning of the term. Definitions of evaluation and utilization are offered, distinctions are made between use and utilization, and the processes necessary for determining if an evaluation use is a true utilization are outlined.…

As a statistical model for evaluating research results from intact groups such as classrooms, analysis of covariance has serious limitations in its most commonly-touted form. But it does have potential for investigating phenomena which can, when understood, provide more prescriptive formulations for interventions in the learning process.…

A brief history of business/education partnership development (BEPD), using the development of the Boston Compact in 1975 as an illustrative case study, highlights several points: partnerships embrace diverse territory and goals; a partnership is a process, not an event; a partnership is a relationship between institutions and people within those…

Evaluation utilization/use is discussed with the concept of user rationality (including examples where the rational use of evaluation results may be unclear or may be nonuse). A current project focuses on studying the process of evaluation information use and on validating a theory of use. (Author/LC)

Confusion over the concepts of class size and pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) creates a conundrum for researchers, policy makers, and practitioners. An examination of how these two concepts are different is presented in this paper. A review of the literature suggests that class-size reduction makes a positive overall difference in student achievement,…

During the 2009-2010 school year, Marzano Research Laboratory (MRL) was commissioned by Promethean Ltd. to conduct a second year evaluation study of the effects of Promethean ActivClassroom on student academic achievement. This report describes the findings from the second year study along with aggregate findings from the first and second year…

The author defines criterion-referenced (CRT) and norm-referenced (NRT) tests, considers current objections to each, and distinguishes their appropriate uses: CRTs for pupil diagnosis and instruction and NRTs for surveying achievement in a long-term evaluation context. Part of a theme issue on student assessment. (SJL)

The lack of consensus among researchers in defining the focal construct of rurality has led to contradictory conclusions of whether or not a rural-urban performance gap exists in higher education. Compounding this problem are the changing definitions of rural and urban, even among governmental agencies. Thus, this study used two different…

The national contributions contained in this paper and on the Eurydice website formed the basis for the comparative study on the integration at school of immigrant children in Europe. Each contribution has exactly the same structure with four main sections entitled as follows: (1) National definitions and demographic context of immigration; (2)…

The national contributions contained in this paper and on the Eurydice website formed the basis for the comparative study on the integration at school of immigrant children in Europe. Each contribution has exactly the same structure with four main sections entitled as follows: (1) National definitions and demographic context of immigration; (2)…

This study examined the effects of a pediatric clinic-based intervention program, Reach Out and Read (ROR), on the literacy beliefs and behaviors of caretakers of children ages 9 months to 5 years. Doctors' beliefs about literacy and parent behavior were also examined. Data were collected through structured interviews conducted with 22 caregivers…

This document is designed to introduce practitioners in the United Kingdom's learning and skills sector to the principles and practice of benchmarking. The first section defines benchmarking and differentiates metric, diagnostic, and process benchmarking. The remainder of the booklet details the following steps of the benchmarking process: (1) get…

Short-term and 1-year effects of the Learn and Serve America program were examined in an evaluation of programs at 17 middle schools and high schools nationwide. The following four data sources were among those analyzed: survey responses and school records of approximately 1,000 Learn and Serve program participants and comparison group members;…

The academic performance of students enrolled in a distance education dental hygiene program at Northcentral Technical College (NTC) in Wausau, Wisconsin, was analyzed in a comparative, quasi-experimental study. The study sample consisted of five cohorts of program graduates (students graduating in 1997-2001). The experiment groups were divided…

This manual, which is intended for practitioners involved in the Asia and the Pacific Programme of Education for All, explains the basic concepts and procedures involved in monitoring and evaluating literacy and continuing education programs. The following are among the topics discussed in the manual's eight chapters: (1) understanding monitoring…