An activity-oriented programmed examination describes an actual occupational situation involving a typical work assignment. It is a promising way to measure occupational competence through written examinations. (SK)

This study explores the efforts at Brigham Young University to improve preservice candidates' technology integration using the Teacher Work Sample (TWS) as an assessment tool. Baseline data that was analyzed from 95 TWSs indicated that students were predominantly using technology for productivity and information presentation purposes even though…

Describes miniature job training and evaluation situations administered to 1,034 "low aptitude" Navy recruits. Checklist criterion data describing the on-the-job performance of the sample were collected after the recruits were on their fleet assignments. The results confirmed the predictive validity of the miniature job training…

Reviews factors that determine sample size, recommended sample sizes, recommended procedures for determining the appropriate sample size, and sample sizes reported in published and unpublished evaluations. (Author)

Recent accountability efforts at state and national levels highlight the importance of preparing future teacher in the skills required to produce sound classroom assessments that are capable of improving student learning through informed instruction. Stiggins (1995) suggests that the quality of classroom assessments will not improve unless teacher…

Thirty-two moderately and severely retarded adults were engaged in a vocational evaluation and training program to determine the predictive value of four manual dexterity tests (subtests of the Minnesota Rate of Manipulation, the Pennsylvania Bimanual Worksample, the Crawford Small Parts Dexterity Test, and the Purdue Pegboard Test) as they relate…

Tailored Response Testing (TRT) is a new type of test that has demonstrated its applicability to the evaluation of human performance in a wide variety of occupations and work settings. The Navy is using TRT to measure the technical proficiency of job incumbents in three of its jobs. The methodology holds great promise for testing aboard ships as…

The use of a performance-based assessment of senior medical students' clinical skills utilizing standardized patients was evaluated, with 6,804 student-patient encounters involving 405 students over 6 years. Results provide evidence for test security, content validity, construct validity, reliability, and test ability to discriminate a wide range…

A study was conducted (1) to obtain an estimate of the amount of error in prediction that occurs when static measures are used to interpret work-sample performance; (2) to identify a number of dynamic performance measures that reflect learning that might occur on the task; and (3) to compare the predictive accuracy of those measures to that of…

A study examined the underlying factor structure of the aptitude tests and work samples being completed by students with educational disadvantages (limited reading and mathematics skills) who were assessed with the current assessment model in the Akron (Ohio) Public Schools. The amount of variance accounted for by the factors was also…

This paper shows how a mid-sized teacher education institution proactively developed a performance assessment method, Teacher Work Samples (TWSs), addressing the school's efforts to use TWSs to obtain evidence of the impact of teacher performance on student learning. The paper examines challenges faced in developing and implementing TWS…

This paper describes the approach taken in Texas to meet the requirements of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act (CPA) of 1984 (Public Law 98-524) to provide an aptitude and interest assessment to all students with special needs who are considering entering vocational education. The Texas three-level model of assessment is discussed. The…

The current state of the art in vocational assessment is explored in 46 papers: "Vocational Evaluation: An Experimental Trend in Vocational Assessment" (Nadolsky); "Certification for Teachers and Vocational Evaluation Specialists" (Meers); "Marketing Vocational Education" (Williamson); "Norms, Reliability, and Validity in Commercial Vocational…