This article traces the evolution of a quest for solving the problems involved in the analysis of multilevel data and the estimation of the value added effects of schools in influencing educational outcomes. The authors report the findings of two studies that followed several cohorts of students that were tested at two grade levels (Grade 3 and…

Over the past twenty years, the attention that colleges and universities have paid to students' first year experience has grown exponentially. The reasons for this phenomenon include changes in demographic characteristics of the students themselves, concerns about the high dropout rate that peaks between the first and second year, and recognition…

Practical programming is one of the basic skills pursued in computer science education. On programming courses, the coursework consists of programming assignments that need to be assessed from different points of view. Since the submitted assignments are executable programs with a formal structure, some features can be assessed automatically. The…

In the present climate of public accountability, there is increasing demand to show "what works" and what return is gained for the public from investments to improve communities. This increasing demand for accountability is being met with growing confidence in the field of philanthropy during the past 10 years that the impact or effectiveness of…

Effective substance abuse prevention programs help students develop knowledge as well as psychosocial competencies that can help them resist or delay the initiation of alcohol, tobacco and other drug (ATOD) use. This paper describes the integration process used in a five-year project, Adoption of Drug Abuse Prevention Training (ADAPT), to study…

Team-based assessments are commonly used in management education, yet questions remain about how to adequately differentiate individuals' levels of input into team processes and project content when grading a team-based assessment. Following an overview of relevant research, this article describes an innovative self- and peer-assessment strategy…

The history of risk assessment in criminal justice has been written on several occasions. In this article, the authors assess progress since Andrews, Bonta, and Hoge's statement of the human service principles of risk-need-responsivity (RNR) and professional discretion. The review is conducted in the context of the advent of the fourth generation…

A 6-year study of outdoor-based management training (OMT) programs used traditional evaluation methods and new methods designed specifically for these unique programs. A survey of 1,000 training directors indicated that this type of training was very controversial. The next step was to use traditional training and organizational behavior…

This paper was designed to provide background information for participants of the "Statewide Evaluation of Programs and Services with Students with Disabilities" Policy Forum scheduled for August 30 and 31, 1994. The paper provides information regarding program evaluation issues, to stimulate discussion and to give examples of resources available…

In accordance with provincial educational regulations, Quebec's community colleges have adopted "politiques institutionnelles d'evaluation des apprentissages" (PIEA), or institutional policies of the evaluation of learning. This report provides a synthesis of evaluations of the PIEA conducted by the province's Commission on the…

This monograph analyzes the empirical literature on multicultural teacher education. The first section summarizes the existing literature in general education and points out strengths and weaknesses. Noted are a pervasive lack of answers to many questions and a dearth of empirical research on multicultural preservice teacher education. The paper…

Quality has become a priority issue for all concerned with early childhood care and education services. Starting from the premise that quality is a relative and dynamic concept based on values and beliefs, this collection advocates that the process of establishing definitions of quality should involve a range of stakeholder groups. The chapters…

Many social workers are anxious about the use of evaluation techniques and are particularly reticent about using statistical research. Strategies for understanding the steps involved in integrating practice and evaluation in a school social work setting, an appreciation for the need of evaluation, and knowledge of various resources on conducting…

A study reported on progress in developing statewide norm-referenced evaluation scales for high and middle school students. Phase IV goals were to develop and try out a guidance curriculum results evaluation survey format for use by local school district personnel and to explore ways to analyze and use Missouri School Improvement data to…

For the past 20 years, the University of Hawaii Community Colleges have had a formal process for the review of educational programs, requiring that each program undergo a systematic review at least once every 5 years. The result tended to be a lengthy document that chronicled the history of the previous 5 years and was far more descriptive than…