Recommendations are made for improving teacher education starting with internal reform on the part of individual schools of education. It is pointed out that institutions, acting independently and comparing their programs in a realistic way with similar programs in other schools, can identify weaknesses and are in a position to rectify them. An…

The evaluation of teacher inservice education programs is discussed. Evaluation of an inservice program is aimed at answering questions about the program's effectiveness and providing a description of the impact the experience has on the participants. Curriculum evaluation should be concerned with four kinds of decisions: (1) planning; (2)…

This module is intended to help guidance personnel in a variety of educational and agency settings increase their skills in (1) choosing a theory-based practical program development model that will promote the conceptual framework for the entire planning, supporting, implementing, operating, and evaluating cycle; (2) analyzing needs and priorities…

The Piedmont Schools Project (PSP) was one of the Experimental Schools Projects awarded grants by the National Institute of Education (NIE). The PSP is located in the Piedmont region near Greer, South Carolina and serves approximately 5,000 K-12 students from eight schools. The students in this region have historically performed at one or more…

The major goal of the Baltimore County (Maryland) career education project (1975-76) was to strengthen the career education programs in fifteen schools, grouped into five clusters, through leadership training programs and through the development of linkages within and among schools and between the schools and the community. Each of the five…

The evaluation system used by the District of Columbia Public Schools is explained. Information is organized to assess four categories: students; instructional personnel; classroom characteristics; and reading programs. The system is used to provide basic profiles and comparative information for four areas of planning: (1) needs assessment; (2)…

Provides direction to child care center directors in conducting a climate survey which can indicate quality and staff morale problems with measures of motivation, commitment, satisfaction/dissatisfaction, responsibility, and staff concerns. Presents advice on the construct, administering, interpretation, and reporting of findings to avoid serious…

This paper provides a transcript of a videotaped roundtable discussion on recognition for learning in adult literacy programs in Canada. Participants discussed the need to provide credentials for learners who have acquired various "chunks" of learning. Recognition was thought to be a motivator for adults even if they did not need the…

Assessing School-Age Child Care Quality (ASQ) is a five-step process which guides program staff as they evaluate the quality of their program so they can develop priorities and improve achievement of goals. The five steps in the ASQ process are: (1) preparing for program improvement; (2) gathering information; (3) building the Action Plan; (4)…

Recent studies of the effectiveness of the following types of job training programs were reviewed: mainstream job training (Comprehensive Employment and Training Act and Job Training Partnership Act programs); welfare-to-work; experimental; job training for specific population groups; and specific services. Special attention was paid to the…

Technical problems with norm-referenced achievement testing that can lead to the erroneous evaluation of schools for Chapter 1 Program improvement is discussed, and an alternative testing model is presented. The history of Chapter 1 testing and evaluation policies is briefly reviewed, and problems with the norm-referenced model are explored. Data…

This paper highlights measurement issues faced when attempting to assess and interpret results of a school improvement project. Based on the assumption that to measure effectiveness, one must measure a wide variety of school factors, the paper presents a broad perspective on measurement problems and dilemmas in analyzing norm-referenced test data…

A study compared the organizational form and functional activities of the U.S. Cooperative Extension Service with agricultural extension activities in Sri Lanka and recommended ways of improving such programs in developing countries. Distinctive differences were found in the organizational set-up, subject-matter coverage, approach to clients,…

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) suppports four non-profit units, Area Alcohol Education and Training Programs (AAETP), organized in 1974 to facilitate the delivery of alcohol education and training at the state and local level. In 1976, the NIAAA initiated an evaluation of the AAETP. Goals were to determine…

The major objective of the South Dakota Career Education Project was to provide a program of in-service education and curriculum enrichment for the staffs and students of ten demonstration school systems. An external evaluation of the project was conducted based primarily on personal interviews and the perusal of materials developed as a part of…