Used seven instruments to assess significant aspects of Chickering's theory of student development in college students (N=255). Found that a factor analysis of subscale scores provided only limited evidence to support Chickering's theory. (Author/ABL)

Resident assistants' (N=111) self-efficacy beliefs about their abilities to positively influence the development of students were examined in a multi-institution study. This article describes the development of the Resident Assistant Self-Efficacy Scale, a valid and reliable self-efficacy instrument. Practical and research implications are…

The purpose of this report is to describe, evaluate, and validate a pilot assessment center (AC) established in the Center for Leadership and Personal Development at the U.S. Military Academy to develop cadets on job skills needed by newly commissioned officers in the U.S. Army. The AC programs employ a leadership evaluation development method…

This study attempted to validate the use of academic growth and development items from Tennessee alumni surveys as measures of program quality and effectiveness at the University of Tennessee (UTK), Knoxville. The argument is made that it is essential that the instruments used to assess students educational outcomes be valid measures of the goals…

Major questions addressed in this study were (1) What is the educative purpose of cooperative education (CE) courses in postsecondary business programs? and (2) What are the essential objectives which will receive appropriate recognition and accreditation from the educational and accrediting community? A survey instrument containing sixteen…

Describes the use of portfolio assessment in preservice teacher education, specifically elementary science methods courses. Presents both theoretical and practical considerations relative to ensuring the highest possible levels of validity. Includes a set of practical validation focus questions and comments from student portfolios. Contains 33…

Describes the Scale of Service Learning Involvement, developed to validate a service-learning model of developmental processes experienced by students engaged in community volunteer work, from sporadic involvement to internalization of social responsibility, and to assess student outcomes. Reliability, concurrent validity, and contrasting group…

Employing two complementary data sets--the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of l972, and the Study of Academic Prediction and Growth, we question the conventional interpretation of educational plans as motives and thereby as determinants of educational attainment. (Author/GDC)

Describes an experimental program of interactive assessment and instruction called GUIDES to Learning and Instruction, which is designed for use in college level remedial and developmental programs in writing, reading, and study skills. Highlights include microcomputer administration of measurement; response formats; feedback; validity for…

A series of studies that investigated the validity of abilities learned in college for later career and professional work are summarized. After describing the rationale for validating outcome-centered higher education curricula, the following types of measures for program evaluation and outcome validation are discussed: performance measures of…

This study sought to develop a valid set of scales in the cognitive and affective domains for measuring the quality of life of university students. In addition the study attempted to illustrate the usefulness of Thomas Piazza's procedures for constructing valid scales in educational research. Piazza's method involves a multi-step construction of…

The validity of skills developed in college to subsequent career performance was studied at Alverno College. The study sample included over 750 women students, over 60 alumnae, over 80 women nurses and over 100 women managers and executives from the Milwaukee community. Attention was directed to: whether the competencies and assessment techniques…

The Six Performance Characteristics rating, An Alverno College assessment technique used in the outcome-centered liberal arts curriculum, is discussed. The technique provides a means for faculty to judge students in a systematic way over time on developmental characteristics that apply to their performance across disciplines and across competence…