Over the last decade, teacher performance assessments (TPAs) have begun to find appeal in the context of teacher education programs and teacher licensing for their innovative ways of assessing teacher knowledge and skills but primarily for their potential to promote teacher learning and reflective teaching. Studies of preservice teachers who have…

This document describes six different approaches to outcomes assessments, approaches that are named in the titles of chapters 2 through 7. The chapters and authors are as follows: "Perspectives on Assessment Policy and Practice" (Bragg, Harmon); "Total Quality Management" (Bragg); "Assessing Student Success" (Harmon);…

Initial problems in developing desired social studies teachers' characteristics are identifying what good social studies instruction in the secondary school is, qualities a teacher must possess, and behaviors he or she must be able to demonstrate. Possible sources for standards are clock hours of work or number of courses; teacher recommendations;…

For past two decades, there has been a growing national concern about teacher quality. This presentation discusses Connecticut's Beginning Educator Support and Training Program (BEST) and emulation of its assessment component by a medium sized department of education. The support component of BEST requires that all school districts provide…

Profiles are drawn of the 13,477 participants (75 percent nonwhite) in the Career Opportunities Program (COP) in 1972 in terms of their jobs, education, training, and performance as students. The report touches on how the 132 demonstration programs have affected local education agencies in the areas of differentiated staffing and new career…

Santa Barbara City College recently established a tutorial center to serve the needs of educationally disadvantaged students, particularly those with minority backgrounds. To investigate the impact ot these services, the performance and persistence of 75 students enrolled in a preparatory English course were studied. Each section was taught by the…

It was the purpose of this study to ascertain whether the culturally disadvantaged child, who appeared to adhere to the principle of immediate gratification, had learned, as a function of his participation in Head Start, a more future-related orientation when compared to his non-Head Start counterparts. One hundred and eighty-seven 4- and…

The state of the art of student outcome measurement is in flux. (MM)

Examined the motivation to attend quality circle (QC) meetings and the task performance of 47 QC's over a three-year period as a function of self- versus management-initiation. Results showed that although they attracted fewer members, management-initiated QC's solved more problems and solved their problems faster than did self-initiated QC's.…

The study addressed the question, "Did students within some areas of concentration in business outperform students in other areas of concentration in lower-division economics courses?" Results indicate the answer is "yes" and that the best performance comes from students in (1) accounting, (2) finance, and (3) management information systems. (CH)

A second test was conducted of Cervero's framework that explains the relationship between continuing professional education and performance. A six-week continuing nursing education program was evaluated using both qualitative and quantitative data. The study provides evidence that the one-variable research model is inadequate for explaining the…

The effect of microcomputers as testing tools was investigated in this study. The performance of students on a classroom evaluation and their attitude about computers were not affected when the evaluation was administered on a microcomputer. Time requirements for this method of testing were also tested. (Author)

Investigated the impact of behavior modeling training in an industrial plant on male supervisors (N=44) using Kirkpatrick's (1976) four levels of evaluation. Results indicated no behavior or performance change with behavior modeling and re-emphasized the need to use Kirkpatrick's evaluation method to measure training program effectiveness. (LLL)

Goal setting, empowering champions (individuals who make a difference in initiating change), faculty-initiated activities, and faculty-staff development opportunities are the four major factors in determining success in computing at the University of Georgia. Each of these areas is discussed. (JN)

In 1995, Head Start developed performance measures to promote accountability through the assessment of program quality and outcomes. This report is the Head Start program's first progress report on its self-assessment using the evolving Program Performance Measures. These measures were developed using ideas from the broad community of people…