Brief case studies of three projects are presented to illustrate the steps which open "Wonderful Programs" to evaluation research. The evaluator is provided with the perspective needed to believe the evaluation is worth doing. The project staff is then redirected to the need for a new type of evidence. An ongoing review of the commitment…

The potential of instructional television (ITV) for creating excitement for learning has been demonstrated by such productions as Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, The Electric Company, and The Adams Chronicles. However, not all producers have been this successful in merging the capabilities of television with the needs of learners, and a review of the…

"Teaching the test" has been defined in terms of teaching those particular content knowledges or skills needed to answer the test items correctly. Evidence of several sorts examined in this paper clearly indicates that New Century was teaching students in Providence, R.I., the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test, which was used to assess their…

This book, written to instruct in the use of a conference as a medium of social intercourse, is divided into four sections. Section I, which contains five articles, deals with factors to be considered in planning a conference. Specific techniques one can employ to improve a conference and several different techniques for evaluating the…

Used the Marital Satisfaction Inventory to measure effects of the 12-hour Couple Communication Program, a highly structured workshop designed to teach couples new ways of communicating more effectively. Pre- and post-test results from six couples revealed significant changes in the couples' problem-solving communication after participation in the…

The literature from 1981 through 1985 in seven journals on the treatment of behavior problems was reviewed. Treatment procedures were grouped into three levels by degree of restrictiveness. Differential reinforcement and overcorrection were the two most widely used procedures. Effectiveness values for all problem-procedure combinations are given.…

This article reviews dilemmas faced by teacher educators in the conduct of early field experiences. Three types of dilemmas are identified: programmatic, institutional, and personal. (Author/CB)

The author analyzes evidence from 10 studies on early intervention (EC 181 136--181 145) in terms of the nature and quality of documentation. Qualified support for casual inference in most of the studies is cited along with problems in determining generalizability of findings. (CL)

The effects of an Assertive Discipline program on reducing out-of-seat and inappropriate talking among third-grade students were investigated. Results indicated a functional relationship between the program and the dependent measures. Social validation was provided by informal measures of teacher behavior and interviews with the principal,…

Findings from a meta-analysis of 46 studies on the effectivenss of creativity training revealed that the program with the most consistent impact on Torrance Test of Creative Thinking was the Osborne-Paines Creative Problem Solving program. Generally, verbal creativity appeared to be more affected by training than figural creativity. (CL)

This paper examines whether a maximum security institution housing inmates can benefit from a pro-social cognitive skills class. The inmates were taught Cognitive Problem Solving Skills for Offenders (J. Taymans; S. Parese) to determine if the pro-social skills class had any effect on the number of infractions they accrued. All the participants…

This paper reports on a study that investigated whether or not protective factors within children that contributed to resilience were strengthened in young children participating in the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA) Program, a preschool primary prevention program designed to foster social and emotional well-being. The DECA assessment…

Serious delinquent youth who attended a moderately confrontive juvenile awareness program at San Quentin Prison showed an improvement in attitudes. Behaviorally, however, the program did not reduce delinquency overall. The only finding in favor of experimentals (N=53) showed those to be arrest-free longer than controls (N=55) in the study.…

Reviews the development of Black Studies departments across the country and examines some of the problems that confront them today. Suggests that Black Studies programs help to analyze human complexity and can offer to the society new ideas based on l5 non-Western traditions and cultural experiences. (AOS)

Perspectives on the issues of the effectiveness and the role of laboratory work are provided through a review of the history, goals, and research findings regarding the laboratory as a medium of instruction in introductory science teaching. Suggestions for researchers working to clarify the role of the laboratory are made. (Author/PN)