Evaluation by 17 students of a case-based instructional method in 1 course of a dental hygiene baccalaureate curriculum found statistically significant student preference for the case-based format except in regard to students' preparation for written examinations. (DB)

Alternate reasons for conducting program evaluation in community health care (CHC) settings and their relationships with information needs were explored in a survey of 136 CHC decision makers. Major reasons for conducting program evaluation included accreditation, true evaluation, and pseudoevaluation. Information needs were predictors of true…

This article illustrates the use of monologue interpretation, in which an interpreter illuminates issues in a speaker's monologue to translate theoretical pedagogical material into usable classroom applications. The example shows how the tenets of Guba and Lincoln's (1989) Responsive Constructivist Fourth Generation Model were presented via…

This paper discusses dynamic/interactive approaches to psychological assessment based on the concept of induced change as a research tactic. Studies are reviewed showing how interactive assessment has yielded new knowledge in psychopathology; neuropsychology; learning disabilities; intelligence testing (in normal, deaf, and immigrant children);…

Early results from the Vermont Portfolio Project, which evaluated the progress of fourth and eighth graders in reading and mathematics using samples of student products, suggests that improvement is still needed in both subjects. Many factors will influence this pilot project's future direction, including availability of resources and development…

Describes the evaluative model used to examine unsuccessful family reunification. Discusses findings regarding parental ambivalence and its effect on child placement reentry and implications of the findings for individual case assessment and for permanency services in general. (BB)

The problems faced by the author as an external evaluator responsible for evaluating a grass roots initiative for school managers in Great Britain are examined. The focus is on evaluating a management development program in the field and training an evaluator, rather than on outcomes of the program itself. (SLD)

Intercollegiate athletics is receiving more attention from the federal government because an institution's academic information is seen as consumer information for prospective student-athletes. The Student Athlete Right-to-Know Act, enacted as part of the Campus Security Act of 1990, requires federally funded institutions to report detailed…

The future of program evaluation is bright if evaluators do not ignore their roots in quantitative research. The current interest in qualitative approaches and the call for a "fourth generation" in evaluation should not override training in quantitative research. Qualitative research should complement, rather than replace, traditional…

An evaluation of the treatment and habilitation services provided to individuals with dual diagnoses of mental retardation and mental illness concludes that service delivery is currently unacceptable. This article considers legal issues, general ethical principles, and codes of ethics of two professional groups. The ultimate responsibility of…

Describes the Academic Program Assessment Model adopted by Bethany College in 1990. The multidimensional model has provisions for curricular and cocurricular review, testing, surveys, faculty development, and curriculum monitoring strategies. (DMM)

Three exploratory studies involving 116 students examined the relevance of a developmental model for approaching supervision of graduate students in evaluation studies. The model includes three stages and eight developmental tasks in each stage. Three case studies support using the developmental model in conceptualizing student progress. (SLD)

This study assessed the effectiveness of a home computing policy for distance education students in terms of student access to computing equipment; the extent of computer use by faculty; the impact of home computing on students' organization of their work and the workload and difficulty of the course; and the availability of support and help for…

Noting that there are no de facto standards by which to measure and evaluate U.S. depository library collections, this article reviews developments in the evaluation of public libraries and recommends output measures based on public library practice for depository collections. Specific measures for the depository community are also suggested. (31…

A conceptual framework is presented for the development of the Quantitative Understanding: Amplifying Student Achievement and Reasoning (QUASAR) Cognitive Assessment Instrument (QCAI) that focuses on the ability of middle-school students to problem solve, reason, and communicate mathematically. The instrument will provide programatic rather than…