The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), initially developed for undergraduate medical education, has been adapted for assessment of clinical skills in podiatry students. A 12-month pilot study found the test had relatively low levels of reliability, high construct and criterion validity, and good stability of performance over time.…

The reliability of A. Bandura's Multidimensional Scales of Perceived Self-Efficacy (MSPSE) was studied using the Cronbach alpha measure of internal consistency. The divergent validity of the MSPSE was also examined using subscale correlations, and the construct validity of the measure was studied through application of principal axes factor…

The Pupil Control Ideology Form (PCI) is one of the major instruments used by researchers interested in the study of school climate. Pupil control is a central feature of the organizational life of schools, and each school appears to have a prevailing ideology of pupil control. The PCI is a self-report instrument used to measure an educator's…

This paper argues that special procedures for constructing assessment tools containing performance assessment tasks are unnecessary and that current test methodology can easily be generalized to complex performance assessment tasks without destroying the desirable characteristics of those tasks. Reasonable statistical requirements for sound…

The predictive power of the Split-Half version of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children--Revised (WISC-R) Object Assembly (OA) subtest was compared to that of the full administration of the OA subtest. A cohort of 218 male and 49 female adolescent offenders detained in a Texas juvenile detention facility between 1990 and 1992 was used. The…

This panel presentation presents results of an assessment study of the reliability, validity, and utility of caregivers' reports on: (1) the behavioral competencies of severely handicapped children, and (2) the adaptive and intellectual behaviors of moderately handicapped children. The Kent Infant Development (KID) Scale (used with severely and…

The purpose of this study was to provide evidence for adapting and generalizing the use of the Children's Academic Motivation Inventory (CAMI) to high school students. The instrument was originally developed to provide a reliable, valid, theory-based measure of academic achievement motivation; it was suitable for use with children aged 12-14…

The research literature on oral achievement testing is reviewed, and advantages and disadvantages of oral tests are described. A number of suggestions are made for improving the objectivity, reliability, and validity of oral tests. The results of a survey of the attitudes and experiences of a selected sample of college students with regard to…

The construct validity and reliability of the Porter Needs Satisfaction Questionnaire (adapted) for educators were examined. Results did not support its use as suggested by Porter. Suggestions for its revision and alternate use are presented. (Author/GDC)

Reviews the Stanford Writing Assessment Program that has three intended uses: district-wide survey of students' writing ability, diagnosis of classroom or district-wide instructional strengths and weaknesses, and staff development through training for administering and scoring of writing samples. Notes that of these uses, none is necessarily best…

Stresses the importance of devising accurate methods of evaluation rather than teaching material only because it can be easily evaluated. (DF)

Measures of normal variations in personality, called "psychological type," are frequently used in education (e.g., to identify learning styles) and counseling (e.g., in career counseling). However, the most frequently used measure of types has been criticized on various psychometric grounds. The present study investigated the…

A short measure of trait and state negative and positive affect, the Chinese Affect Scale, was developed for Chinese-speaking people and tested in Hong Kong with 306 community adults and 314 college students. Scores had reasonable internal and retest reliabilities and high convergent and discriminant validity. (SLD)

A qualitative observational study of standardized group testing in 10 kindergartens revealed variations in testing conditions, discrepancies from standardized administration procedures, and variations in children's behavior that contributed to difficulties in maintaining a uniform testing process. High-stakes group testing in kindergarten should…

In the context of developing assessment instruments in psychology, issues of standardization, norming procedures, and test reliability and validity are discussed. Criteria, guidelines, and rules of thumb are provided to help the clinician with instrument selection for a given psychological assessment. (SLD)