Presents a model for assessing children's psychosocial difficulties based on developments in family, crisis, and systems theories, as well as on ideas in environmental and social psychology. Major components for assessment are identified: life crises, immediate environmental influences, broader environmental influences, individual characteristics,…

To provide a meaningful research experience for undergraduate methods students, students participated in an ongoing research project. The progress of the project to encourage the adoption of a curriculum in which theory building informs methods, and in which actual field experience is provided, is described. (MLW)

Accounting for verbal reports requires explication of the mechanisms by which the reports are generated and influenced by experimental factors. We discuss different cognitive processes underlying verbalization and present a model of how subjects, when asked to think aloud, verbalize information from their short-term memory. (Author/GDC)

Examined are questions pertinent to the use of the Position Analysis Questionnaire: Who can use the PAQ reliably and validly? Must one rely on trained job analysts? Can people having no direct contact with the job use the PAQ reliably and validly? Do response biases influence PAQ responses? (Author/KC)

Describes a procedure for identifying a group of potential users from among current nonusers in a sample of adults drawn from the library's community. This procedure was designed for use in conducting marketing surveys for public libraries. (Author/CHC)

Possible biasing influences on student ratings of instruction brought about by students' precourse expectations are examined. Student and course demographic instruction brought about the students' precourse variables were analyzed and affective entry data were compared to course and student demographic information in terms of relative influence on…

This paper describes procedures that resulted in a 90 percent return in a random sample survey of inner-city youth. Included are: selection of interview sites; recordkeeping; call-backs; techniques for dealing with reluctant interviewees; and composition of interview teams, including sex and ethnic matching with sample members. (SJL)

A description of the use of experiments used as a teaching strategy in mathematics is given. (MK)

The Center for Educational Administrator Development (CEAD) utilizes a multifaceted, ongoing evaluation design to measure the impact of administrator inservice on personal growth and school climate. The Center's use of evaluative data for needs assessment, program monitoring, and summative evaluation is described. (SJL)

Describes the learning processes experienced by six language teachers within the context of a three-year research project in which they worked and in the context of doing their Ph.D.s as research assistants. These processes involved learning specific research skills, understanding teaching practices, development of theory and concepts, links with…

Presents an instructional framework for real-world, problem-based studies that can be used in a variety of settings. Discusses background knowledge, problem exposition, data collection and analysis, data synthesis and solution presentation, and career information. (JRH)

Discusses the appropriate bases for using instructional materials for English-as-a-Second-Language classes and points to student writing as a previously overlooked source for teaching materials. The article emphasizes the importance of handling legal and ethical issues properly when using student materials and lists guidelines for editing the…

Uses a discovery lesson for determining the area of an equilateral triangle given a side length as an illustration of how to introduce features of the TI-92 graphing calculator geometry package within a mathematical context. (KHR)

Explores the process of needs assessment within the In-Service Education and Training (INSET) program for unqualified primary teachers in Namibia and presents the various stages of an effective needs assessment model. Summarizes the study from which the model emerged and reviews literature related to needs assessment for INSET. (CMK)

This article provides a brief overview of general outcome measurement and its potential for assessment of continuous progress in early childhood education. It describes an eight-step research and development process for the generating and evaluating of individual growth and development indicators. These indicators are adaptable across children,…