This document outlines an approach to collecting and processing data for both professional development and course improvement. The approach, which combines elements of evaluation and research, is referred to as an instructional audit. Data collected during the audit addresses the following basic questions: (1) What does the teacher intend to…

The need for better validation of professional licensing and certification examinations is discussed in Part I. Predictive criterion-related validation studies are difficult to develop, time consuming, impractical and expensive. Since training and knowledge variables are not necessarily sufficient to predict job proficiency, it appears logical to…

The potential usefulness of computerized tests for supplementing paper-and-pencil measures for predicting job performance abilities was the objective of a series of studies. This report covers the initial test development and analysis research. Eight computerized tests were constructed to measure five personal attributes identified in previous…

This paper gives the results of a controlled experiment on word association. The purpose was to establish norms of commonality of primary descriptive adjective responses to common nouns. The stimuli consisted of 203 common nouns selected from 10 everyday topics of conversation, approximately 20 from each topic. There were 350 subjects, 50% male,…

In order to find reliable methods of ascertaining quality in library service, three public libraries in the Chicago area were assessed using the Rutgers "Performance Measures for Public Libraries." The Rutgers study can reveal the needs and characteristics of library patrons, and may itself be instrumental in increasing patronage. It…

The importance of appropriate task relevant behaviors as a necessary condition for school learning has long been noted. This paper suggests a multiple measure of one set of student classroom behaviors, presents a brief theoretical basis for the measure, provides some empirical support for the use of the measure, and indicates some educational…

A revised Spanish/English oral-proficiency test battery was administered to 40 Spanish-surnamed pupils equally divided by sex at grade levels 1, 3, 5, and 7. The test battery included parallel Spanish and English versions of: (1) a 12-item vocabulary pretest, (2) a 32-item vocabulary-by-domain test consisting of four sections--home, neighborhood,…

To determine whether teachers treat boys and girls differently with respect to providing response opportunities and giving feedback reactions, five teacher's arithmetic sessions and six teacher's reading sessions were observed and tape recorded three times over a four-week period. Differences in (a) quality of response opportunity for boys and…

The purpose of this conference was to share the information gathered by the Clearinghouse for Applied Performance Testing (CAPT) such as information on performance testing that could be used in public schools, and secondly, to discuss problems that must be solved, issues that should be addressed, and additional research and development needed in…

The focus of the study reported here is on two issues: whether the two most elaborate systems of natural observation, that is, those developed by Escalona and Watts could be applied to mother-child interaction recorded in a teaching situation; and whether there are relationships between maternal-child behavior so observed, and a more extended…

The University of Iowa has been involved with the development, implementation, and operation of computer-based test-item pools and a test construction and course management system titled IPSIM (Iowa's Item Pool System for Instructional Management), originally devised for a freshman medical course in the Pathology Department of the College of…

Librarians' interest in and concern with the legislative process and with their relationship with elected officials is accelerating. The obvious reason for this is the deteriorating financial situation facing libraries of all types. It has become critically important for the future of libraries that librarians become knowledgeable in the contest…

This study was concerned with a comparison of the effects of utilizing contract and traditional student evaluation methods in a CHEM Study and in a traditional high school chemistry course. The sample consisted of 49 students enrolled in a CHEM Study course and 63 in a traditional chemistry course. Student evaluations were conducted using the…

The guidebook is intended to acquaint vocational educators with two specific management strategies: Management by Objectives (MBO) and the Program Planning and Budget System (PPBS). The long range goal of this project is the formation of a model local annual plan and model five year plan for vocational education in local school districts…

The Institute for Personal and Career Development (IPCD) provides graduate level instruction in a number of disciplines to groups of individuals who might otherwise not be able to obtain a graduate education. IPCD attempts to provide an alternate program that meets the needs of these individuals by emphasizing controls which would promote more…