A court order banned the use of standardized I.Q. tests in California because they disproportionately assigned Black and other minority children to special education programs. Nonbiased assessments of cognitive behavior were implemented. They emphasize processes rather than products of learning. The number of minorities in special education has…

Criticizes the California Assessment Program (CAP) prior to l987 for testing writing skills objectively. Describes the specific improvements in the new CAP Directed Writing Assessment which focuses on the most important characteristics necessary to a particular type of writing rather than those that are common to all types.(NH)

This article defines educational evaluation; describes its role in education; and compares and contrasts it to measurement, research, and learner appraisal. Evaluation is shown to have an important role in play in education, notably in relation to program improvement. Limitations of educational evaluation are noted. (Author/JAZ)

A variety of methods are used to assess secondary school seniors in Australia to determine college admission: locally-developed achievement tests in curricular subjects; external achievement tests; and general aptitude tests, such as the Australian Scholastic Aptitude Tests. Testing problems include aggregating and rescaling of scores. (GDC)

Results from a national assessment of science conducted by the Minnesota Science Assessment and Research Project in 1981-82 are presented. The achievement of 13- and 17-year-olds on biology items, their attitudes about science and science classes, and comparisons with data from 1976-77 are discussed. (MNS)

Results from the 1979 Minnesota Computer Literacy Assessment show that eighth- and eleventh-grade females perform better than males in some specific areas of programing, i.e., those that involve problem analysis and algorithmic application where the problems are expressed verbally rather than mathematically. (Author/LRW)

Assesses the extent to which policies and practices of Georgia school districts conformed to state recommendations in 3 areas: social studies curriculum requirements, teacher certification, and the teacher/classroom situation. Reaffirms the significance of teaching history and the value of the subject itself. Offers 8 recommendations in regard to…

Comparisons are given for data from the Second International Study for both eighth- and eleventh-grade students in the United States and Japan. U.S. students were closer to Japanese students at the eighth-grade level than at the twelfth-grade level; differences have increased since the First International Study. (MNS)

Effects of various student, teacher, and school system characteristics on levels of student economic understanding and learning in grades five-12 were studied. Particular attention was paid to which schools were participating in the Developmental Economic Education Program (DEEP). (Author/RM)

Permeated with ethical and political concerns, with racial gender, and cultural differences, this case study deals with specifics of Native American education in Canada. It is an example of educational change and takes its meaning from that reality. (Author)

In evaluation, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts when quantitative and qualitative approaches and methods are combined. Some circumstances in which both approaches can be effectively combined are considered, and case studies of two evaluations using multiple methods are presented. (LMO)

To judge the usefulness of the naturalistic method for any given evaluation circumstance, several questions about the situation should be answered. Sixteen questions, with sample answers regarding a recent evaluation situation, are presented to determine the utility of the naturalistic paradigm for a potential evaluation situation. (LMO)

Discusses the need for researchers to determine what should be tested and how when evaluating educational computing programs, describes efforts of Educational Testing Service's National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) to measure the impact of computers on achievement, and concludes that it will not be easy to evaluate computers' effects.…

Describes some forces that have shaped current attitudes toward evaluation of education, presents five guidelines to help in discussions of assessment, and charges teachers with the responsibility of making evaluation effective. (DF)

Based on the theory that institutional change and improvement are motivated more by knowledge of problems than by knowledge of successes, a fault tree analysis technique using Boolean logic for assessing institutional ineffectiveness by determining weaknesses in the system is presented. Advantages and disadvantages of focusing on weakness rather…