While legislative oversight offices, like many evaluation and policy analysis units, face substantial challenges in promoting use of their work by policymakers, they often have not taken steps to overcome these challenges by adopting the strategies suggested by the evaluation literature. Although the offices seek utilization, they have not fully…

Traditionally the measures used to evaluate the impact of an educational programme on student outcomes and the extent to which students change is a comparison of the student's pre-test scores with his/her post-test scores. However, this method of evaluating change may be problematic due to the confounding factor of response shift bias when student…

Quality assurance in instructional development demands an exhaustive formative evaluation effort and applied testing. Unfortunately, this process is expensive and requires large numbers of user testers with characteristics similar to the intended audience. This article presents a procedure for increasing the efficiency of quality assurance efforts…

The relation of the concept of metapolicy to the evaluation agenda is discussed. Metapolicy is a general rule or policy about how public policies should be made or implemented. Broad shifts in metapolicy create new agenda items for evaluation. If the shift is toward reduced federal involvement in social programs, new evaluation questions are not…

Identifies salient features that distinguish between criticisms perceived by their recipients as "good" from those perceived as "bad." Considers five primary areas for criticism: appearance, skill performance, relationships, general personhood, and decision making, as well as stylistic characteristics of criticism. (NKA)

The problems associated with forms used to evaluate instructional software are described, and a new form is presented. Rating forms for reviewers should address: (1) global characteristics of the courseware; (2) specific characteristics; and (3) specific properties related to instructional design. The two-page Software Evaluation Form is included.…

Explains that Fritz Machlup's four principles of measurement have been widely used to explain all aspects of the postindustrial, information society, but they do not serve to analyze changes in complexity of work, routinization, educational requirements, and increasing worker utilization of information. (SD)

This article supports Edward Haertel's views on inappropriate use of student test scores in evaluating teachers. Tests scores may identify a few incompetent teachers, but may bring new ailments to schools. The article argues that even the system proposed by Haertal may become subject to abuse by mechanistic or autocratic administrative practices.…

This paper analyzes impediments to implementation of instructional technology (IT) initiatives as seen by a faculty member who has actively used IT since 1995. The three major impediments (the steep learning curve, difficulty in assessing success, and questions of applicability toward professional advancement) are discussed and some tentative…

A sample of British special needs coordinators identified numbers of children in their schools with reading difficulties. More children were likely to be thus identified in schools with higher mean reading levels. Increasing use of within-school assessments under the new Code of Practice might therefore divert resources away from the neediest. (SK)

Responds to an article that explored heterosexist bias in seven widely used assessment instruments. Praises the article's authors for raising this issue and explores their recommendation that norms appropriate to lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations be developed. Argues that bias can pervade the whole assessment process--not just the testing…

This study of 36 adults without brain damage examined the degree that reading comprehension therapy materials designed for adults with aphasia are capable of measuring reading comprehension. Subjects were able to answer correctly at least half of the questions from 40 paragraphs at greater than chance levels without reading the related paragraph.…

Analyzes the dimensions and manifestations of identity development embedded within commonly used instruments measuring student identity development. To this end, a content analysis of ten identity assessment tools was conducted to determine the assumptions about identity development contained therein. Findings suggest the importance of determining…

Evaluates arguments against the "U.S. News and World Report" law school rankings (students rely on them too much, the rankings are imprecise and unscientific, and they measure the wrong things or fail to measure the right things). Discusses why the criticisms are flawed and why the rankings are useful and important. (EV)

Maintains that the recent statewide trend in teacher evaluation systems may not evaluate music educators adequately. Provides four case studies on music teacher evaluation results. Shows that music teachers are below the norm on the majority of competencies. Evaluates results of the study and discusses possible reasons why music educators have low…