A request for narratives concerning their most effective and most ineffective professors was sent to 222 graduates from Rollins College (Florida). The narratives covered a period of 26 years, from 1964 through 1990. The responses suggest three dominant characteristics shared by ineffective professors: (1) lack of passion for their subject matter;…

This study examined whether conditions affecting intellectual challenge and course difficulty experienced by students were associated with the severity of grading standards. A policy by a university academic unit that reduced the number of high grades awarded by one of its departments provided an opportunity to test a research-based prediction…

This study investigated the mathematics achievement test performance of 62 non-transient elementary school learners in accelerated schools using a longitudinal design. Both the California Achievement Test (CAT) and the Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) test were included in this investigation. In particular, this study sought to…

This book provides a set of principles and analytical methods that are based on research findings and are designed to be adapted to different assessment scenarios, thus enabling instructors to construct their own assessment methods. Part 1 covers the underlying principles of assessment, examining its purposes, assessment criteria, and the nature…

Guidance is offered in Spanish on the creation and use of alternative assessment, and a process model is presented that links assessment with curriculum and instruction, based on contemporary theories of learning and cognition. The introductory chapter provides background on the purposes of assessment and the need for new alternatives, with an…

This guidebook discusses the importance of building consensus in establishing outcomes for community reform to improve the well-being of children and youth, their families, and neighborhoods and communities. The guide is grounded in the premise that community collaboratives have the capacity to develop a set of measurable outcome indicators and…

The eight papers in this collection were presented at five sections of the Division of Management and Technology: (1) "The State Conservation Programme (Concept Approach)" (Tamara Burtseva and Zinaida Dvoriashina, USSR); (2) "La communication a distance de banques d'images pour le grand public (Public Access to Image Databases via…

The formal evaluation process (FEP) is the primary tool provided by most two- and four-year colleges and universities to create more effective teachers. Yet, the FEP has little impact on teaching practice. The FEP serves merely to classify a teacher as a success or failure based on written records and rating scales from observations conducted…

Students' performances on mathematical problems varying in symbolic form and the kinds of symbolic representations and translation used in instruction were explored. The sample consisted of 29 students enrolled in Algebra II in a summer program for minority students. All students were Black or Hispanic American and most were about to enter grade…

This case study was conducted to construct an in-depth description of the ethos, i.e., pattern of orientations and sentiments, of three Iowa teachers who have been selected as state winners in the Teacher of the Year program sponsored by the Council of Chief State School Officers, Encyclopedia Brittanica, and Good Housekeeping Maagazine. Using an…

This volume presents 24 conference papers: (1) "Total Quality Management, or Nirvana--Are We There Yet?" by Gary L. Reynolds; (2) "Managing by the Seat of Your Pants: Vision, Innovation, and Creativity" by Roy M. Dalebozik; (3) "Understanding Cross-Cultural Issues in the Workplace" by Ann M. Jenkins; (4) "Drugs…

This report gives the findings of two surveys of high school seniors on their views of leadership, conducted for Sylvan Learning Centers and the National Association of Secondary School Principals. One survey was conducted by mail with students who were named as one of their states' Sylvan/NASSP "Century III Leaders." The second survey was…

A study was conducted at Messiah College, a religiously affiliated liberal arts college in Pennsylvania, to identify classes that had excellent evaluation procedures. Standardized student ratings of classroom testing were drawn from the Instructional Development and Effectiveness Assessment (IDEA), which includes an item on "preparing…

During the academic year, psychology students at Wytheville Community College are exposed to many aspects of psychology and psychological research. After students complete several minor research projects, they undertake a psychology symposium. Students are divided into small groups, and each group presents a research idea to the instructor. When…

The External Diploma Program (EDP) of the American Council on Education is an applied-performance, competency-based assessment program that provides credentials to skilled adults who have acquired their high-school-level abilities through their life experience. Through the EDP mature adults can do the following: demonstrate their abilities in a…