The prevalence of grade inflation was analyzed from over 125,000 final grades, representing 144 undergraduate courses and 9,338 students. Grade inflation was defined as a systematic increase in grades for the same course over a five year period, statistically controlling the student's major and academic and demographic background. There was no…

A STUDY OF FIVE DIFFERENT ESSAY EVALUATION PROCEDURES WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE INTRARELIABILITY OF EACH AND TO USE THESE RELIABILITY SCORES AS A BASIS FOR COMPARING THE FIVE PROCEDURES. TEN THEMES WERE ASSIGNED TO FIVE RATING GROUPS, EACH USING A DIFFERENT EVALUATION PROCEDURE--(1) THE CALIFORNIA ESSAY SCALE, (2) THE CLEVELAND COMPOSITION…

Instructional objectives and performance requirements are outlined in this course guide for Welding IV, a competency-based course in advanced arc welding offered at the Community College of Allegheny County to provide students with proficiency in: (1) single vee groove welding using code specifications established by the American Welding Society…

To determine the correlation between unit test performance and retention on final examinations, scores of 68 secondary level teaching candidates enrolled in a general methods course were studied. Unit tests were administered frequently to determine student achievement of the 38 course objectives. Two retests per student were allowed, with…

A major reason for the public's concern about curriculum and instruction at all levels of education has evolved because of the serious decline in student academic achievement. After two decades of innovation in teaching styles there are increasing complaints about academic grade inflation, functional illiteracy, and student inability to read,…

This report examines the patterns of academic performance and withdrawal rate of first-time freshmen students at Santa Ana College (SAC) in the Fall 1972 semester and compares them to patterns found for the same kind of students at 32 other California community colleges during the same semester. Results indicate that SAC students had lower GPA's…

Two grading distributions--a liberal and a more stringent curve--were compared between two sections of an undergraduate psychology course. The two classes were team taught and treated as similarly as possible. Four unit exams and an optional final were administered, with one section consistently receiving a more lenient grade distribution. No…

In an attempt to determine the effects on creative or free writing of the i.t.a. program, as well as to determine whether any relationship exists between scores on a readiness test and achievement in this form of written composition, an empirical study was conducted in two middle income communities with 140 white first-grade youngsters. The i.t.a.…

The main purposes in examining and evaluating the Advanced Placement English Program in Salt Lake and Granite School Districts were to identify the essential curriculum features of the program, to make suggestions for curriculum improvement, and to determine whether or not the quality of the AP English Program surpassed that of the conventional…

Designed as an administrative guide for Industrial Cooperative Training (ICT) Coordinators, this handbook was assembled to provide much of the information needed to operate a successful program. The guide includes the policies of the Trade and Industrial Education Service, curriculum outlines, duties and responsibilities of the coordinator and…

An experimental examination was conducted using a multiple-choice test for the purpose of constructing an examination in mathematics. Some 1,125 secondary school students from various school districts were chosen as candidates. The test consisted of twenty mathematical situations requiring five true or false answers for each test item. No time…

In order to assess achievement in technical drawing at the secondary school level, an experimental examination was conducted using 333 boys and 2 girls from 13 schools. The objectives of the course in order of importance were: (1) Understanding and Comprehension; (2) Use; and (3) Communication. Three papers were formed: Paper I, an objective…

SCORES FROM 16 VARIABLES WERE USED TO ASSESS DIFFERENCES AMONG 194 JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL BOYS AND GIRLS OF 4 TEXAS COMMUNITIES WHO WERE AMONG MORE THAN 1,500 PUPILS INCLUDED IN THE "TEXAS HUMAN TALENT PROJECT." SUBJECTS WERE CLASSIFIED INTO "UP,""DOWN," OR "STABLE" SAMPLES. CLASSIFICATION INTO THE…

This document is a summary of two years of activity of the Maine Teacher Corps presented in outline form. Throughout, several questions are asked (What was done? What was learned? What was expected? What was found?) followed by recommendations for other programs. Section I is an introductory essay entitled, "Maine Teacher Corps, A Viable…

This study of undergraduate grading practices at Georgia State University investigated differences in grading patterns by major fields of study, controlling for such antecedents as scholastic aptitude, demographic background, course type, and longitudinal trends. The principal finding of the study was that major field is strongly associated with…