This study examined the difficulty level of essay topics used in the large-scale assessment of writing in relation to five different scoring models, and sought to determine what effects the scoring models would have on passing rates. In model one, examinee's score is the direct result of a score assigned by the reader or the sum of scores assigned…

A set of weighting factors on student credit hour production by discipline was developed so that instructional productivity could be equitably compared across disparate disciplines and within disciplines. The new statistical methodology was applied to 3 years of teaching load data from 21 major public universities (the Southern University Group…

This book, second in a series dealing with scientific programing in the BASIC language, provides students, engineers, and scientists with a documented library of subroutines for scientific applications. Subjects of the eight chapters include: (1) least-squares approximation of functions and smoothing of data; (2) approximating functions by series…

A case study of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination (FTCE) program was described to assist others launching the development of large scale item banks. FTCE has four subtests: Mathematics, Reading, Writing, and Professional Education. Rasch calibrated item banks have been developed for all subtests except Writing. The methods used to…

This paper examines the grading policies and practices of about 300 teachers from seven high schools in the San Francisco Bay area. Three questions are addressed: (1) Who or what determines grading policies? (2) How do teachers actually calculate grades, that is, what kinds of performances factors are taken into account by teachers? (3) How do…

A manual on sampling is presented to assist audit and program reviewers, project officers, managers, and program specialists of the U.S. Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA). For each of the following types of samples, definitions and examples are provided, along with information on advantages and disadvantages: simple random sampling,…

Efficient methods of using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to analyze National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data files are discussed. One error in the NAEP SPSS file is discussed, and another error (which may be system-dependent) is mentioned. In addition, purely mathematical methods are used to address the…

Based on data from the 1980 Census of Population and Housing, this report contains comprehensive information about the status of women in Minnesota. It includes detailed information about population characteristics, educational attainment and enrollments, marital status, labor force participation and employment, income and earnings, and poverty…

The first in a series of five handbooks designed to present and analyze statistical data on women in various regions of the world, this handbook focuses on women in 21 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Beginning with an overview of population characteristics of the regions, the analysis continues with a description of women's literacy…

The purpose of this study is to a) explore connections among number sense, mental computation performance and the written computation performance of elementary preservice school teachers; and b) explore the correlation among mental computation skills, computation skills, effect issues and number sense. The sample was composed of students in six…

This paper is based on the researcher's experiences as a graduate student, a senior academic teaching and auditing graduate classes. He has engaged in teaching and research at 31 universities. In his over 35 years of experience, he has developed some of the most effective graduate courses, attracting students from 30 overseas countries. Courses…

The focus of this study was twofold: one, to determine if students could increase their physics content knowledge through the completion of an online hands-on Microcomputer-Based Laboratory (MBL) unit on motion; and two to determine if the demonstrated learning gains were equivalent to those of students who completed the same MBL activities in a…

Among many studies focusing on the effect of learner and instructional variables on course outcomes, few studies have investigated the learners' study habits and the mediating mechanisms among the learner and instruction variables in their influence on course outcomes. This study examined differences in learner satisfaction and learning outcomes…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the significance of using goal planning and weekly monitoring and evaluation forms within an online class to promote the use of selfregulated learning strategies. The relationship between student academic achievement and the use of materials to promote self-regulated learning was also studied. The…

The methodologies, instruments, and procedures that were used by Research Triangle Institute (RTI) in conducting its part of the Safe School Study are described in detail. The report focuses on methods, the rationale for their selection, and their implementation. It also addresses various practical problems encountered. The sample design is…