Six outcomes of professional competence that can be applied to postdoctoral pediatric dentistry training are: conceptual, contextual, technical, interpersonal communications, integrative, and adaptive competence. Questionnaire-type surveys are probably the best means of assessing the contextual, interpersonal, and adaptive competencies of…

Traces assessment trends in British education since 1983. Discusses the examination system recommended by the Secondary Examinations Council, reviews the documentation of achievement by means other than examinations, and outlines the introduction of the National Curriculum. Suggests that trends have made objectives clearer to students and have…

Data from the Second International Mathematics Study indicated that the retention rates of countries accounted for some achievement differences. However, achievement differences for the more able students across countries were not related to the rate at which countries retained students. Instead, variables such as opportunity to learn were needed.…

This third article on National Assessment results discusses general achievement trends and changes in performance over time. Performance scales, national trends, current achievement, learning concepts and skills, problem solving, minorities, and gender are considered. (MNS)

The Southeast Asian Ministers Educational Organization (SEAMEO) Center for Educational Innovation and Technology--a distance learning organization--has operated since 1965. Program implementation/evaluation in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines are discussed, with reference to the democratization of education…

This paper defines outcome assessment for youth with disabilities; explores the relevance of transition outcome assessment to vocational rehabilitation; and reviews the relevance of using special education outcomes to assess skills and service needs of school exiters, to improve linkages with schools, and to improve rehabilitation programming.…

A study evaluated the feasibility of using students' self-reports of academic development and college experiences as substitutes for standardized test scores (proxies) or policy indicators. Results suggested self-reports should be used with care as proxies for a national test but may be used as policy indicators for improvement of undergraduate…

Chinese secondary school students (n=242) and teachers (n=415) responded to the Chinese version of the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WCQ). Comparison of the scales derived from the four isolated factors with the original WCQ suggests that they are useful in studying a Chinese population. (SLD)

Argues that affective outcomes should be addressed instructionally and that student affect should be assessed formally. How student affect should be measured is considered. It is suggested that self-report measures be used and that Likert-type inventories usually meet the needs of classroom teachers. (SLD)

The extent to which performance assessments can have unintended and undesirable consequences is not yet clear, but preliminary evidence suggests several issues of bias and fairness. Among these is the sheer difficulty of scoring complex performance assessments, as Vermont's experiences with portfolio assessment illustrate. (SLD)

Discusses parents' responses to open-ended questions about changes in early elementary programs initiated by the Kentucky Education Reform Act. Changes include ungraded primary programs and student progress reports to parents. (BB)

This model, designed for higher education professionals, explores the development and effects of programs, services, curricula, and environmental interventions on student development. Offers practical suggestions for program implementation by outlining a 10-step process, and discusses political considerations for new evaluation programs. (RJM)

Describes how six colleges and universities, known for their assessment programs, use student outcomes assessment to improve programs. Each school preferred to use nationally normed tests and inventories supplemented with locally developed instruments. Outcomes assessment help schools to meaningfully reconsider their educational values and…

Focuses on the legal framework that New Jersey has established that allows the state to assume responsibility for operating a school district that has been deemed unable or unwilling to meet minimum educational standards. Identifies some perceived deficiencies in the law and suggests some possible future directions. (71 footnotes) (MLF)

In critiquing the Sandia Report, Lawrence Stedman faulted it and other revisionist reports for emphasizing trend data rather than quality and not acknowledging educational requirements within a democratic society. The article addresses the issues, presenting evidence from additional studies to argue that none of Stedman's general contentions…