The dichotomy between Insiders (for whom the community college sector provides a primary reference) and Outsiders (for whom organizations other than those within the community college world constitute a primary reference) provides a meaningful way of understanding claims about the role of the community college as an institution. Reactions of…

This collection of eight articles was written to assist schools in rethinking and strengthening social studies programs, grades K-6. The articles offer practical suggestions for classroom teachers, social studies supervisors, and other professionals who have responsibility for planning and implementing programs. The issue begins with an article by…

A listing of effective schooling practices selected for use in the Alaska Effective Schooling Program is presented in this booklet, arranged in the five major categories identified in the research literature: leadership, school environment, curriculum, classroom instruction and management, and assessment and evaluation. The listing is accompanied…

Intended for administrators and policymakers as well as teachers, this digest explores approaches to, problems with, and trends in large scale writing assessment. The digest first compares direct and indirect assessment approaches, then examines three approaches to scoring: holistic, primary trait, and analytic. It then discusses issues and…

In redesigning the data program of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), there is a need for standard definitions, constant vigilance against redundancy and excessive data collection, audits and verification on local school data and continued attention to equity results as well as excellence and achievement. Major test scores, such…

This report evaluates and expands a database on statewide articulation and transfer agreements, and provides an updated taxonomy of types of agreements. Initial sections outline the purpose and procedures of the articulation study. Next, a taxonomy of statewide agreements is presented for the years 1972, 1976, and 1985. The agreements are…

Cognition, knowing, and understanding are analysed in terms of levels, forms, and range. It is found that cognition is knowing and that understanding is a range of knowing. Three levels of knowing (pre-conventional, conventional, post-conventional), three levels of understanding (prehension, apprehension, comprehension), and six forms of knowing…

Between-group designs constitute the experimental methods traditionally applied in the field of education. Another level of analysis, however, is commonly used in clinical psychology but seldom applied in educational settings: single-subject designs (actually applied to small groups). This design allows a researcher to evaluate the influence of an…

An alternative method of identifying effective schools, based on the concept of effective schools as statistically atypical, was tested. This paper investigates the issue of consistency of the identification of what is termed "exceptional" schools. The following tests were administered to all first through fourth graders in 431 schools…

A systematic methodology is proposed for the evaluation of curriculum. Four domains are identified, including the evaluation of: (1) curriculum planning; (2) curriculum development; (3) curriculum implementation; and (4) curriculum effects. Evaluating curriculum planning must include determining the legality of the curriculum and must consider the…

Factors that contribute to useful measurement of the impact of educational programs on college students are reviewed. Chapters cover the following: goals of student outcomes assessment; philosophy of assessment; outcome taxonomies; issues of measurement in talent development assessment; cognitive outcome instruments; increasing the usefulness of…

This survey sought the opinions of faculty members at Bowie State College on 40 questions concerning academic and societal issues in public education. Responses to the survey questionnaire by faculty members represented a return of 14.5 percent, or 15 individuals. Tables are included comparing the responses of the Bowie State College sample and…

This paper presents and illustrates some principles for organizational development approaches to improving school climate. It discusses a specific structure for facilitating school improvement entitled Program Development Evaluation, and it illustrates the use of school climate assessments for school diagnosis and the evaluation of improvement…

This publication contains 17 education "indicators," each telling a different and compelling story about American education. Most of the material comes from the Department of Education's 1986 and 1987 editions of "The Condition of Education." Listed under "outcomes," are the following indicators: (1) reading…

To evaluate the writing ability of Colorado students, a study collected writing samples from third, sixth, ninth, and eleventh grade students in 127 public school districts and 27 private schools during October 7-11, 1985. Samples were scored in a two-day scoring session using two rating procedures--a general impression of writing characteristics,…