This article examines some of the complexities associated with designing and evaluating an educational program aimed at meeting children's developmental needs. It then addresses the need to rethink goals for children within the framework of progressive education. (MT)

The value and limitations of conceptualizing evaluation as a decision-oriented research and appraisal activity is discussed. The decisional contexts of evaluation projects is examined in terms of a comparison between two models of organization decision making. Certain remedies for problems arising from attempts to enhance decisional relevance of…

Addresses the problem of how academic value can be determined. Reviews several sample situations involving judgments of the merits of teachers, graduate assistants, and undergraduate writers. Proposes a system of "value-sorting," which requires that competing entities be measured in relationship to each other rather than against some abstract…

This paper describes steps in the criterion-referenced measurement process. Specific strategies are offered for devising a decision-making process that does not destroy the wealth of information in the criterion referenced base and that does not require complicated mathematics or arduous analysis. (LMO)

The use of reporting final examinations in the Netherlands is described. Each October a public report is published by Cito, supplying information about the achieved level of education and describing observed psychometric qualities of the measurement instrument. General information needs are provided by the National Bureau of Statistics. (LMO)

Assessment is intended to raise in value what the public gets for the dollars it invests in education, not to raise new dollars for educational institutions. To many people within universities, assessment is perceived as a threat. Ways to reduce anxiety that comes with assessment are discussed. (MLW)

The inadequacy of current measures of educational quality makes it imperative to develop an educational assessment system truly indicative of the tasks of educators and the diverse populations they serve, or educational reform efforts will suffer and educators will not be able to sustain public support. (MSE)

A number of quality assurance educational evaluation methods are illustrated. Evaluation data obtained from the Providence, Rhode Island, school district are used. The methods are: (1) from auditing, internal control; (2) from accounting, double bookkeeping; and (3) from industrial quality control, acceptance sampling and cumulative percentage…

Economics teachers in Great Britain are very concerned about how their pupils will fare in the externally assessed examinations at the secondary level. Discusses the implications of the widening in the range of techniques being used in A-level economics examinations. (RM)

Although formal assessment of children with severe disabilities raises many problems of measurement, evaluation by "standard rulers" is still essential. This article examines the role of the school psychologist in the measurement process and identifies issues related to the assessment of developmentally disabled children. (Author/EGS)

Current nationwide efforts to improve education call for new information for policymakers in testing and evaluation. Recent state and national evaluation activities, including the Department of Education's project to establish statistical indicators for education, are discussed. Guidelines are given for developing reasonable and appropriate…

In March 1984 volunteer observers followed 141 ninth-grade students in schools throughout the country for a complete school day. The observations are disquieting and show that teacher-student interactions are limited and that instruction is fragmented and dominated by textbook-and-lecture. (MD)

Synthesizes results of conference proceedings and recent research and concludes that there are some positive developments in contemporary English education, including the ideas that teachers will teach writing better if given regular opportunities to write themselves and discuss what goes on as they write for various purposes. (DF)

Attacks upon the quality of public school education result from economic, social, and political upheavals. Three times since 1950 public schools have been blamed for the nation's problems. The pattern of these attacks on education are explored. (DF)

Argues that overreliance on standardized tests contributes to the deterioration of educational standards, teacher passivity, and lack of student involvement in academic studies, thus undermining democratic education; lists several alternatives to standardized testing. (MCG)