Whereas internationally the shift towards quality control of school systems started in the early 1980s, mainly promoted by transnational agencies, this development only began in Germany in the mid 1990s. However, a clear-cut change from an input-controlled and centralised to a more output-controlled, decentralised and deregulated supervision…

There is widespread understanding of the need to evaluate teacher education programs. Unfortunately, the history of teacher education program evaluations is spotty, evolutionary, and limited in scope. Probably the most fundamental reason that program evaluations are limited is that there has not been a clear, consistent, and shared framework for…

This article describes educational reform developed over a 10-year period in California's Lemon Grove School District, which resulted in a steady and remarkable upward shift in achievement for the students of this multicultural district just outside San Diego. Six elements of literacy reform emerged as the most significant factors affecting…

Adolescents who have sexually abused may pose a serious problem for both the community and the treatment provider concerning the management of risk and the application of effective intervention strategies. Fundamental to providing good clinical treatment is an assessment that results in an individualized treatment plan specifically tailored to the…

The author is a researcher and graduate student of American Indian descent (Stockbridge-Munsee/Mohican). She has always been very aware of the absence of other American Indian students in postsecondary education programs; has noticed the shortage of American Indians employed as educators, professors, or administrators; and is acutely aware of the…

Over the past twenty years, the attention that colleges and universities have paid to students' first year experience has grown exponentially. The reasons for this phenomenon include changes in demographic characteristics of the students themselves, concerns about the high dropout rate that peaks between the first and second year, and recognition…

Given the rich tapestry of tribal cultures in the United States, it is presumptuous to assume that any evaluator, whether an Alaskan Native or a member of an American Indian tribe (or a non-Indian), can understand the culture of every group. Rather than trying to master multiple cultural specificities, the goal of a competent evaluator, especially…

In 2001, the Bunche Academy was chosen by its district to join in partnership with the Da Vinci Learning Corporation to embark on an ambitious whole-school reform initiative, especially designed by the corporation for low-performing schools. In this chapter, the author describes how, as illustrated in the Bunche-Da Vinci Learning Academy context,…

Purpose: To provide a best practice framework for peer review via teaching observation as a method of appraising teaching performance within UK higher education (HE) institutions. Design/methodology/approach: The paper uses secondary data analysis via the current literature on peer review and peer appraisal, as well as use of primary data obtained…

Dr. Robinson's proposed action plan will serve the needs of highly achieving gifted students. However, defining giftedness as high academic performance based on traditional assessment procedures could reverse the field's fledgling success in supporting culturally diverse gifted children and youth. Changing the focus of equity in gifted education…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe a self-assessment project, the steps taken and the tools used, and above all, focus on the evaluation made after the decision to discontinue, learning and acquiring knowledge about self-assessment as a methodology in educational organizations. Design/methodology/approach: In order to investigate…

This study assessed the level of physical activity, exercise self-efficacy, and stages of change for exercise behavior among college students at a large midwestern university using a street-based survey method. The 50% response rate produced 925 student responses comprising 95% as young ([less than or equal to]24 years of age), 53% female, and 79%…

The most familiar form of evaluation in Western theatrical dance is aesthetic judgement, which considers dance performances as objects of art. This is how dance critics usually approach dance. However, there is more to evaluation than this. It also plays an integral part in learning: it can help a student develop skills in choreography as well as…

A model for predicting student performance on introductory programming modules is presented. The model uses attributes identified in a study carried out at four third-level institutions in the Republic of Ireland. Four instruments were used to collect the data and over 25 attributes were examined. A data reduction technique was applied and a…

Learning stories, a form of narrative assessment, were used by teams surrounding two New Zealand children with high and complex needs. Learning stories are currently used by New Zealand early childhood teachers and highlight strengths- and interest-based learning in natural settings. This contrasts with specialists' assessments, which highlight…