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The School of Systems and Logistics is responsible for providing graduate and professional continuing education (PCE) to the Air Force and, in selected areas, to the Department of Defense (DoD). Neither the facilities nor the manpower, however, has been available to meet the demand for the continuing education program. As a result, AFIT implemented a telephonic educational delivery system to help provide the quantity of education necessary to prevent backlogs. the purpose of this study was to evaluate the learning effectiveness of TEDS versus nonTEDS instruction and the degree of TEDS acceptance by students and instructors. Based on an evaluation of three offerings of Systems Program Management, the author concluded that TEDS did not adversely effect learning, the majority of TEDS students considered TEDS acceptable, and instructors presented no clear consensus on TEDS acceptance.

The School of Systems and Logistics is responsible for providing graduate and professional continuing education (PCE) to the Air Force and, in selected areas, to the Department of Defense (DoD). Neither the facilities nor the manpower, however, has been available to meet the demand for the continuing education program. As a result, AFIT implemented a telephonic educational delivery system to help provide the quantity of education necessary to prevent backlogs. the purpose of this study was to evaluate the learning effectiveness of TEDS versus nonTEDS instruction and the degree of TEDS acceptance by students and instructors. Based on an evaluation of three offerings of Systems Program Management, the author concluded that TEDS did not adversely effect learning, the majority of TEDS students considered TEDS acceptable, and instructors presented no clear consensus on TEDS acceptance.

HIPPY [Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters] was designed to assist parents from disadvantaged backgrounds with educational opportunities to prepare their children for school. HIPPY targeted children in 70 Houston Independent School District (HISD) elementary schools during the 2017-2018 academic year. This figure reflects an increase from 57 schools in 2015-2016, which was the first year of program expansion due to the Texas Home Visiting grant. Academic performance of HISD [Houston Independent School District] students whose parents participated in HIPPY was assessed using the kindergarten 2017 Logramos and Iowa reading and mathematics assessments, and the prekindergarten CIRCLE assessment that measured school readiness. HISD HIPPY kindergarten students attained higher mean normal curve equivalent (NCE) scores on the Logramos and Iowa reading and mathematics subtests compared to the district and national averages. CIRCLE literacy and mathematics results yielded an increase in the proportion of students who met benchmark, from BOY to EOY, on subtests that assessed their ability to rapidly name letters and words as well as to name and discriminate shapes and numbers compared to the district. Parents' perceptions of their preschool child's acquisition of basic academic skills, as measured by the Bracken, showed increases from pre-test to post-test. Effect size analyses of Bracken results indicated a positive, moderate to large effect of HIPPY on children's school readiness in all areas measured. The Parent Involvement survey noted that families were more likely to engage in activities that supported literacy from pre-test to post-test with their children. Considering the program model, HISD HIPPY facilitates academic achievement and school readiness among preschool children and children in early education programs. A longitudinal study of HIPPY may determine the impact of the program as children transition to formal school settings and as they progress through school.

The Interdisciplinary Teamed Instruction (ITI) Project was a 2-year project aimed at determining the effects of ITI on teaching and learning and at validating the effectiveness of a professional development model to facilitate development, implementation, and evaluation of ITI. Through summer institutes and onsite workshops, project staff provided training, resources, and ongoing technical assistance to teacher/administrator teams from four rural Virginia secondary schools. Teams designed and tested integrated curricula that incorporated learning activities and alternative assessment forms; conducted collaborative action research to determine the effectiveness of units; and redesigned units using feedback from students, teachers, parents, and supervisors. Researchers evaluated the 1996 ITI Summer Institute. Evaluation included questionnaires on teacher empowerment, schools as learning communities, school effectiveness, and teachers' sense of control; observations; participant interviews, reflection, and feedback; oral evaluation feedback; and rating of participants' videotaped presentations. Results indicated that the Institute met its intended outcomes. The greatest impact on participants related to collaboration, cooperative learning, assessment rubrics, multiple intelligences, and team building. Participants were very positive in evaluating the Institute, which strengthened their belief in and commitment to ITI concepts and practices. The quantitative instrumentation utilized may not have fully captured and documented Institute effects. Appendices contain a meeting agenda; three questionnaires on teachers, school as community, school products and services; a control questionnaire; a feedback form; interview questions; a team reflection log; presentation scoring rubric; and an evaluation standards checklist. (Contains 20 references.) (SM)

The research evaluates oral program instruction used with a multitape recorder, the audio notebook, as a means of promoting adaptation to student differences and flexibility in instructional scheduling. Use of the Allied Naval Signal Book required by the CIC watch officer position was programmed for the audio notebook in terms of the same learning objectives as currently stated for the standard course for the watch officer. The oral learning program took less time, much less for those with Navy experience, and achieved the objectives better than the classroom lecture method. The Audio Notebook proved resistant to down-time. This makes it potentially useful for shipboard training. The learning program developed can be used in any school or shipboard situation where the learning objectives correspond to those of the watch officer course in which it was evaluated. It can be readily expanded to include additional objectives which might be needed.

The Academic Foundations Department at Rutgers Camden College sponsored an Educational Consortium in Instruction during the 1974-75 academic year. The purpose of the consortium was: (1) to promote a closer unity between the academic disciplines, educators in the urban community, students, and the academic support department; (2) to focus on the teaching-learning aspect of higher education; and (3) to engage in research into existing innovations in instruction and foster new ones. Evaluation of the Educational Consortium examines its successes and failures. Virtually all criteria were met except for those pertaining to the teaching experiments. (Author/KB)

This report discusses the question of the appropriateness of teacher behaviors in relation to both the counting of frequencies of teacher behaviors and the interpretation of the impact of teacher behaviors on student learning. The recent focus, in research on teaching, on the counting of teacher behaviors gives rise to a concern for the meaning as well as the frequency, of teacher behaviors. The report describes three different definitions of appropriateness and the related systems for measuring teacher behaviors. The first definition considers appropriateness in terms of teacher decision making; the second in terms of teacher behavior in classroom settings; the third in relation to academic learning time. (Authors)

A REMEDIAL READING INSTRUCTION PROJECT TO IMPROVE THE SKILLS OF HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS IS EVALUATED. CENTERS WERE ESTABLISHED AT THREE SITES TO SERVE 750 DROPOUTS REFERRED BY VARIOUS COMMUNITY AGENCIES. THE PROJECT WAS STAFFED BY SIX REMEDIAL READING TEACHERS, SEVEN COMMUNITY AIDES, AND ONE LIAISON WORKER. INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION USING A VARIETY OF TEACHING MEDIA AND MATERIALS WAS OFFERED. THE EVALUATION IS BASED ON A SAMPLE OF 76 STUDENTS RANGING IN AGE FROM 13 TO 22 YEARS AND ENROLLED IN THE PROJECT FOR AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 60 DAYS. DATA WERE OBTAINED FROM THE GATES READING SURVEY, TWO STAFF QUESTIONNAIRES, TWO RATING SCALES, AND SOME CASE STUDIES. RESULTS SHOW THAT THE SAMPLE STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED REGULARLY MADE SIGNIFICANT GAINS IN READING ABILITY. HOWEVER, HIGH STUDENT TURNOVER RATES AND IRREGULAR ATTENDANCE WERE TYPICAL AMONG ALL THE PARTICIPANTS. THE GREATEST BENEFITS WERE IMPROVEMENT IN READING AND STUDENT ATTITUDES. THE FEATURES OF THE PROGRAM WHICH NEED IMPROVEMENT ARE THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES, THE AVAILABLE TIME FOR TEACHING, STUDENT RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PROCEDURES, MOTIVATION TECHNIQUES, AND POSSIBLE PROJECT EXPANSION. TEACHERS JUDGED THAT ABOUT ONE-FOURTH OF THE STUDENTS SHOWED MARKED IMPROVEMENT IN BASIC SKILLS, AND STUDENTS RATED THE PROGRAM POSITIVELY. (NH)

The Science Curriculum and Assessment Project is a multi-state network of school districts and other educational agencies that actively promotes science improvement through the alignment of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. This document describes the major areas of project work, specifications and review procedures for test items in the project's item collection, available products, and membership benefits. Appendices include: (1) an inventory of test items by goal and grade level; (2) a list of science concepts and processes; (3) criteria for eliminating ethnic, racial, gender, and sex role bias from tests; (4) pointers on how to write good test items; (5) a list of the characteristics of a high-quality multiple choice test item; and (6) membership forms. (CW)

A study was conducted for the purpose of clarifying decision alternatives concerning computer-assisted instruction (CAI) in the Merrill Library at Utah State University. The main research questions were: (1) To what extent is the CAI system in use at present? (2) What factors have encouraged or hindered CAI usage? (3) How do people feel about the system? (4) What alternative approaches are available and how feasible are they? To obtain answers to these questions a series of four questionnaires were used to poll students, library staff, faculty users, and prospective users. With the exception of a portion of the library staff, feelings expressed about the CAI system were generally positive. Negative feelings encountered were due to mechanical difficulties. The interview sessions are summarized; the results of a cost-effectiveness study are presented; and recommendations are made for future CAI use at Merrill Library. It is concluded that the CAI system appears to have considerable support from users and is in a position--through anticipated expansion of terminal usage--to demonstrate a level of operation that is more cost-efficient than has previously been the case. A simplified glossary for CAI, a brief bibliography, and the questionnaires used in the study conclude the report. (Author/KKC)

The need for ongoing evaluation of physical education programs in the context of the total school curriculum is discussed, and the following objectives of physical education are identified: 1) development of attitudes toward physical activity based on individual student needs; 2) experience in physical ability; 3) knowledge about physical ability; 4) understanding the role of physical activity in society; and 5) knowledge about the connection between physical activity and learning processes. A model evaluation instrument based on these criteria is presented which integrates teacher evaluation, students' self-evaluation, and peer evaluation. Emphasis is placed on evaluation of students on an individual basis. (JD)

This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of textbook and lecture methods of instruction on student achievement during 10 days of an introductory psychology course. The 48 subjects were randomly assigned to four treatment groups. The same examination was given as pretest and as post-test. The test was concerned with recall of factual data, application of analytical skills, and the use of inductive and deductive reasoning. An analysis of variance of the post-test scores showed that receiving the lecture contributed significantly to student achievement. A reference group of 48 students was randomly divided to determine the effect of pretesting. A t test indicated that receiving the pretest contributed to student achievement on the post-test. [Not available in hard copy due to marginal legibility of original document.] (Author/MS)

Operation RISE (Recreation-Instruction-Service-Enrichment) was an ESEA Title I Program comprised of services to 660 (from grades 11-12) educationally disadvantaged elementary and secondary school students of Medford, Massachusetts during a six-week period in the summer of 1969. In this period each student was given remedial instruction in the areas of his previously assessed needs. Specifically, field trips to local places of educational renown and to industrial sites and other places of special interest were fostered. The specific objectives of the project included the following: provision of culturally enriching experiences that the disadvantaged could not afford; provision of remedial instruction at no cost to the student; provision of meaningful summer experiences toward personal growth of the student; encouragement of active family participation in the child's school experience; establishment of positive health attitudes; encouragement of children with special interests and talents to pursue their inclinations; provision of teachers with inservice experience in dealing with this type of student; encouragement of positive mental attitudes toward school; and, establishment of vocational on-the-job training for high school students. [Not available in hard copy due to marginal legibility of original document.] (RJ)

Dissatisfied with results of traditional language instruction at the university level, the German department at the University of California at Berkeley developed an individualized program for introductory German courses. The author discusses the rationale of the program, problems in curriculum development, teacher recruitment, and student attitudes. Several charts, illustrating the success of the program, are included: (1) enrollment in individualized instruction, basic course, reading emphasis, and totals from 1970 through 1972; (2) average numbers of students per instructor; (3) teaching schedule for German 14; (4) testing schedule for German 14; (5) student record; and (6) average number of quarter units achieved per student. (RL)

Workshops sponsored by the Ohio Modern Language Teachers' Association (OMLTA) are described and information about organizing OMLTA workshops is provided. Specifically, guidelines are given on: policies, the local workshop director's responsibilities, selecting consultants, site selection, luncheon arrangements, and publicity. The workshops by title are as follows: "Creative Personalization,""Effective Use of Visual Materials in Foreign Language Teaching,""Games in the FL Classroom,""Individualized Instruction,""Making FL Relevant through Career Education,""Putting Language in its Place -- Teaching Culture in the Classroom,""Real Communication,""Teaching English as a Second Language,""Teaching Metrics: An Integral Part of Foreign Language Culture,""Small Group Activities in the FL Classroom,""The Living Classroom," and "Working Effectively with Your Student Teacher." A short description of each workshop is given. Four sample forms are attached, for the local workshop director's report, the workshop proposal, participant evaluation and consultant's expenses. (SW)

Training is a technical term, applicable to interventions that result in a performance outcome, however, the term is often used inappropriately to elevate conglomerations of content to training status even though no performance improvement results, or is ever likely to result. Myths about evaluation, that it is optional, or too expensive, or somehow unfair to learners (all false statements) persist because of a lack of competence in evaluation skills on the part of a majority of practitioners. Actually, evaluation is a critical component in effective and efficient (and therefore cheap in total cost) training, and it is unfair to learners to expect performance improvement on the job unless the training has been proven through rigorous evaluation. The current rates of change in both technical and non-technical arenas, as well as a slowing economy and tightening budgets contribute to a reality where fewer and fewer people can afford to throw away hours of instruction or training on non-functional conglomerations of content. Rigorous, full evaluation is simply not optional for Instructional Technology professionals. (Contains 15 references.) (Author/AEF)

Training is a technical term, applicable to interventions that result in a performance outcome, however, the term is often used inappropriately to elevate conglomerations of content to training status even though no performance improvement results, or is ever likely to result. Myths about evaluation, that it is optional, or too expensive, or somehow unfair to learners (all false statements) persist because of a lack of competence in evaluation skills on the part of a majority of practitioners. Actually, evaluation is a critical component in effective and efficient (and therefore cheap in total cost) training, and it is unfair to learners to expect performance improvement on the job unless the training has been proven through rigorous evaluation. The current rates of change in both technical and non-technical arenas, as well as a slowing economy and tightening budgets contribute to a reality where fewer and fewer people can afford to throw away hours of instruction or training on non-functional conglomerations of content. Rigorous, full evaluation is simply not optional for Instructional Technology professionals. (Contains 15 references.) (Author/AEF)

The Naval Training Systems Center is conducting research to produce human factors guidelines for the design and evaluation of computer-based training systems. The first product of this research effort, reported here, is a set of draft guidelines, with accompanying references, for the design of CAI. These guidelines were derived from literature reviews, existing guidelines and standards, and empirical and theoretical research pertaining to CAI and the UCI. Special attention has been given to information-processing theory which focuses on the cognitive demands placed upon an operator of a computer system. The guidelines presented in this report are organized aaccording to a set of human-computer dialogue principles proposed by Williges and Williges (1984) and are formated as the CAI Evaluation Checklist. The checklist format was chosen to examine its potential for evaluating the interaction of as student with a computer. Additional research will be conducted to validate the instrument's ability to predict the training effectiveness of CAI. Future research will examine the checklist's ability to measure the quality of CAI courseware and hardware, in terms of how well a system displays information, how easy it is for students to operate a system, and how well athe CAI capitalizes on the advantages of the computer as a training medium.

This report grew out of an effort by the Consortium for Policy Research in Education's (CPRE's) Center on Continual Instructional Improvement (CCII) to extend its evaluation of the usefulness of the concept of "Learning Progressions" for the fields of mathematics and science education, to include literacy teaching and learning. Herein, the authors offer a relatively simple graphic model describing how literate communication seems to work, in order to identify the functions or the dimensions along which change and improvement might be observed as students become more effective and sophisticated in using the tools of literate communication. They go on to consider whether the idea of progressions is relevant to understanding this learning, and, if so, what that implies for instruction. Finally, they offer suggestions about what thinking about literate communication in this way may imply more generally for instruction, for education policy, and for assessment. [Additional funding for this research was provided by Pearson Educational Foundation. This document is a reissue of the May 2017 CPRE Research Report RR 2017-2 under the same title.]

Data from a total of 6,726 evaluation forms collected over three terms supplied information concerning instructors and courses. Items on the evaluation forms were separated into five factors. The variance-covariance matrix of these factors for each class was compared with the combined variance-covariance matrix of the other classes taught by the instructor. It was also compared with the combined variance-covariance matrix of other sections of the same course taught by different instructors. In most cases, the variance-covariance matrix for a given class resembled the combined variance-covariance matrix of other classes taught by the instructor. (Author)

This study attempted to provide insight into the condition of one Mississippi school district that has engaged in a comprehensive effort toward instructional improvement centering around performance task instruction by examining how teaching with performance units affects several aspects of the instructional program. In the district studied, the Program of Research and Evaluation for Public Schools (PREPS) Integrated Assessment module of staff development, developed by curriculum specialists working with the Mississippi State Department of Education and a representative of the Riverside Publishing Company, was used to train teachers in performance unit construction and teaching strategies. Student achievement data show that when mathematics performance assessment scores and language performance scores are analyzed separately, the hypothesis that performance task instruction would increase scores was not supported. When total performance scores are analyzed, there is a significant improvement in scores for 1999 over those of 1998. Data do not show a relationship between performance assessment scores and core battery scores. Teachers indicated that performance-based instruction and assessment had improved their own performance and student performance overall. The school district has continued its commitment to performance-based instruction and assessment. (Contains 17 references.) (SLD)

The primary thesis of the "audread" model of language development is that children in a literate society first learn to think, then they learn to communicate and receive thoughts through oral language, and then they learn to communicate through written language (graphic representations). Four projects based on concepts from the audread model are an experimental evaluation of the extent to which first grade students learn to read their own and their peers' spoken language, the development of an experimental test for measuring adults' auding/reading comprehension abilities (decoding skills), a program designed to improve the oracy skills of primary school children, and a job-related literacy training program for adults. Analysis of these projects shows how the audread model affects them first by suggesting relationships among skills to be explored, and then by constraining the decisions related to content, sequence, and modality in evaluation and instruction. (A transcript of the discussion following presentation of the paper is included.) (Author/RL)

Cost data were collected from a study on the effectiveness of computer assisted instruction (CAI) for culturally disadvantaged children in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Based upon the resource ingredients approach to measuring costs, it was found that up to three daily 10-minute sessions of drill and practice could be provided for each child within the present allocation of funds from Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. If the computer system were shared between two schools, the higher costs would permit only two daily sessions. Costs were also estimated for a more advanced CAI system, and were found to be in the same range, probably because the costs of software do not decline with more advanced technology. (Author/BK)

The School of Systems and Logistics is responsible for providing graduate and professional continuing education (PCE) to the Air Force and, in selected areas, to the Department of Defense (DoD). Neither the facilities nor the manpower, however, has been available to meet the demand for the continuing education program. As a result, AFIT implemented a telephonic educational delivery system to help provide the quantity of education necessary to prevent backlogs. the purpose of this study was to evaluate the learning effectiveness of TEDS versus nonTEDS instruction and the degree of TEDS acceptance by students and instructors. Based on an evaluation of three offerings of Systems Program Management, the author concluded that TEDS did not adversely effect learning, the majority of TEDS students considered TEDS acceptable, and instructors presented no clear consensus on TEDS acceptance.

Some special problems associated with evaluating intelligent computer-assisted instruction (ICAI) programs are addressed. This paper intends to describe alternative approaches to the assessment and improvement of such applications and to provide examples of efforts undertaken and shortfalls. Issues discussed stem chiefly from the technical demands of the artificial intelligence field, which have tended to limit most evaluation efforts to first-party evaluation by project staff. ICAI evaluation should make use of a range of formative (e.g., componential analysis) and summative (e.g., cost analysis) evaluation methods with multiple criterion measures. Standardized tests have not proved sensitive enough in this area; domain-referenced tests are especially well suited to ICAI, because their success depends on experts' care in constructing detailed specifications of the knowledge domain. Individual differences in students' intelligence, cognitive styles, and state anxiety should also be considered. As evaluators sharpen their goals, they will be able to select the most relevant data to collect, and present useful instructional options. Special recommendations for ICAI evaluation include: (1) developing an expectation of evaluation; (2) rewarding evaluation participation; (3) increasing credibility of the evaluating team by encouraging expert participation; (4) adapting evaluation to specific features of ICAI development; (5) performing componential analysis of software under development; and (6) maintaining both a responsible and responsive approach. (LPG)

We assessed the effects of reinforcement and no reinforcement for compliance to high-probability (high-p) instructions on compliance to low-probability (low-p) instructions using a reversal design. For both participants, compliance with the low-p instruction increased only when compliance with high-p instructions was followed by reinforcement. These results suggest that providing reinforcement for high-p instructions may result in increased compliance to low-p instructions. (Contains 1 figure.)

The study presents an evaluation of the SI program in five engineering programs within the Faculty of Engineering (LTH) based on data from questionnaires to SI participants and SI-Leaders, credits taken by the students during the first year, and average grade data from high school for the first year students. The results show that participation in SI sessions markedly improves the chances of student success in studies during the first year. Furthermore, there are clear indications that the SI program creates a positive social introduction to engineering studies. The SI sessions also improve the participants' study techniques and develop common skills important for the engineer, such as problem solving, group work, and presenting/discussing results.

This book chapter provides a checklist of various considerations related to the development and evaluation of community-based instruction for children with disabilities. The checklist is designed to serve as an organizational framework for persons wishing to make systematic decisions regarding the establishment of a community-based instructional program or to guide the evaluation of such a program. The checklist is not designed to be used as a rating instrument, as there are no universally acceptable criteria for evaluating the items on the list. The checklist covers: (1) selection, preparation, and management of instructional environments; (2) environmental inventories; (3) administrative considerations such as legal, financial, policy, type and training of personnel, and personnel roles; (4) transportation; (5) program goals, objectives, and IEPs (individualized education plans); (6) social validation; (7) instructional factors such as delivery, grouping, and scheduling methods; and (8) reinforcement and correction. (11 references) (JDD)

This evaluation of the 1989-90 Bilingual Resource Instruction for the Development of Gainful Employment Skills (Project BRIDGES) in New York City found that the program met most of its objectives. Project BRIDGES, funded under Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, provides the following services to at-risk limited-English-proficient (LEP) students: (1) English as a Second Language (ESL); (2) native language arts (NLA); (3) bilingual content area subjects; and (4) vocational education. The project also included curriculum development, ESL instruction for parents, and opportunities for staff to attend workshops and college courses. Evaluation information included student performance on the Language Assessment Battery (LAB) and attendance and dropout rates. The following conclusions are presented: (1) the project met its objectives for native language arts, bilingual content area subject instruction, attendance, and vocational education; (2) the project partially met its English as a Second Language and dropout prevention objectives; and (3) the project's strength was the provision of individualized instruction and vocational support services. Statistical data are presented in three tables. (FMW)

Data were collected on 80 diverse items concerning student perceptions of teaching for a representative sample of 189 classes at a large university. The items were subdivided by type of focus into four categories: course content, objectives, and structure; instructor's behavior; instructional methods and materials; outcomes of instruction. The research investigated the interactions between type of item and student, course, and instructor characteristics such as degree of difference between actual and expected grades, instructor's highest degree earned and type of graduating institution, and cognitive complexity of the course. Test items used are included in the appendix. (Author/DEP)

Math in Common® (MiC) is a five-year initiative that supports a formal network of 10 California school districts as they implement the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics (CCSS-M) across grades K-8. In spring 2015, WestEd administered surveys to understand the perspectives on Common Core State Standards-Mathematics (CCSS-M) implementation of teachers and administrators in eight California school districts participating in the Math in Common (MiC) initiative. Over 1,000 respondents replied to the survey, about some of the initial successes and challenges facing California educators attempting to put in place and support new--and what some consider revolutionary--ideas in U.S. mathematics education. The following are appended: (1) Research Methodology and Survey Sample, and (2) Sample Survey Item and Sub-Items.

The Assessment-to-Instruction (A2i) Professional Support System has been shown to be effective in improving literacy proficiency among young readers by combining data-driven technology with professional development (PD) activities to help teachers provide personalized literacy instruction. To identify efficient ways to expand the reach of A2i, this study uses a school-level randomized controlled trial design to assess the relative effectiveness of two PD models in implementing A2i and improving student literacy achievement. Fifty-nine schools in 20 school districts were randomly assigned to either a mixed-mode PD delivery model that combines in-person and virtual PD activities or a face-to-face model that is tested and resource-intensive. A cohort of 4,733 first-graders in these schools was followed and their reading achievement tracked for three years. Due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the full implementation of A2i was not realized during the study period. As a result, while student achievement in reading was similar in mixed-mode and face-to-face schools across all three study years, such results might not reflect the actual relative effectiveness between the two PD models.

Despite positive evidence demonstrating the pedagogical benefits of Text-To-Speech (TTS) synthesisers for second/foreign language learning (Liakin, Cardoso, & Liakina, 2017), there is a need for up-to-date formal evaluations, specifically regarding its potential to promote learning. This study evaluates the voice quality of a TTS system in comparison with a human voice, and examines its pedagogical potential for use in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) setting in terms of speech quality, ability to be understood by L2 users, and potential to focus on a specific language form. EFL learners in Brazil completed four tasks to evaluate the quality of TTS-generated texts. Results suggest that the TTS voice performed equally as well as the human voice in almost every assessment measure, demonstrating a high level of intelligibility and the ability to provide learners with opportunities to notice linguistic forms. [For the complete volume, see ED578177.]

Region One Education Service Center (Region One) was awarded an Investing in Innovation (i3) development grant funded by the Office of Innovation and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education, entitled Project Health Education for ALL (HEAL[superscript 2]). Project HEAL[superscript 2] i3 initiative served a pipeline of high school grades 9 to 12 students in deep South Texas. Region One implemented the Project HEAL[superscript 2] program across three independent school districts (ISDs), also referred to as Local Education Agencies (LEAS), and their 11 high schools. The following include the implementation ISDs: Pharr San Juan Alamo (PSJA) ISD, La Joya ISD, and South Texas ISD. All have worked in cooperation with key partners and the greater surrounding community to implement Project HEAL[superscript 2] in support of students in their high schools, including: Pharr San Juan Alamo ISD's six high schools: PSJA North Early College High School, PSJA Southwest Early College High School, PSJA Early College High School, PSJA Memorial Early College High School, PSJA Thomas Jefferson T-STEM Early College High School, and PSJA Sonia M. Sotomayor Early College High School; La Joya ISD's four high schools: La Joya High School, Palmview High School, Juarez-Lincoln High School, and Thelma Salinas T-STEM Early College High School; and South Texas ISD's one high school: South Texas High School for Health Professions. The goal of Project HEAL[superscript 2] is to increase the Health-integrated (STEM-design) Nursing competencies of low-income and under-represented students, specifically students from minority backgrounds, through creativity, innovation, and engagement activities that promote diversity in education. The study used a three-year, longitudinal, two Cohort quasi-experimental design (QED) to assess the impact of Project HEAL[superscript 2] on students' achievement on: (1) the American College Test (ACT) and (2) a single health education readiness assessment: Health Education Systems Incorporated (HESI) at the end of (Cohort 1 and Cohort 2) program exposure. The ACT outcomes were compared of Project HEAL[superscript 2] students with similar students from the same schools that did not participate in Project HEAL[superscript 2]. For the study, Project HEAL[superscript 2] high school students were matched to comparison high school students at the same school. The HESI outcomes compared Project HEAL[superscript 2] high school students with traditional college-level students who were accepted into the same Nursing (ADN) program and were administered the same HESI assessment but did not participate in Project HEAL[superscript 2]. For the study, Project HEAL[superscript 2] students were matched with traditional ADN nursing program students determined as the comparison students. This study is written to meet What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Group Design Standards with Reservations. While the results of the study indicated there were no apparent group differences comparing all the Project HEAL[superscript 2] treatment group students to all the non-Project HEAL[superscript 2] business-as-usual control students, there were instances where Project HEAL[superscript 2] treatment group students significantly outperformed controls at certain school districts on the ACT outcome. Secondly, the results of the study also indicated that the traditional ADN nursing program students who formed the business-as-usual comparison group reported a higher HESI outcome than the treatment group. The duration of students' exposure to Project HEAL[superscript 2] fidelity of implementation, alignment between Health-integrated (STEM-design) instruction and the HESI (single health education readiness) standardized assessments, and other program-related factors that might have weakened the intervention strength relative to ADN business-as-usual conditions are discussed as possible factors that account for these findings. The report concludes with a discussion and suggestions for future research and implications for education policy. [The report was produced by EGT Institute, Inc.]

Algebra I and General Mathematics courses using tutorial instructional programs under computer control supplemented by "off-line" materials (included in the computer controlled testing) have been developed for a ninth grade student population. This summary report (preliminary reports are EM 011 046 and EM 011 050, and the teacher's manual is EM 011 054) describes the structure of the individually adaptive curriculum, the computer system and the curriculum development. Evaluations involving both normed and non-normed achievement tests suggest that students achieve at least as well with the use of computer assisted instruction as from conventional instruction alone. (EM 011 037 through EM 011 043, EM 011 046, EM 011 047, and EM 011 049 through EM 011 058 are related documents.) (RH)

These two evaluation updates cover segments of the third phase of the Apprenticeship Training Materials Clearinghouse project, which is being conducted at Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon. The first update evaluates activities related to the following project objectives: conduct a field test on clearinghouse services; revise the model according to the evaluations for the field sites; develop mailing lists of institutions, private firms, and organizations that are potential users of apprenticeship materials; develop an information package for dissemination; establish a computerized database; and continue to update and expand the materials resource bank for quality improvement. Information about ONTERIS (the Ontario Education Resources Information System) and database including clearinghouse thesaurus terms pertaining to material type, vendor type, and geographic location is appended. The second update includes evaluations of additional project activities conducted in relation to the objectives discussed in the first update. Appended to the second update are clearinghouse support letters, a related newspaper article, and apprenticeship clearinghouse database printout examples. (MN)

The School of Systems and Logistics is responsible for providing graduate and professional continuing education (PCE) to the Air Force and, in selected areas, to the Department of Defense (DoD). Neither the facilities nor the manpower, however, has been available to meet the demand for the continuing education program. As a result, AFIT implemented a telephonic educational delivery system to help provide the quantity of education necessary to prevent backlogs. the purpose of this study was to evaluate the learning effectiveness of TEDS versus nonTEDS instruction and the degree of TEDS acceptance by students and instructors. Based on an evaluation of three offerings of Systems Program Management, the author concluded that TEDS did not adversely effect learning, the majority of TEDS students considered TEDS acceptable, and instructors presented no clear consensus on TEDS acceptance.

Value judgments play a role in evaluation by determining the anticipated behavioral outcomes, what is measured, techniques for measurement, and decision making. Value judgments are usually faced only at the decision-making stage. Methods to analyze values will hopefully be given more emphasis in future evaluation enterprises. Studies using individual difference data and those evaluating group performance will be necessary to determine the mixture of techniques most appropriate for evaluating a specific instructional system. Studies in the development of cognitive styles and in the conditions under which a specific style is most favorable should also use individual difference data. It is necessary to present the desirability of such studies to administrators and innovators. Related documents are EA 002 406 and EA 002 473. (MLF)

This paper comments on the thesis that cognitive style and affective reaction variables ought to be taken into account in the evaluation of instruction. Observations are expressed as questions relating to cognitive style: Which style is it better for an individual to have? Can cognitive style be adapted to fit a particular learning task? Can it be shaped by another person? How can it be measured? In what way does it aid in estimating gain in the learning efficiency of pupils? Are cognitive styles relatively independent or do they complement one another? The answers to such questions are considered essential before decisions are made regarding the role of cognitive styles in the instructional program. A related document is EA 002 473. (MLF)

Evaluated was grade 6 of a televised arithmetic program, "Patterns in Arithmetic." The major goal was to determine whether or not the technique of item-sampling could be incorporated into a design effective for formative curriculum evaluation. Approximately 60 classes near Madison, Wisconsin, participated in the study. Tests were administered at four times during the year to a random sample of students to provide a profile of performance change. As a result of these tests, changes were made in the television presentations. It was concluded that item-sampling had the following advantages over traditional achievement testing: (1) more detailed information is provided, (2) planning and review are more effective, (3) transient aspects become evident, (4) revision is more effectively accomplished, and (5) it is more economical of time and money. (Author/RS)

Prior to college-level mathematics coursework, students are not routinely provided with the opportunity to engage in the kind of sustained mathematical thinking necessary to solve complex, multistep problems, most likely because of the difficulties that school mathematics teachers face in communicating problem settings and contexts that are motivating and complex, yet ultimately resolvable by students. This paper outlines the theoretical base, development, and preliminary evaluation of anchored instructional environments (videodiscs) being used with middle-grade students to improve mathematical and scientific thinking processes. Discussed are the proactive motivation due to the video-based format including an embedded data design, the de-emphasis on reading due to a familiar narrative format, the discovery-based learning inherent in student-generated problem resolution, the implicitly manageable levels of complexity, and the possibilities for connections across the school curriculum. Initial preinstruction studies on 12 college students and on 12 high-achieving sixth graders induced extremely poor performance results by the sixth graders, which was not surprising both in view of the less than mediocre performance results of the college students, and in light of the realization that students cannot be expected to exhibit skills that have not yet been developed. (25 references) (JJK)

This report evaluated a 2-week summer workshop for 37 teachers, supervisors, and administrators involved in the study and implementation of individualized instruction programs in western New York. After a brief introduction, general objectives and planning procedures of the workshop were presented. Participation selection was based on a questionnaire designed to investigate backgrounds, interests, and attitudes toward individualized instruction. An assessment of this questionnaire resulted in the following areas of study covered in the workshop: overview of individualized instruction; curriculum adjustment for individualized instruction; skills training; objectives and organization of individualized instruction; systems of individualized instruction with emphasis on individually guided education, motivation, grouping, scheduling, assessment, and reporting for individualized instruction. The report presented the daily schedules of the workshop. The resulting success of the workshop was reported in two tables of data on the cognitive mastery level in each content area. The results showed an effective change in cognitive behavior in most of the participants. A post-workshop attitudinal questionnaire revealed that the participants' view of the workshop was highly beneficial. Suggestions for future workshops were made and the participant biographical and attitudinal questionnaires were included. The materials used in the workshop were also presented along with correspondence to the participants. (BRB)

Two instructional methods for a freshman physics course were compared: audio-tutorial (AT) instruction in a learning center and lecture-recitation-laboratory (LRL) instruction. Both random assignment and student preference were used to distribute the 575 students between the two methods. Course content, homework, and tests were identical. Achievement was evaluated by exam grades, adjusted for SAT math scores and math pretest scores. Questionnaires were used to gauge student attitudes toward the course. To determine long range effects of the rwo instructional methods, an analysis was made of the progress of the students, in terms of choice of physics classes, was designed to measure content and behavior under AT and LRL instruction, to show variations between the two methods, and to determine interrelationships among student achievement, student evaluation of teachers, and teacher behavior. Results indicated that AT and LRL lead to similar levels of achievement, but students with low math aptitude did better under AT while high math achievers did better under LRL. The observation instrument is included. (SL)

The School of Systems and Logistics, Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), located at Wright-Patterson OH, is responsible for providing graduate and professional continuing education (PCE) to the Air Force, and in selected interest areas, to the Department of Defense (D0D). Neither the facilities nor the manpower, however, has been available to meet the demand for the continuing education program. As a result AFIT implemented a telephonic educational delivery system to help provide the quantity of education necessary to prevent backlogs. The purpose of this study was to determine (1)if the Teleteach Expanded Delivery System (TEDS) used was as effective educationally as the previous delivery system; (2) if the TEDS was an acceptable mode of learning for both students and instructors; and (3) if the TEDS was less costly on a per student basis than the previous mode. The authors concluded based on an evaluation of one continuing education course, LOG 220, that (1) TEDS is as effective educationally as the previous system; (2) TEDS is more economical on a per student basis than the previous system; and (3) TEDS is acceptable to both students and faculty. (Author)

The School of Systems and Logistics is responsible for providing graduate and professional continuing education (PCE) to the Air Force and, in selected areas, to the Department of Defense (DoD). Neither the facilities nor the manpower, however, has been available to meet the demand for the continuing education program. As a result, AFIT implemented a telephonic educational delivery system to help provide the quantity of education necessary to prevent backlogs. the purpose of this study was to evaluate the learning effectiveness of TEDS versus nonTEDS instruction and the degree of TEDS acceptance by students and instructors. Based on an evaluation of three offerings of Systems Program Management, the author concluded that TEDS did not adversely effect learning, the majority of TEDS students considered TEDS acceptable, and instructors presented no clear consensus on TEDS acceptance.

This report presents findings, after one year of program implementation, from the Evaluation of Enhanced Academic Instruction in After-School Programs--a two-year intervention and random assignment evaluation of adapted models of regular-school-day math and reading instruction in after-school settings for students in grades 2 through 5. This evaluation seeks to determine whether the enhanced after-school instruction improves math or reading proficiency over what students would achieve in regular after-school programs, as measured by test scores. The evaluation also examines the impacts of the enhanced after-school instruction for subgroups of students based on their prior academic performance and grade level. The evaluation seeks to ascertain whether the enhanced after-school instruction affects other in-school academic behavior outcomes, as measured by reports from regular-school-day teachers of student engagement, behavior, and homework completion. (Contains 3 boxes, 51 tables, and 13 figures.)

This study was undertaken to determine the effects of individualized instruction on enrollment, attrition, achievement, and student attitude in a general biology course for non-science majors. Fifteen auto-tutorial minicourses were designed for use in the laboratory part of the course, each consisting of a printed study guide, slide-tape module, laboratory exercise, grade-option activity, objective post-test, and evaluation. Data from the classes receiving conventional instruction during the spring of 1977 were compared to data gathered during the fall semester using auto-tutorial instruction. Results showed that enrollment and student retention were improved using auto-tutorial instruction. Final grades received by the experimental group were significantly higher than those achieved by students in conventional classes. A direct correlation was shown between time spent in the laboratory and final grades. Students' attitudes were positive about auto-tutorial instruction and the minicourses, which were found to be of generally good quality, contributed to the learning of the students. Although no preference for either type instruction was shown by the auto-tutorial students, the students in conventional classes favored that type of instruction. (VT)

The document presents a discussion and evaluation of the training workshop program developed by the Iowa Educational Broadcasting Network and the Iowa State Department of Public Instruction to help teachers incorporate the Bread and Butterflies television series on career development into fourth, fifth, and sixth grade curricula. The Bread and Butterflies series is described as a quality product with extensive training aids, including a comprehensive curriculum guide, individual program analysis, before-viewing readiness plan, program summaries, and suggestions for classroom discussion and activities. Workshop goals included informing teachers of the program and its content, incorporating it into existing curricula throughout Iowa, and fostering a positive teacher attitude. A one-day, inservice, training workshop was developed for 14 regions of Iowa. A group of teacher trainers selected by region from school systems throughout the State received the training and, in turn, provided inservice training to faculties in their respective school systems. Evaluation was made of the teacher training workshops, career development attitude of upper elementary teachers, and cost effectiveness. A detailed discussion of evaluation findings is presented, and tables and figures supplement the material. (LH)

PLATO and TICCIT, two systems of computer-assisted instruction, are analyzed with a view to determining their educational effectiveness. This report presents an overview of how this will be accomplished, in full awareness that the concept of "effectiveness" has been subject to diverse interpretation. To avoid misunderstandings, the concept is given as much prior elaboration and specification as is now possible. The entire context of this evaluation of educational effectiveness will be clarified by the delineation of four essential issues; the what, who, how and when of the evaluation. Together these basic questions form dimensions of the analytical approach to evaluating the educational effectiveness of PLATO and TICCIT. (Author/DEP)