Educational evaluation

In this paper we argue that the use of the communicative theory of Jürgen Habermas in planning theory is problematic because it hampers an understanding of how power shapes planning. We posit an alternative approach based on the power analytics of Michel Foucault which focuses on ‘what is actually done’, as opposed to Habermas’s focus on ‘what should be done’. We discuss how the Foucauldian stance problematises planning, asking difficult questions about the treatment of legitimacy, rationality, knowledge and spatiality. We conclude that Foucault offers a type of analytic planning theory which offers better prospects than does Habermas for those interested in understanding and bringing about democratic social change through planning.

The Aalborg Project may be interpreted as a metaphor of modern politics, modern administration and planning, and of modernity itself. The basic idea of the project was comprehensive, coherent, and innovative, and it was based on rational and democratic argument. During implementation, however, when idea met reality, the play of Machiavellian princes, Nietzschean will to power, and Foucauldian rationality-as-rationalization resulted in the fragmentation of the project.

The conception and practices of the social sciences are largely the product of a century past. We must now ask the question of whether these traditions adequately equip the sciences for dealing with the daunting global problems of today. Placed in particular question is the traditional focus of research on contemporaneous patterns, events, and conditions. In a world of rapid, globally rippling, and unpredictable change, the significance of such research is debatable. Given the perilous conditions of the world, a shift in the practices of social science is proposed, one that places in the vanguard of our pursuit, the active building of viable futures. Such a shift would favor practices of action research, generative theorizing, creating new forms of cultural life, and processbased education.

Principals experience a range of feelings and emotions while practicing social justice leadership with implications on their leadership. This article presents a qualitative case study of an elementary school principal in an urban setting and how she led to create a more inclusive school. Sensemaking theory was applied to examine the principal's experiences leading for social justice and how successes, challenges, and failures influenced her leadership. Findings have implications for theory, future research, and principal selection, preparation, and training.

This review aimed to illustrate the development in the teacher expectation literature and discuss the major avenues of research in the teacher expectation field from 1989 to 2018. Four analytical themes emerged from a narrative synthesis based on a systematic literature search: (1) influential factors on teacher expectations; (2) mediation mechanism of teacher expectations; (3) moderating factors of teacher expectation effects; (4) teacher expectation effects on student socio-psychological, behavioural, and achievement outcomes. On the whole, most studies confirmed earlier research findings regarding the 4 themes, although there were some studies that found results contradicting earlier work. In addition, new research topics and directions raised in the past 3 decades were identified in this review, especially regarding the mediation of teacher expectations and the socio-psychological and behavioural outcomes of the expectation effects. The review concludes with a set of recommendations for future research directions on teacher expectations.

Stephen M. Alessi is an Associate Professor at the University of Iowa, on Psychological and Quantitative Foundations Department. He received his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology form University of Illinois in 1979. His principal research interests are Educational Technology, Multimedia Design, Web-Based Learning and Instructional Simulation. Stephen M. Alessi is an active member of American Educational Research Association, Association for Educational Communications and Technology, European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction and System Dynamics Society.
Stanley R. Trollip is an Associate Professor at Capella University, Minneapolis. His main interests are Higher Education, Educational Assessment and Educational Technology. He has published more than 50 publications on topics like Computer based technology, Education methods and development, Classroom management, Educational Software. Stanley R. Trollip is an active member of American Educational Research Association, Association for Educational Communications and Technology

In this study, the results of ®ve training studies evaluating the effects of a coaching program for use in Dutch primary and secondary schools are described. The coaches involved in these studies were: (1) school counsellors, (2) school principals, (3) mentors of beginning teachers, (4) mentors of teachers-in-training and (5) secondary school teachers. Coaching is a form of inclass support to provide (novice) teachers with feedback on their functioning and thereby stimulate the self-re¯ection and self-analysis needed to improve instructional effectiveness. Based on the pre-and post-training ratings of coaching conferences, a signi®cant treatment effect was found for the coaching skills concerned with the development of autonomy (empowerment), feedback and business-like attitude. The pre-and post-training ratings from the coached teachers themselves showed a signi®cant treatment effect for the coaching skills concerned with the planning of observational data collection. In addition, the teachers coached by trained coaches valued the coaching skills demonstrated signi®cantly more than those teachers coached by untrained coaches. Inspection of the interactions for the adjusted post-test scores revealed different training effects for the ®ve studies.

For over fifty years, successive waves of critique have underscored that the apolitical character of much of Political Science research betrays the founding mission of the discipline to have science serve democracy. The Caucus for a New Political Science was originally based on such a critique, and the Perestroika movement in the discipline included a call for more problem-driven as opposed to theory- or method-driven work that would better connect Political Science research to ongoing political struggles. In recent years, movements for a public Sociology and public Anthropology as well as dissonant movements in Economics and related fields have added to the insistence that social science research was too often disconnected from the real world. Phronetic Social Science has emerged out of the ferment for change in the social sciences, starting with the much-debated book by Bent Flyvbjerg, Making Social Science Matter (Cambridge 2001). Flyvbjerg critiqued the social sciences for mimicking the natural sciences while proposing an alternative approach that focuses research on helping people address the problems they are facing in the context they are facing them. Today, Phronetic Social Science goes beyond the call for an alternative approach to social inquiry and its growing adherents are providing evidence that this alternative approach to doing research can enrich the social sciences by more effectively connecting research to efforts to address real world problems as people experience them. This essay provides a genealogy of efforts to connect Political Science to politics, a review of the major critiques of mainstream research, an explication of the rationale for more problem-driven, mixed methods research, a specification of the key principles of the phronetic approach, and examples of its application in the public realm. The essay concludes with implications for realizing a more political Political Science by way of taking a phronetic approach.

Abstract: This paper is a case study of the emergence of an evaluation culture in the public sector and particularly in education in Ireland over the past three decades. It suggests that the emergence of this culture was strongly influenced by external factors, particularly the European Union (EU), and to a lesser but significant degree, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). It is posited that without these external influences no culture of evaluation would have emerged. It is further suggested that even after three ...

At the same time that case studies are widely used and have produced canonical texts, it may be observed that the case study as a methodology is generally held in low regard, or is simply ignored, within the academy. For example, only 2 of the 30 top-ranked U.S. graduate programs in political science require a dedicated graduate course in case study or qualitative methods, and a full third of these programs do not even offer such a course. In contrast, all of the top 30 programs offer courses in quantitative methods and almost all of them require training in such methods, often several courses. In identifying this paradox of the case study’s wide use and low regard, Gerring rightly remarks that the case study survives in a “curious methodological limbo,” and that the reason is that the method is poorly understood. In what follows, we will try to resolve Gerring’s paradox and help case study research gain wider use and acceptance.

Unconscious mental processes (such as the automatic activation of racial stereotypes) can lead to such phenomena as negative pygmalion effects and stereotype threat, both of which directly interfere with black students' academic success, thus widening the racial achievement gap. Because stereotype activation occurs automatically and outside of conscious awareness, there is the disturbing possibility that nothing can be done to fully mitigate its harmful effects. It is proposed, however, on the basis of recent cross-disciplinary research, that by expending deliberate effort along the personal, instructional, and environmental dimensions, conscientious teachers can counteract these effects and help close the achievement gap.

This article examines five common misunderstandings about case-study research: (a) theoretical knowledge is more valuable than practical knowledge; (b) one cannot generalize from a single case, therefore, the single-case study cannot contribute to scientific development; (c) the case study is most useful for generating hypotheses, whereas other methods are more suitable for hypotheses testing and theory building; (d) the case study contains a bias toward verification; and (e) it is often difficult to summarize specific case studies. This article explains and corrects these misunderstandings one by one and concludes with the Kuhnian insight that a scientific discipline without a large number of thoroughly executed case studies is a discipline without systematic production of exemplars, and a discipline without exemplars is an ineffective one. Social science may be strengthened by the execution of a greater number of good case studies.

Background. While oral language seems crucial to written language development there has been relatively little research on explicit links between the two.
Aims. This paper reviews and explores the links between oral language skills and the development of writing with particular reference to children with specific language impairment (SLI).
Arguments. Children with SLI are poor at writing and we review evidence from our own and others work showing how oral language and oral vocabulary skills, in particular, are closely associated with written language production in this population. We detail a set of longitudinal analyses showing close relationships between oral language, writing, and other literacy related skills.
Conclusions. We conclude that oral language skill does constrain the development of writing. Children with SLI are very poor at writing. Whether this is due to their general language level or a problem in a specific area such as vocabulary, grammar, or spelling remains to be seen.
We discuss the implications for educational provision of this set of research findings.

This replication study continued the examination of the psychometric properties of the Foundation Practice Self-Efficacy scale (FPSE) with a sample of MSW students. As in the original study, evidence was found regarding the reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change of this measure. First, internal reliability estimates for the FPSE all exceeded .95. Second, in terms of validity, the large positive correlation
that had been predicted between the FPSE and the Social Work Empowerment scale was observed. Third, the amount of change in students' FPSE total scale scores between pretest and posttest was statistically significant.

Nearly half of all students receiving special education services are identified as students with a specific learning disability (SLD; National Center for Learning Disabilities [NCLD], 2014). The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires evaluation teams to analyze multiple data to determine if a student qualifies for special education services. In accordance with the federal law, a student must be observed in the regular classroom setting, and a description of the relationship between the behavior and academic functioning must be noted in a written Full and Individual Evaluation (FIE) report. Discussed in this article are recommendations and practical strategies related to conducting and documenting classroom observations that may be used by educational diagnosticians and other assessment professionals in an SLD evaluation.

Based on different language systems and educational practices of their respective countries, hypotheses were made regarding how 15-year-old students from Shanghai-China and the US might differ in the 5 reading subskills designated in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) when they have the same overall reading ability (i.e., when their overall reading ability is controlled for). A multilevel analysis was conducted to test the hypotheses using the PISA 2009 reading dataset. When we controlled for students' overall reading ability, individual socioeconomic status (SES), and school mean SES, Shanghai-Chinese students performed significantly better in integrating and interpreting than US students. Further, when we controlled for students' overall reading ability and school mean SES, US students showed significantly higher performance in reading non-continuous texts than Shanghai-Chinese students, whereas US students showed significantly lower performance in reading continuous texts. The results of this study can inform reading instruction and learning in the 2 countries.

This study explores the role of Non-formal Primary Education (NFPE) in improving the quality of the life of underprivileged children in Bangladesh considering their economic, health, environmental issues and life skills. It uses a mixed method approach of research where three NGOs which run NFPE programs were selected purposefully. Data were derived from six NGO officers, nine teachers, ninety students and eighteen guardians by using two sets of questionnaires for NGO officers and teachers, an interview schedule for guardians and 9 focus group discussions with the students. The findings show that there is no income generating program initiated by the organizations for the learners along with education. So, the scope of their income has reduced. But their daily life behavior and skills have improved. Besides, their awareness on health and environmental issues have increased. The findings lead to some recommendations which will give insights to policy makers and professionals engaged in this field.

This article is devoted to the organization of the educational process according to the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) introduced as part of the Bologna process in Russia’s higher educational institutions. The authors share their specific practical experience, accumulated by the Chair of Sociology at the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (PFUR) during the decade of training specialists for bachelor’s and master’s degrees according to the new credit system, questions are raised over reaching high-quality education in the conditions of higher educational institutions’ innovative activities in line with the credit transfer system.

Nearly 40% of all students receiving special education services are identified as students with a specific learning disability (SLD; US Department of Education, 2018). The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) requires evaluation teams to analyze multiple sources of data to determine if a student qualifies for special education services. In accordance with the federal law, a student must be observed in the regular classroom setting, and a description of the relationship between the behavior and academic functioning must be noted in a written Full and Individual Evaluation (FIE) report. Discussed in this article are recommendations and practical strategies related to conducting and documenting classroom observations that may be used by educational diagnosticians and other assessment professionals
in an SLD evaluation. 
Keywords:  Specific Learning Disability, SLD, learning disabilities, evaluation, classroom observation

The transition to adulthood has changed considerably in the past two decades. While for many young people from previous generations (full-time) education finished with the end of compulsory schooling, now for most young people the transition to work has become longer, as a large majority stay on after 16 and a substantial minority move into higher education. The education and training options available to young people are also wider than ever before, with a range of academic and vocational routes now available at different levels. ...

The purpose of the present chapter is to demonstrate how social scientists may engage with mass media to have their research impact public deliberation, policy and practice. Communicating research to practice is part and parcel of applied phronesis and not something external to it. Even in Aristotle's original definition of phronesis, laid down more than two millennia ago, the knowledge–action relationship is clear. A defining characteristic of phronesis is, in Aristotle's words, that it is ‘reason capable of action’ (The Nicomachean Ethics, 1976: Bk VI, 1140a24–1140b12). Phronetic research results (‘reason’) are therefore results only to the extent they have an impact on practice (‘action’). In public affairs, reason is made capable of action by effectively having reason enter the public sphere and public deliberation. It is reason times exposure in the public sphere that matters, not reason alone. Today, mass media dominate the public sphere in liberal democracies. The relationship of research with media therefore needs to be reflected. However, to my knowledge no study exists that describes in detail this aspect of phronetic research. Even in social science as a whole, studies of how scholars work with mass media to secure public impact of their research seem rare (Bagdikian 2004; McCombs 2004; Bryant and Oliver 2009). This, then, is the purpose of the present chapter: to begin to close this gap in our knowledge of social science and phronesis. Because the field is underexplored, it was found to be prudent to start with a phenomenological case study. The study shows how a group of phronetic social scientists, including the author, engaged with media, including world-leading titles such as The New York Times, in order to place their research results on the public agenda and initiate change in their chosen field of interest: megaproject policy and management.

Persistence in remediation as preparation for higher education continues at less than 50%. Self-efficacy may be a barrier to successful academic preparation. This study at a non-profit adult education site examined a relationship between general selfefficacy and academic self-efficacy and persistence. The survey data (N=75) indicated there was no significant correlation between the demographic characteristics and general self-efficacy, academic confidence, motivation, or persistence, but there was a significant correlation between general self-efficacy and academic confidence (r=.56, r 2 =.32, p<.001). These findings may contribute to practice in the area of adult remediation in preparation for higher education and employment skills training. Study Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between self-efficacy and persistence in adult remedial education. Addressing barriers that inhibit persistence has been a recurring strategy focused on issues such as academic readiness, financial aid, child care, and employment (Long & Kurlaender, 2009). Even when these barriers are mitigated, a large percentage of remediating adults do not persist in their course of preparation. This study sought to determine if lack of self-efficacy was a barrier to persistence. Literature Review

Research Purpose: As the need for quality after school care for school-age children grows, so does the need for a tool to measure the quality of after school programs. This study uses existing literature to develop a practical ideal type for after school programs. The model is then used to asses The Eastside Story; a program in Austin, Texas. Recommendations to improve of The Eastside Story program are drawn from the assessment.

Methodology: A thorough examination of literature pertaining to after school programs reveals five primary components of quality programs: strategic planning, partnership elements, staff elements, effective program practices, and child-centered location. Utilizing the case study research method, these five components are used to assess the Eastside Story program. The data collection methodologies in this case study include document analysis, structured interviews, and direct observation.

Results: The results of the case study illustrate Eastside Story's strengths and weaknesses. While current level of strategic planning at The Eastside Story fails to meet the criteria set in the practical ideal type, the criteria was met or exceeded for effective program practices and staff elements. Room for improvement within the partnership elements component was also identified.

ASSESSMENT Assessment is a systematic process of gathering information about what a student knows, is able to do, and is learning to do. Assessment information provides the foundation for decision-making and planning for instruction and learning. Assessment is an integral part of instruction that enhances, empowers, and celebrates student learning. Using a variety of assessment techniques, teachers gather information about what students know and are able to do, and provide positive, supportive feedback to students. They also use this information to diagnose individual needs and to improve their instructional programs, which in turn helps students learn more effectively. Assessment must be considered during the planning stage of instruction when learning outcomes and teaching methods are being targeted. It is a continuous activity, not something to be dealt with only at the end of a unit of study. Students should be made aware of the expected outcomes of the course and the procedures to be used in assessing performance relative to the learning outcomes. Students can gradually become more actively involved in the assessment process in order to develop lifelong learning skills. Evaluation refers to the decision making which follows assessment. Evaluation is a judgment regarding the quality, value, or worth of

The main aim of the present study was to find out the effects of depression on students' academic performance. The proposed study was descriptive in nature. The target population of the study was comprised of all Govt. Colleges Women of city Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Students studying in second year class were selected through simple random sampling technique. Two questionnaires were used for data collection. Depression Screening Test by Ivan Goldberg was used for measuring the level of depression and to find out the effects of depression on student’s academic performance “Academic Performance Rating Scale” (APRS) for teachers was administered to take teachers’ responses about students and students academic record was taken out from respective institutions. Data was analyzed by using Chi-Square and paired sample t test. The result showed that there is negative effect of depression on student’s academic performance whereas there is a significance difference between the academic performance of the students having low, medium and high level depression.

ABSTRACT

This study examines the impact of crude oil export on economic growth in Nigeria (1970-2010). Time series data were employed through the use of Ordinary Least Square (OLS) estimation techniques. Our finding reveals that there exists a negative relationship between growth rate of RGDP and growth rate of crude oil export revenue in Nigeria, with coefficients value of 0.79. Crude oil export has a negative not significant coefficient value of -0.065 with RGDP growth. Overall, the Durbin-Watson value of 2.4 shows the presence of no auto-correlation from the regression results with R2 value of 0.76. Also, the F-test (31.66) of the model jointly revealed that the entire explanatory variable were highly statistically significant at all level with a probability value of 0.0000. Therefore, this study concluded that there is a negative relationship between crude oil export and economic growth in Nigeria; as most of the revenue gains are loss to corruption menace in the country and thus, recommend that diversification of the economy is a crucial step towards development and that corruption in the system should be reduced to the minimum.

Evaluation plays an increasingly important role in the quality-driven context of higher education. Projects that focus on learning and teaching often have evaluation expected of them, however, there is little evidence on the effectiveness of approaches nor the extent to which the praxis of evaluation is achieved. To illustrate this phenomenon, project funding and evaluation expectations are reviewed and the resulting analysis of the literature identifies eight emergent themes. Two overarching factors that unite these themes are time (or lack of it) and participation, leading to six issues for evaluation practice. Alignment of evaluation theory with practice requires focused attention if the maximum benefits of evaluation for the project processes are to be achieved.

A simple analysis of papers submitted in current educational research journals shows that educational researchers shy away from representing the results of their research in quantitative forms. Qualitative approaches have long dominated the field of education. This is because the usual quantitative methods fail to reflect the important qualitative aspects of effective and efficient educational practice. The main reason is the error of isomorphism prevail the quantitative operations applied in data analyses. Statistical or mathematical research methods in education must also comply with the same genuine scientific measurement principles as in the other disciplines. This doesn’t mean that researchers may be insensitive to the essential qualitative aspects of high-quality educational research. Shortly quantity does not alternate or replace quality. Quality is not the antonym of but just the conjugate of quality.

Higher order thinking skills are essential for the 21 st century youth and the workforce. There is however, concern on the extent to which various teaching practices enhance these skills in the secondary school student in Cameroon. The study therefore examined the influence of teaching practices on higher order thinking skills on secondary school students in the North West Region of Cameroon. Three hypotheses sought to examine whether teaching methods, teaching learning materials and assessment activities influenced higher order thinking skills among secondary school students in the North West region of Cameroon. The study was a descriptive survey and data were collected using a questionnaire and an observation guide. The sample consisted of 320 students. Data were analyzed inferentially using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation. Findings revealed that teaching practices influence higher order thinking skills in secondary school students in the North West region of Cameroon only to a small extent. Specifically, teaching methods influence higher order thinking skills but assessment activities, and teaching learning materials do not influence higher order thinking skills. Based on the findings, recommendations are discussed.

The presence of research in one's life is recognized to be important for fostering education and well-being. Through research, the value of man's life has improved from conservative to modern. Hence, life becomes not only meaningful but inspiring as well. Qualitative research has supplied rich data about the passion and commitment in teaching research for various cultures, populations, and activities, but to-date, there has not been a systematic review to identify if general patterns of passion and commitment exist in teaching research. By following a structure synthesis approach to qualitative meta-synthesis, the current exploratory study examined subjective experiences associated with teaching research to discover elements of the passion and commitment of research. Four higher-order themes were revealed; research methods teaching in general, research empowerment, attitudes, and self-efficacy. Complex interconnections between themes also arose and are discussed.

E-learning is sector which attracts increasing attention in corporate environments both in the world and in Turkey. Especially, as a result of the recent economical crisis, it is
reported that, companies’ preference in e-learning has increased, in spite of the reduced educational budgets in Turkey (Aktay, 2010). To be able to catch up in the competitive
work environment, increasing employee performance is vital. E-learning provided by the organizations is perceived as a necessary component in order to increase the employee performance (Alcántar, Borders and Bichelmeyer, 2006). On the other hand, whether the efforts spent in e-learning meets the expectations is still a debate. Henry (2001) asks the main question: “What is it that e-learning actually does and how can it add value in response to real business problems and challenges?” (p.249). The current article discusses the management and evaluation of e-learning programs in corporate
environment in Turkey on the grounds of experiences of Enocta in the sector.

Whereas educational research has provided evidence that students' characteristics affect their performance, at this stage little is known about which characteristics influence their learning processes and achievement in religious education. This article looks into characteristics that influence students' cognitive achievement in religious education on the basis of an educational intervention involving religious and other stories and everyday experiences of present-day students. They include characteristics stemming from experience of earlier learning practices at school, as well as given characteristics such as age, gender, and involvement in religious communities. The research group comprises 257 Grade 5 and 6 primary school students.

The aim of the current study was to evaluate the relation of early
childhood education global quality with children outcomes in the
Greek early childhood education settings. Quality was assessed by the
Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R), whereas
the Utrecht Early Math Competence Scale and Concepts About Print
Scale were used to measure child outcomes. The sample of the
current study was 51 Greek early childhood classrooms and 402
children (202 boys and 200 girls) attending these classrooms. Results
indicated that quality, measured by the ECERS-R, is significantly related
to children outcomes, such as early mathematical skills and knowledge
about print. The global quality measured by the ECERS-R is related to
child outcomes; however, more studies will be needed to fully
investigate the role of global quality in facilitating children’s cognitive
development. Implications of the study’s results at national and
international levels were also discussed.

This report presents four propositions to accelerate transformation in Australia’s schools. Summary In November 2013, the Mitchell Institute hosted a policy forum titled New approaches to persistent problems attended by approximately 100 of Australia’s leading educators, researchers, policy makers and leaders. The discussion was chaired by Mark Burford, Executive Director of the Mitchell Institute and led by an expert panel comprising: Kathryn Greiner, member of the 2010 Commonwealth Government’s Schools Funding Review Panel; Professor John Hattie, Director of the Melbourne Education Research Institute at the University of Melbourne; Dr Lisa O’Brien, CEO of The Smith Family; and Dr Yong Zhao, Professor in the College of Education at the University of Oregon. The forum report, New approaches to persistent problems in Australia’s schools, outlines the key themes and discussions that emerged during the forum and presents four propositions to accelerate transformation in Australia’s sch...

It is not possible to plan for effective education of Physics-related Professionals and obtain successful results without concurrent planning of a qualitative education of the teachers. That of the associated teachers must accompany any consideration for a desirable education of a group of persons in an area of academic discipline. This paper examined the understanding of qualitative education of physics teachers for the various levels of Physics teaching. The current structure of Physics teacher education programmes is discussed. The impacts of the current structure on the present system of education are x-rayed as issues of concern. A translation of the issues into working ideas for qualitative education of teachers of Physics and Physics-related professionals formed the main thrust of this paper. In conclusion, the education of the Physics teacher, which would lead to the desired development in related academic discipline, is a possibility, when the content of the teacher education curriculum is planned along with the same goals.

As educational leaders focus on strategies for improving student learning, new initiatives are being implemented that reorganize the structure of schools. This study evaluated a school district-wide Strategic Staffing Initiative (SSI) that paid school personnel to transfer to low-performing schools. Three different stakeholder groups, including principals who transferred to low-performing schools (N = 9), staff who received bonuses for working in the low-performing schools (N = 32), and other staff members in the school who did not receive additional pay (N = 91) responded to a survey about the effectiveness of the SSI. The findings suggest that the SSI had inconsistent outcomes. SSI had a positive impact on student achievement and increased the number of effective teachers in the schools, but principals reported that more high quality staff was needed to make a long-term impact on student achievement. Implications and reform policies for educational leaders are discussed.

In order for novice evaluators to gauge the success of their evaluations, the ability to identify and recognize indicators of buy-in is an essential skill. While much is written in the evaluation literature about strategies to build buy-in, the indicators of buy-in are largely overlooked. This article shares strategies used for building buy-in from a multi-state evaluation of cardiac care. Indicators of the success of these strategies are then shared with an emphasis on simple, unobtrusive, robust measures that novice evaluators can use to assess stakeholder engagement and responsiveness. Four indicators of buy-in include: timeliness to evaluation team requests; quality and quantity of feedback received; interaction with decision-makers; and investment of in-kind contributions. Awareness of these indicators can boost confidence and authority for students who are new to the field of evaluation. A tracking tool is also showcased which serves as a systematic, responsive prompt to monitor buy-in. The value of the tracking tool is realized in its ability to alert evaluators to potential problems for which corrective actions can be made, assist evaluators in creating realistic expectations, and enhance confidence in evaluation proceedings.

enfoques de evaluación orientados a la participación en los procesos de acción comunitaria [ 79 ] sips -pedagogia social. revista interuniversitaria [1139-1723 (2014) 24, 79-103] tercera época RESUMEN: Introducción. La evaluación de las acciones comunitarias es una práctica recomendable en el trabajo con las comunidades, que puede ayudar a gestionar de manera adecuada los recursos y mejorar las intervenciones sociales y educativas planteadas. Los enfoques de evaluación orientados a la participación son una oportunidad para evaluar las acciones comunitarias contando con la implicación de todos los actores, no sólo con los que tienen un perfil técnico. A partir del repaso a la bibliografía internacional, en este trabajo se realiza un análisis teórico de los enfoques de evaluación orientados a la participación de las personas, con el triple objetivo de justificar su pertinencia en la evaluación de acciones comunitarias; presentar las características específicas de los enfoques participativos más citados en la bibliografía; y clarificar sus elementos y características compartidas.

Introductory environmental studies and sciences (ESS) classes can be powerful and formative experiences for undergraduates. Indeed, instructors likely aspire towards influencing and enhancing the perspectives, analytical tools, and critical-thinking skills their graduates carry forward into careers in and beyond environment-related fields. This task, however, is doubly challenging: not only to meaningfully engage students with environmental issues but ideally also to think critically about the at-times competing ideologies and perspectives in ESS. This requires that courses be taught in ways that further critical thinking, develop metacognitive skills, and introduce students to a diversity of environmental discourses. In this paper, we present the results of a brief empirical survey of a small sample of North American ESS undergraduate programs. Using discussions of climate change as an example, we pay particular attention to the explicit goals, diversity of literature presented, and organization of the courses, using typologies e.g., Nisbet (Wiley Interdiscip Rev Clim Chang 5(6):809-823, 2014) to highlight the prevalence of particular environmental discourses and not others. We highlight a handful of promising practices and potential blind spots in the pedagogical design of these courses, while arguing for the importance of instructor reflection, iterative improvement, and further research into potential common weaknesses in ESS instruction.

Fidelity concerns the extent to which a specific evaluation sufficiently incorporates the core characteristics of the overall approach to justify labeling that evaluation by its designated name. Fidelity has traditionally meant implementing a model in exactly the same way each time following the prescribed steps and procedures. The essential principles of developmental evaluation (DE), in contrast, provide high-inference sensitizing guidance that must be interpreted and applied con-textually. In lieu of operationalizing DE fidelity criteria, I suggest addressing the degree of manifest sensitivity to essential principles. Principles as sensitizing concepts replace operational rules. This means that sensitivity to essential DE principles should be explicitly and contextually manifest in both processes and outcomes, in both design and use of findings. Eight essential principles of DE are identified and explained. Finally, 10 threats to evaluation model fidelity and/or degree of manifest sensitivity are identified with ways to mitigate those threats. Bob Williams was awarded the 2014 AEA Lazarsfeld Theory Award for his cumulative contributions bringing systems approaches into evaluation. In accepting at the Awards Luncheon in Denver, attended by more than 400 evaluators, Bob explained the origin of the word system.

The purpose of our study was to examine the issue of answer changing in relation to students' abilities to monitor their behaviour accurately while responding to multiple-choice tests. The data for this study were obtained from the final examination administered to students in an educational psychology course. The results of the study indicate that decision making regarding answer changing can be informed by metacognitive monitoring when a student's attention is drawn to cues solicited during testing. However, answer changing can be a "tricky" test-taking strategy, and how it relates to test performance is based on an interplay of variables both at a person level as well as at a task level. This is probably why this strategy is frequently misunderstood by both test-takers and educators.