A NOTE ON THE POWER OF STATISTICAL TESTS IN THE JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL MEASUREMENT

The power of statistical tests recently appearing in the JEM was determined using the power calculation guidelines proposed by Cohen (1969). All the articles containing tests of significance were surveyed. The results indicated that power was generally below .50 for small effect sizes and above .50 for medium and large effect sizes. A suggestion for reporting statistical results to include power of the tests was made.     

Personal glimpses

The overarching purpose of this treatise was to develop a means by which to describe and evaluate existing perspectives on learning and to guide future explorations in this domain. Specifically, using the metaphor of a river system, we advance a framework into which theoretical perspectives and empirical investigations of learning can be positioned. We began by articulating nine principles of learning shared by diverse theoretical orientations. The primary focus of our analysis was a framework with four dimensions of learning (i.e., the what, where, who, and when) in continual interaction constituting the products and processes of learning. Based on these common principles and the interactive dimensions, we offered a definition of learning. Finally, we used three cases drawn from real-life experiences, and representing different configurations of the what, where, who, and when dimensions, to illuminate the comprehensiveness and utility of the topographical perspective on learning forwarded.     

ESTABLISHING MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR ESSAYS: BLIND VERSUS INFORMED RÉVIEWS

This study was undertaken to evaluate two procedures for establishing a minimum performance standard for the essay subtest of the National Teacher Examinations (NTE) Communication Skills test. Twenty public school teachers and 20 teacher educators were randomly assigned to either a "blind" or "informed" review panel. Both panels were directed to evaluate the same set of 12 sample essays. Those assigned to the informed panel were apprised of the scores previously awarded to each essay and were asked to decide upon the lowest score they would judge to be acceptable for a beginning teacher. Those assigned to the blind panel were not informed of the scores and were asked to judge whether each essay was at least minimally acceptable for a beginning teacher. Following their blind reviews, the scores were revealed to this group, and they were also asked to indicate the lowest score they would judge to be acceptable. No significant mean differences were observed for the standards associated with blind and informed reviews, but a significant mean difference was observed between the standards set by teachers and teacher educators; the former being more stringent. Based upon criteria other than mean differences, it was concluded that the preferred procedure for setting standards on essays should involve a blind review followed by an informed review. This strategy was subsequently implemented in a state-wide validation study in Virginia, and the results of this full-scale study are presented along with results reported for a study using informed reviews in another state.     

Training Counselors for Human Resource Development Positions in Business and Industry

Traditionally, counselors have not received systematic training for human resource development positions within business and industry. Yet counseling skills can be readily applied to the business setting. This article describes one counselor education department's response to the need for systematic training in human resource development.