Measurement of Quality of Teaching and Courses by a Single Question Versus a Weighted Set

Results are examined arising from use of two alternatives for evaluating the quality of teaching and courses, namely a linear combination of a number of questions versus a single, global question. The relationship between the global question and the combination of individual questions is shown to be highly correlated, but not with a slope of 45 degrees.     

EXPECTANCY EFFECTS IN THE SCORING OF VOCABULARY ITEMS: A STUDY OF SCORER BIAS1

A study was undertaken for the purpose of evaluating the degree to which the scoring of vocabulary items might be influenced by the scorer's expectancies. 72 Ss were given the task of scoring 20 responses to items on the Vocabulary subtest of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC). In the bright condition (n= 37) Ss were informed that the responses were those of a child reading far above his age level, while in the dull condition (n= 35) Ss were informed that the responses were those of a child reading far below his age level. It was found that the mean score assigned to the protocol by the Ss in the bright condition was significantly higher than that assigned by the Ss in the dull condition (p less than .05). Some factors regarding generalizability were advanced and discussed.     

Relationship of Counselor Variables to Preference for Type of Response in Counseling

The sex, gender role orientation, and level of education of counseling students were found to significantly affect their preference for interpretive, supportive, evaluative, understanding, and probing counseling responses.     

THE VALIDITY OF ACADEMIC PREDICTORS FOR BLACK AND WHITE STUDENTS AT A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE UNIVERSITY1

High school grades and both the verbal and mathematical scales of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT-V and SAT-M, respectively) were examined as predictors of college grade point average in groups divided by race and sex. Results indicated that high school grades were not correlated as highly with college grades for black males as for the other three groups, although there were no significant differences in the correlation of either SAT-V or SAT-M with college grades. Moreover, the multiple regression equation for the black male group differed from the equations for the other groups in that SAT-V is the predictor of primary importance rather than high school grades. Weights derived on a random sample of the student body caused substantial shrinkage of the multiple R only in the black male sample. Both black males and black females were significantly overpredicted by such weights. The importance of separate prediction equations for race-sex groupings was emphasized.     

An Effective Teacher Institute for Curriculum Dissemination1

This article recounts the development of Living in Water, a science curriculum for the middle grades, and the teacher training institute that was developed to disseminate the curriculum. This article also reviews how the teacher training institute was modified in response to findings from the evaluations of each of the three institutes that the authors presented. The evaluations included analysis of the teacher training institutes, the attitudes of the master teachers, the attitudes of the in-service workshop participants, and the demographics of the students who ultimately were taught using the Living in Water curriculum.