Although the literature is replete with techniques to assist the researcher with the evaluation task, very few techniques regarding an effective process for evaluating developmental education programs have emerged. Those techniques that have emerged have been criticized for not producing useful results. The central purpose of this research was to develop a process for evaluating the instructional component of developmental education programs. The Educational Opportunities Program at Oregon State University was used as a case study. The review of literature established a theoretical basis for the model that was developed. A detailed description of the program is provided, as well as interviews with instructional staff. An instrument for eliciting program participants' views and opinions is included. The entire evaluation process was then evaluated for effectiveness. The evaluation process proved to be effective as a means for evaluating the instructional component of developmental education programs considering the original purpose of the evaluation. Although the focus was originally on the product, the process proved to be the most powerful catalyst for change. Future evaluators are cautioned to consider carefully the purpose, audience and intended outcome before proceeding further in the evaluation of the instructional components of developmental education programs. / Graduation date: 1992

M.Ed. (Psychology of Education) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Freshmen at Sul Ross State University are required to take tests which are used for placement purposes. One of the tests given is the Nelson-Denny Reading Test which measures comprehension, vocabulary, and reading rate. The scores are used with American College Test or Standard Achievement Test scores to place students in either remedial or regular freshman English. Remedial students, who score below the tenth-grade competency level, are placed in English 1300. Regular students are placed in English 1301 or 1302. Twelve studies were found which had been done in this area since 1980. One was directly related to this study. The Anglo and Hispanic population of the freshman class of 1987 was tested. Blacks were not included as they comprised less than 9 percent of the freshman class. There were 69 students in the experimental group and 162 in the control group. A pretest-posttest design was used. A three-way analysis of variance set up data for statistical testing. The Alpha level was set at .05. The findings indicate a significant difference for Hypothesis 1, which predicted no significant difference in the posttest performance of students required to take English 1300 and the pretest performance of students who were not. Therefore it was rejected. Because statistical testing yielded no significant difference for Hypothesis 2 — there will be no significant difference in posttest performance of Hispanic and Anglo students who were enrolled in English 1300, and Hypothesis 3—there will be no significant difference in the posttest performance of males and females who enrolled in English 1300, they were retained. Results indicate that while there is a significant difference between the means of the remedial students' posttest scores and means of the regular students' pretest scores, the program raises the performance of remedial students to a level accepted by Sul Ross State University. Therefore, the program is considered successful.