Abstract
The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of instruction in courseware preview methodology on the predictive validity of the courseware preview ratings of primary (elementary) school teachers. The term predictive validity in this context refers to the confidence with which a teacher's preview rating before classroom trialling can be used to predict his or her postview rating after classroom trialling. It was found that a high level of instruction in courseware preview methodology is likely to increase the predictive validity of the courseware preview ratings of primary school teachers. The results of the study demonstrated that such instruction has the potential to substantially reduce the need for classroom trialling of courseware by teachers as a prelude to purchase decisions. Highly trained teachers have reason to be confident about using their preview-based estimates of courseware merit as a basis for selecting courseware for themselves, their school, or larger populations with which they are familiar, in the sense that their choice is likely to agree with the decision they would make if they were to conduct classroom trialling prior to selection. The implication for educational practice is that instructional courses for teachers in courseware preview methodology are worthwhile, provided they are substantial and of high quality.
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