Presents recommendations for improved testing practices in science based on an examination of contemporary assessment literature and interviews with educators. The recommendations address test format, teacher involvement in all steps of the testing process, and use of sampling strategies and computer technology. (MBR)

The authors cite specific ways that the classroom computer can aid the teacher, by providing a wide variety of independent instruction for students and by cutting down the time required for recordkeeping, testing, and other administrative tasks. (Author/SJL)

Describes Accelerated Reader (AR), a computer software program that promotes reading; discusses AR hardware requirements; explains how it is used for book selection and testing in schools; assesses the program's strengths and weaknesses; and describes how Grant and Madison Elementary Schools (Muscatine, Iowa) have used the program effectively.…

Describes the implementation of a computer managed instruction system, PROJECT BASIC, in an elementary school. Developed by Evans Newton Incorporated, PROJECT BASIC uses a microcomputer to record student progress, assist in test scoring, and group children according to their instructional needs in mathematics, reading, and written communication.…

This article shares how four students with severe disabilities in one Kentucky classroom achieved a "distinguished" rating, the highest rating, on their alternate portfolios by using the IntelliKeys keyboard as an alternative computer input device for the production of the alternate portfolio. It discusses tips for customizing IntelliKeys…

Discussion of how computer technology can be integrated into elementary school instruction focuses on evaluating student learning through test scoring. Highlights include descriptions of a computer-based instructional delivery system, modified confidence weighted admissible probability measurement (MCW-APM), and computer-managed instructional…

Nineteen learning-disabled and 10 emotionally disturbed pupils, aged 8-15, were assigned randomly to computer-assisted curriculum-based measurement (CBM), pen and paper CBM, and contrast groups. CBM students exhibited more specific knowledge of their spelling goals and felt they received more frequent and more graphic displays of performance…

This monograph provides an overview of computer-based assessment and error analysis in the instruction of elementary students with complex medical, learning, and/or behavioral problems. Information on generating and scoring tests using the microcomputer is offered, as are ideas for using computers in the analysis of mathematical strategies and…

Discussion of microcomputer use in public elementary schools focuses on the field of special education. Two main ways of using computers are described: (1) traditional uses, including administration, computer-assisted instruction, and assessment; and (2) new applications, including programming, word processing, simulations, and prosthetic aids…

Describes a field test of the "Diagnostic Test of Computational Skills." Examines whether or not a computer can efficiently analyze student answers, previously unidentified computational error patterns and errors related to student use of microcomputers. Concludes that this method can be useful for immediate and accurate diagnostic information.…

Provides reviews of six computer software programs designed for use in elementary science education programs. Provides the title, publisher, grade level, and descriptions of courseware on ant farms, drugs, genetics, beachcombing, matter, and test generation. (TW)