This book examines the current trends in K-12 curriculum and instruction. It shows how the trends interrelate and provides a higher order, comprehensive model for curriculum reform. The model is based on critical, content-based concepts. Chapter 1 describes the complexity of the change process and illustrates dilemmas encountered in school-based…

The second annual Affiliates' meeting of the National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools, and Teaching brought together 200 people to examine authentic teaching and assessment practices and policies. Nine presentations from the meeting are compiled in this document, illustrating different approaches to developing alternative assessment…

The most important issue in education today is helping students reach high standards. These standards are changing American education from a system driven by inputs and regulations to one judged by results. This manual is intended for use with any set of standards. Followed step by step, it will take the teacher from the abstract statements of the…

Contends that an interdisciplinary curriculum and cooperative learning are well suited to middle school students. Asserts that the approaches help students learn higher order thinking skills and improve social skills. Maintains that authentic or performance-based assessment is appropriate for these techniques and this age group. (CFR)

This framework details Vermont's educational standards and learning opportunities for Kindergarten through grade 8. The standards are to be used to: (1) provide structure from which standards-based district, school, and classroom curricula can be developed, organized, implemented, and assessed; (2) provide the basis for development of a state,…

This book contains a set of authentic performance assessments that offer students the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge and multiple science abilities through communication, problem solving, inventiveness, persistence, and curiosity. The specific knowledge and science abilities are drawn from those identified in Benchmarks for Science Literacy…

This document contains 88 authentic task development records that were selected from those developed by teams of secondary and postsecondary teachers at a conference to familiarize educators with Wisconsin's new performance-based assessment system. Presented first is an annotated list of the 17 Wisconsin Learner Outcomes that served as the…

This book explores the issues involved in developing standards in higher education, examining the practical issues involved in benchmarking and offering a critical analysis of the problems associated with this developmental tool. The book focuses primarily on experience in the United Kingdom (UK), but looks also at international activity in this…

Asserts that the purpose of New York State's testing program has been to drive instruction, provide a measure of public accountability, and establish and maintain achievement standards. Describes new approaches to student assessment and explains the eight goals of the new statewide assessment program. (CFR)

Provides of examples of performance-based assessments in three categories: (1) projects; (2) performances; and (3) question strategy sessions. Describes a typical performance-based assessment project including setting up the project, peer evaluation, the class presentation, and the test used. (CFR)

The purpose of this guide is to aid K-12 curriculum planners in the development and implementation of well-defined programs of study in science suitable for their local school districts. Among the national trends reflected in this guide are the interdisciplinary approach; the use of performance-based student assessments; the utilization of diverse…