Knowledge assessments in undergraduate mathematics education commonly evaluate response correctness to determine learner proficiency. However, simultaneous evaluation of learner metacognition more accurately assesses the multiple dimensions of knowledge and has been shown to increase assessment validity and reliability. Research into…

This article discusses concepts related to character strengths and positive youth development and how these ideas can be applied to improve outcomes among gifted young people. A theory with roots in public health, The Theory of Triadic Influence (TTI), is discussed with examples applied to gifted populations. Practitioners and researchers from…

"Psychoeducational Assessment of Preschool Children," Fifth Edition, provides academics and school-based practitioners such as psychologists, speech-language pathologists, and social workers with an up-to-date guide to the assessment of young children. Long recognized as the standard text and reference in its field, this comprehensive,…

This article reviews the development of functional analysis in understanding behavior problems like self-injury and aggression and, more recently, school-based problems. Seen as particularly promising is current work on the analysis of setting events and analysis of dependent variables by considering the effects of intervention on response…

This article proposes methods for asking analytic and systemic questions and using quantitative and qualitative data for documenting behavior change in young children receiving special education services. Suggestions are provided for developing data collection protocols that are valid but that are also manageable in practice. (Author/DB)

Functional analysis of the aggressive behavior of 2 boys (ages 10 and 12) with autism involved 20 brief functional assessment trials in the classroom under 3 conditions. Results showed a clear pattern in each child's aggressive behavior and suggested logical intervention strategies. The discrete-trial approach presented a practical, ecologically…

The ABLE (Analyzing Behavior State and Learning Environments) model was evaluated with eight teachers of students with profound mental retardation. Results indicated that, with training, teachers were able to reliably implement the model, increase the preferred alert and active states, and decrease the nonpreferred states such as sleep and…

A modified time sampling procedure that measured behavioral rate and duration was used to record stereotypic and on-task responding in 11 students (ages 11-17) with severe emotional and behavioral disturbances. For both types of behavior, response duration exhibited less variability than response rate, and noncorrespondence between the two…

The intent of this paper is to illustrate the use of stakeholder information in evaluating a school program. The material presented is part of a comprehensive formative evaluation of a crisis intervention program operated by a suburban school district situated near a large industrial city in the Midwest. The crisis intervention program provided…

Issues related to the ecological assessment of students with mild to moderate disabilities are examined. The paper discusses targeting student behavior according to its context and in relation to present and future socioenvironmental demands; aspects of an ecological assessment model; and thoughts on incorporating aspects of ecological assessment…

With the advent of profiling and maintaining records of achievement, the assessment of the affective characteristics of pupils has become an issue of general concern in England. The Scottish Council for Research in Education has been involved in programs investigating the assessment of individuals and the evaluation of curricula. Teachers can…

This paper reports on a study intended to examine problems in student evaluation systems that may lead to manifestations of student disengagement from secondary school such as absenteeism, low effort, violence, or vandalism. A theoretical framework is provided by Dornbusch and Scott's theory of evaluation and authority in organizations, which…

A study was designed to generate a description of 5 elementary school teachers' judgment processes during marking (of 152 students) across a school year. The findings support a model of the marking judgment constructed from the strategies and cues that emerged through analysis of marks, record books, and interviews. The model presents a…

Designed for use with individuals ages 3 months to 44 years, the Scales of Independent Behavior (SIB) measure adaptive behavior and problem behaviors in such areas as motor skills, social interaction, language, personal self-care, punctuality, destructiveness, and inattention. This paper describes the SIB's administration, scoring,…

This paper examines aspects related to the validity of process-product research involving classroom observation and teacher effectiveness. Differences in categories, terminology, and definitions of five classroom observation instruments are delineated and discussed in relation to their various effects on the validity of process-product research…