The requirements for valid assessment for learning and assessment of learning are reviewed and then the tensions between these two purposes of assessment are explored, first in general and then within two areas of the New Zealand education system. First, the nature of assessment for learning in primary schools is discussed and how it is, or might…

An abundance of comprehensive school reform (CSR) literature exists illustrating CSRs are effective in improving student outcomes. However, much of this research reports on top-down reforms, focuses on academic outcomes, and uses quantitative methods alone. Many educational researchers have argued for the use of mixed methods for providing a…

Our study compared the learning and motivational outcome of one educational approach in two different learning environments, a natural science museum and a classroom, drawing on studies about the effects of field trips on students' learning and motivation. The educational intervention consisted of an introduction phase in the classroom and…

The article examines the processes and challenges involved in conducting participatory research and evaluation in schools, by looking at a case study of a collaborative evaluation research that was conducted in a secondary school in Israel by two researchers and three teachers. It describes the experiences of the research team while conducting the…