Plant identification is a critical skill for students in biological sciences, especially forestry. Many students begin with limited plant identification abilities and struggle to learn this skill. To support student learning of identification and ecological characteristics of important forest plants in an undergraduate forest ecology course at the…

The Internet has become the primary source for obtaining information at work, at home, and for school. Because Internet reading increasingly is becoming one of the central ways students are acquiring information, in 2016, PIRLS was extended to include ePIRLS--an innovative assessment of online reading. ePIRLS is a computer-based assessment that…

This case deals with the redesign of a standard telecourse--printed material, professional studio video recordings and phone tutoring--into an online course. The redesign involved an adjunct professor in the Humanities having some experience in distance education but little with learning technologies. It was a two-year project including the grant…

Automatic item generation represents a relatively new but rapidly evolving research area where cognitive and psychometric theories are used to produce tests that include items generated using computer technology. Automatic item generation requires two steps. First, test development specialists create item models, which are comparable to templates…

This article argues that if multimodal and new literacies are to become common practices in schools, they have to be included in both school and provincial/state large-scale assessment programmes. Building on current criterion-referenced testing in Newfoundland and Labrador which assesses a range of literacies (viewing, reading, writing,…

Acadia University (Nova Scotia) has completed year two of the Acadia Advantage initiative, which involved 1,500 students and 170 faculty using IBM notebook computers in the curriculum. By year 2000, all 4,000 students at Acadia University will have notebook computers and will be taking part in technology-enhanced courses. To assist faculty, the…

Describes a computerized method to test error analysis that helps motivate introductory physics students to learn the topic. The computer generates a test consisting of four topics from a list of 10 that students should know. Numerical data within realistic ranges are also generated. (JN)

Discussion of the use of human markers to mark responses on write-in questions focuses on a study that determined the feasibility of using a computer program to mark write-in responses for the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination. The computer performance was compared with that of physician markers. (seven references) (LRW)

This paper describes a project for the development of instructional and assessments systems to increase user-proficiency levels for the software created by WordPerfect Corporation. The project was part of an effort by WordPerfect and the Institute for Computer Uses in Education/Evaluation to create and establish standards of proficiency in the use…

The paper describes the effects of a communication training program provided at the DEAL Communicaton Center Victoria, Australia, to 34 clients with diagnoses of autism or intellectual impairment with autistic tendencies. Client ages ranged from preschool to adult with 24 aged between 6 and 18 years. The treatment module consists of three 2-hour…

This report describes courseware for comprehensive computer-assisted testing and instruction. With this program, a personal computer can be used to: (1) generate multiple test versions to meet test objectives; (2) create study guides for self-directed learning; and (3) evaluate student and teacher performance. Numerous multiple-choice examples,…