Provides annotations of 12 conference papers, books, and other materials (published between 1991 and 1993) from the ERIC database that focus on teachers, students, and finding alternative ways to assess students' learning in a nontraditional classroom environment. (RS)

This special education research brief provides a synopsis of the steps in curriculum-based assessment (CBA) and lists resources that provide more detail on the method and applications of CBA. The described CBA method involves selecting or developing a method of measurement, assessing student knowledge, tailoring instruction to student needs, and…

Because of the increase in the number of manuscripts submitted to journals, editors and publishers must either publish more manuscripts or increase the proportion of manuscripts rejected. Rejection decisions are usually informed by informal peer evaluation, editorial processes, and/or citation analysis. Unfortunately, no standard criteria for…

This digest summarizes the highlights of an analysis of assessment practices used in education and professional development for educators. A research team from RAND conducted a broad review of the literature and reviewed the documents of organizations engaged in such assessments. Researchers interviewed experts, attended conferences, and conducted…

This digest describes some of the basic logic-of-evaluation skills and some of the basic methodological skills that need to be mastered in order to practice the art and science of evaluation. Some topics from the logic of evaluation that must be dealt with include understanding : (1) the differences and connections between evaluation and other…

The "Super Search Reprint" contains a background paper and 152 abstracts on the topic of curriculum-based assessment and curriculum-based measurement. A paper by Mark Shinn and others, titled "Curriculum-Based Assessment: A Comparison of Models" ("School Psychology Review," 1989, volume 18, number 3), presents four…

This Digest defines student engagement and describes various methods used to measure it, both in empirical research studies and at the classroom level. Student engagement has been defined in various ways, but it is evident that students who are engaged show sustained behavioral involvement in learning activities accompanied by a positive emotional…

This Critical Issue Bibliography (CRIB) Sheet focuses on assessment. Assessment has been a major trend in higher education over the last 10 years, with the nature of the literature changing significantly over the years. This annotated bibliography groups assessment resources into these categories: (1) general resources; (2) institutional…

Summarizes 15 papers commissioned for the workshop on "Assessing Higher Order Thinking and Communication Skills in College Graduates," convened in response to National Education Goal V as presented in the America 2000 document. (RS)

Summarizes books, ERIC documents, and journal articles to provide a guide to some recent discussions of various kinds of student-centered assessments. (JPB)

Presents annotations from the ERIC database of eight journal articles, books, and conference papers (published between 1991 and 1995) on the issue of informal and classroom assessment. Notes that the annotations offer a wide variety of ideas and suggestions to help teachers carry out informal assessment in their classrooms. (RS)

Assessment use is a cornerstone of successful counseling. Information from assessments is used for making several important therapeutic decisions, requiring the counselor to have information about assessment devices and approaches. Tests are being published at a remarkable rate; it is a challenge for counselors to stay well informed. Products and…

All but two of the states are in the process of implementing some form of mandatory teacher testing, if they have not already done so. However, the limitations of state procedures, i.e., different standards, approaches, and requirements, combined with significant improvement in evaluation techniques, have led to the call for a system of national…

Public criticism of teachers has put pressure on teacher educators to prepare their students better. Any process to strengthen teacher education programs must include a careful study of student teaching since it is usually the final education course taken by students and the most influential field experience in a teacher education program. Many…

This bulletin focuses on three developments related to evaluation. First, the plans and initial work of the Mathematical Sciences Education Board, formed in 1985, are described. The Board's goals, its view of the major challenges in mathematics education facing the nation's schools, and its plans are discussed. The development of a design for…