Offers practical tips on how teachers can determine whether classroom tests are actually measuring what they are designed to measure. Discusses criterion-related validity, construct validity, and content validity. Demonstrates how to determine the degree of content validity a particular test may have for a particular course or unit. (Author/DH)

Teaching students test wiseness can have a number of positive results, including improving the validity of the tests themselves and improving the scores of minority students on tests. (AEA)

Explores the potential for using computers in the diagnosis of learning disabilities. Describes a prototype computer based system designed to assist teachers in the assessment of reading difficulties. (FL)

Illustrates ways to link the motivating power and efficiency of the computer to the effectiveness and necessity of traditional teaching practice and criterion referenced testing in order to assess and teach spelling. (FL)

Identifies current issues in argumentation by reviewing writings in "JAFA," a scholarly journal with an argumentation focus. Also examines seven recent undergraduate texts in terms of their treatment of those issues. (PD)

Identifies several issues related to the evaluation of educational software and offers some suggestions to help teachers learn more about how computers can be used to improve the teaching of English (HOD)

As a response to the artificiality of the traditional reading comprehension test, this booklet provides alternative means of testing that are within the guidelines of the British National Criteria. Ideas for testing informative, persuasive, autobiographical, and literary materials are presented in the booklet--carefully chosen to provide material…

The benefits of using essay tests rather than objective tests in professional education programs are discussed. Essay tests offer practice in writing, creativity and formal communications. Guidelines for using and scoring a sample essay test in biology are presented. (BH)

The percentage of universities using student ratings to evaluate teacher performance is steadily increasing, but this method can be abused if it is the sole criterion of evaluation. Recent surveys of faculty attitudes towards teaching evaluation indicate that most faculty members are in favor of systematic evaluation, prefer student ratings to…

Procedures for developing curriculum-based measurement (CBM) systems are presented as an approach to special education problem solving. CBM procedures are discussed within the context of a decision-making matrix, focusing on "what" and "how" to measure and how to use data. An example applies the method to reading-aloud…