There is a growing interest in conceptualizing, defining, and assessing what are often called 21st century skills or deeper learning competencies. The purpose of this literature review is to explore the conceptualizations, definitions, and understandings in the research literature related to critical thinking. Key initial questions include: What…

Strong correlations exist between signed and/or spoken English and the literacy skills of deaf and hard of hearing students. Assessments that are both valid and reliable are key for researchers and practitioners investigating the signed and/or spoken English skills of signing populations. The authors conducted a literature review to explore which…

The process of giving official acknowledgment to formal, informal and non-formal prior learning is commonly labelled as assessment, accreditation or recognition of prior learning (APL), representing a practice that is expanding in higher education in many countries. This paper focuses specifically on the assessment part of APL, which undoubtedly…

This article is concerned with the relationship between assessment information and teacher planning. In the UK, although planning used to be central to characterizations of formative assessment, the most recent government proclamations under the Assessment for Learning banner offer no clear role for teachers making decisions about what to do based…

Tests--typically cognitive achievement tests--are instruments for providing a more sensitive analysis of the learning sequence and of the instruction guiding it. In addition to an overall score, standardized tests provide a variety of subscores that help the teachers identify where a student might be encountering the greatest difficulties. The…

An extensive review of literature related to the role of standardized tests in the assessment of young children was conducted, and recommendations were made for alternative approaches more appropriate to the assessment of young children. The first section of the paper contains a literature review that provides a brief history of standardized tests…

Describes a system in which questions tailored to the examinee's capabilities are administered by computer. Enumerates possible benefits of the system, reviews the "state of the art," and predicts potential applications of computerized adaptive testing. (MCG)

Criticizes an article by Messick (1989) that emphasizes consequential validity (the potential and actual social consequences of test score interpretation and use) as a component of construct validity. Shows the profitability of separating the construct-indicator link from the indicator-score link, and the greater importance of the former.…

Data from research studies seem to support the validity of teacher judgments of student achievement; however, there are unresolved issues, including the focus of the judgment, the external validity or credibility of the assessment, and the process of the assessment itself. To achieve maximum benefits from this form of assessment/teaching…

In a confidence weighting situation, the examinee is asked to indicate the correct answer, and how certain he or she is of the correctness of that answer. This paper reviews the bases for confidence marking, its validity and accuracy in evaluating students, and it's use in research. (BW)

This paper traces the origins of the portfolio movement, examines the treatment of portfolios in texts and other writings on classroom assessment, and poses several questions about the use of portfolios in classrooms. Interest in portfolios as assessment devices first emerged in the literature in the field of composition and writing, but interest…

Studies of the extent of standardized testing in U.S. schools in the early 1980s to 1990s were reviewed. All show the amount of systemwide testing to be less than two days per year. Methodological issues are explored, and the extent-of-testing estimates are updated to about 1995 through more recent research. (SLD)

This publication presents a comprehensive overview of one of the most profound shifts in educational policy and practice that has occurred during the 20th century--the transition from a testing culture to an assessment culture--and discusses its implications for English language learners (ELLs). The document brings together a wide range of…

The resurgence of testing and the significance of this trend to learning assistance facilitators and developmental educators are discussed. This increase in testing, particularly as it manifests itself on college and university campuses, reflects a shift of emphasis in testing, from measuring aptitude to measuring the effect of instruction.…

This summary of assessment information for programming in early childhood special education discusses principles of assessment, specific assessment procedures, and assessment instruments. An overview section on assessment provides definitions of "assessment" and "evaluation" and discusses the importance of assessment for…