Prerequisite skill structures have been closely studied in past years leading to many data-intensive methods aimed at refining such structures. While many of these proposed methods have yielded success, defining and refining hierarchies of skill relationships are often difficult tasks. The relationship between skills in a graph could either be…

In early childhood settings narratives that capture children's learning as they go about their day-to-day activities are promoted as a powerful assessment tool. However, in the New Zealand context there is increasing concern that learning stories currently downplay domain knowledge. Data from teacher interviews and samples of learning stories…

In the present study we investigated to what extent workshops aimed at improving teachers' use of classroom assessment techniques had an effect on students' achievement in mathematics. Ten primary school teachers participated in two consecutive small-scale studies, aimed at using and improving different classroom assessment techniques in…

In this article we are presenting the results of the research "The Connection between the Results in the National Assessment of Knowledge and the Pupils' Socio-cultural Environment, Instruction and Homework," taking place at the National Education Institute, Slovenia, in the years 2008/2009. In the introduction we are writing the…

This paper investigates the effect of teacher quality, represented by teacher level characteristics, on mathematics gain scores employing multilevel (or three-level hierarchical linear model, HLM, based) unconditional and conditional value-added model (VAM). We found the significant effects of teacher's mathematics content certification, teacher…

This paper presents the results from a paper-and-pencil instrument designed to elicit students' thinking about the rate of change in particular situations. A scoring rubric was designed to classify students' solution strategies to algebra problems. The purpose of the study was to validate the results in different ways. First, the results from this…

This paper discusses the application of Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) to the evaluation of the effectiveness of Basic Skills programs in the Newark (New Jersey) school district. Whether HLM is able to handle regression effects in Basic Skills examination data is studied. The analysis uses data from the Stanford Achievement Tests for…

Gender differences of gifted and talented students in mathematics performance were examined using the Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) of 1995. The LEAP test is a statewide criterion-referenced test administered to all Louisiana public school children in Grades 3, 5, 7, 10, and 11. In this study, the database was restricted to…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of DISCOVER, a performance-based assessment, in identifying gifted students in Lebanon. DISCOVER is grounded in Gardner's MI theory and consists of tasks involving problem-solving and creative abilities. The sample consisted of 49 middle-class 5-th graders, with a mean age of 10.2…

This paper reports the preliminary results of an experiment on the impact of computer assisted instruction (CAI) on disadvantaged students participating in the U.S. Department of Labor's Job Corps Program. In 1980-81, data were collected from participants in the Job Corps Comprehensive Computer Program at a large center in the Southwest. The…

When standard paper-and-pencil tests are used to measure progress in mathematics, specific assumptions quite apart from those dealing with the statistical validity of the test are often made. These can lead to improper student treatment and often suggest successful teaching which is not warranted. The results of examining 32 fourth through sixth…

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between classroom instructional practices and computation and geometry achievement. Relationships between mathematics achievement and classroom characteristics were also explored. The sample of 1,032 students and their teachers (n=147) was selected from the 1992 Trial State Mathematics…

This study investigated the mathematics achievement test performance of 62 non-transient elementary school learners in accelerated schools using a longitudinal design. Both the California Achievement Test (CAT) and the Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) test were included in this investigation. In particular, this study sought to…

Two approaches to the study of long-term effects of different prekindergarten (pre-K) programs in the Austin (Texas) Independent School District (AISD) were studied. In one study, limited English proficient (LEP) students attending AISD kindergartens in 1981-82, 1982-83, and 1983-84 were followed to see if those who attended pre-K showed an…

This paper reports on an ongoing effort of the Vermont Mental Health Performance Indicator Project (PIP) to examine the relevance and utility of standardized test scores for evaluating community mental health programs. This analysis is of test scores from Vermont's first four years of statewide testing. The study is examining anonymous…