In order to discover and evaluate the nature of large-scale, standardized assessment programs in colleges and universities in 1986, a survey followed up the Committee on Assessment and Testing (CAT)-sponsored study of 1982. A questionnaire was mailed to speech departments of more than 2,000 institutions, asking first whether the institution has…

The speech communication discipline seems to be stuck in status quo. The current climate of the discipline K-12 is one that is not mobilized for the future. However, a paradigm shift within the Speech Communication Association may be evolving in the creation of a model for the process for development of assessment strategies and instruments.…

Scotland, like many countries, has a system of externally-administered syllabus-based examinations, set at two points: the end of compulsory schooling, which serves as a basis for entry to junior college "non-advanced further education" (mainly vocationally oriented); and at the end of grade 12, which serves as a basis for admission to…

Curriculum reform in Scotland in the 1970s is described. The implications for testing and teaching are discussed. (GDC)

The idea that all curricula should reflect learnings that are common across subject areas has only recently been considered in British Columbia. Within the past year, the change in focus resulted from the British Columbia Ministry of Education's (BCME) adoption of a definition of an educated person as an ideal toward which educators should be…

Yearly administrations of a standardized achievement test are a part of the educational process in many school districts in the United States. The Systemwide Testing Program in the Austin Independent School District Office of Research and Evaluation has gradually developed a process and support materials whereby the test administrations are a tool…

In fall 1988, a study was conducted to determine the major issues and problems facing the presidents and chancellors of Texas community/junior colleges, to identify solutions being implemented to address these problems/issues, to identify new curricula and administrative programs, and to assess research activities and needs. Questionnaires were…

The model used by National Assessment for data gathering and reporting on the Citizenship area is described, and the potential uses of the model for state and local assessment, curriculum development, and accountability purposes are discussed. The study was carried out using papers and reports from the National Assessment of Educational Progress,…

Issues associated with the lack of statistical skills among educational and psychological researchers are discussed. Issues are associated with accreditation standards, faculty positions for psychometric specialists, measurement curricula, and licensing organizations. The Test User Qualification Working Group has produced a model test user…

The impact of Kentucky state testing on educational practices in Kentucky public schools was investigated via a survey study. Randomly selected urban and nonurban teachers and principals (4 groups, N=180) throughout the state participated in the survey. Findings indicate that this state testing program has substantial impact on educational…

This address by the Oregon State Superintendent of Public Instruction presents proposals for achieving educational excellence. The introduction to the plan briefly discusses the state of school finance, the upcoming property tax relief vote, and the interest indicated in national reports for accelerating school improvement. The eight proposals…

The President and the Department of Education have advocated national testing, but they have not really justified their use. Most educators argue for the importance of multiple assessments, rather than a single test of achievement with great impact on the future of a student and an educational system. Misuses of test results would plague national…

Projecting the prospects and possibilities for community colleges accurately is not an easy exercise due to the vulnerability of both internal and external conditions to unanticipated forces. One aspect of the community college that is particularly affected by external forces is enrollment. Enrollments are influenced by legislation, the decline in…

Some of the reasons efforts are being made to reform education are discussed, and how these reforms are likely to affect U.S. schools is explored. Data collected annually by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) indicate that almost all states have some form of assessment that is administered to all students at one or more grade…

Educators' perceptions of the effects of state mandated testing on instructional practices and curricular decisions were studied. An ethnographic interview study was conducted with 30 fifth- and sixth-grade teachers and 12 principals from Illinois, New York, and Tennessee. Forty-one of the 42 respondents agreed to have their interviews audiotaped.…