Purpose: This longitudinal study investigated the ways in which virtual communities of practice (VCoPs) can support the well-being of teachers in managerial roles during stressful changes and crises. Specifically, it examined the experiences of these educators to better understand how VCoPs contribute to sustaining well-being in the face of…

Designed to assess the cognitive requirement expected or implied in beginning reading materials and in their instructional suggestions and to determine whether these materials are appropriate to the cognitive development of the children who will use them, this instrument is for use by evaluators with the first reader in a basal series. It directs…

Designed to interpret comprehension recalls in terms of textual information and cognitive processes used, this instrument outlines four stages for interpretive recalls, based on the premise that recall of a text results from receptive and productive processes. Stage 1 specifies which information is pertinent for analysis; stage 2 discusses the…

Designed to measure children's abilities to synthesize concepts from several sources, this measure is based on the assumptions that children move from the concrete to the abstract, from specific to generic, and that the ability to synthesize and form new concepts is an important prerequisite to reading comprehension. Each form of the test is…

Suggests the growing use of computers to process information in today's world increases the human need for an interactive competency in writing and reading. The integration of instruction in reading and writing, particularly through use of word processors, is discussed as a way to strengthen this interaction. (MBR)

A lesson in essay planning designed for college and graduate students of English as a Second Language is described. The intended audience is a group with varied linguistic backgrounds and levels of English proficiency. The lesson's objective is to develop metacognitive skills for planning well-organized essays. A computer program using graphics,…

Focusing on techniques for teaching students to integrate diverse ideas at a deep level of cognitive processing, a study evaluated an idea integration package for teaching writing in the college classroom. Subjects, 29 college students from an introductory psychology class at a Utah university, were divided into two groups. The integration group…

Discusses problem-solving evaluation methods and describes the development of an instrument to evaluate an individual's problem-solving processes. Provides an example of the instrument. (MDH)

In the Teacher-to-Teacher series of the National Education Association's Professional Library, teachers speak directly to other teachers about school restructuring issues. This volume covers issues in student assessment, focusing on student portfolios and their uses in reflecting student processes, collaboration, and literacy. Various portfolios…

The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) published a new learning style instrument in 1986--the NASSP Learning Style Profile (LSP). The LSP yields independent scores on 24 discrete elements of learning style. Its purpose is to provide educators with a well-validated and easy to use instrument for diagnosing cognitive styles,…

This journal issue addresses the issue of testing in the social studies classroom. The first article, "The Role of Testing" (Bragaw), focuses on the need for tests to reflect the objectives of the study completed. The varying functions of pop quizzes, weekly tests, and unit tests are explored. "Testing Thinking Processes" (Killoran, Zimmer, and…

Discusses the need to develop laboratory practical examinations in chemistry which attempt to measure students higher order thinking skills and conceptual understanding rather than simply their laboratory skills. Examples of examination questions being used in general chemistry laboratory courses at the State University of New York at Cortland are…

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) has stated that mathematics programs should take full advantage of the power of calculators at all grade levels. This recommendation urges that students be provided access to calculators, and that calculator use be integrated into the core mathematics curriculum on a regular basis. This…

Based on the premise that multiple choice tests can be used as diagnostic tools for teachers in identifying and remedying student misconceptions, this study focused on the development of an instrument for diagnosing secondary students' understanding of photosynthesis and respiration. Information is presented on: (1) procedures of development of…

Physical and Earth Science AB, a required senior high school course in the Los Angeles Unified School District, uses an investigative approach for developing scientific understanding and attitudes for students. Contents include: (1) summary of representative objectives; (2) teacher responsibilities; (3) the agenda; (4) guidelines for assignment of…