Our study compared the learning and motivational outcome of one educational approach in two different learning environments, a natural science museum and a classroom, drawing on studies about the effects of field trips on students' learning and motivation. The educational intervention consisted of an introduction phase in the classroom and…

Mathematical word problems represent a common item format for assessing student competencies. Automatic item generation (AIG) is an effective way of constructing many items with predictable difficulties, based on a set of predefined task parameters. The current study presents a framework for the automatic generation of probability word problems…

Pupil monitoring systems support the teacher in tailoring teaching to the individual level of a student and in comparing the progress and results of teaching with national standards. The systems are based on the availability of an item bank calibrated using item response theory. The assessment of the students' progress and results can be further…

The paper gives an overview of multidimensional adaptive testing (MAT) and evaluates its applicability in educational and psychological testing. The approach of Segall (1996) is described as a general framework for MAT. The main advantage of MAT is its capability to increase measurement efficiency. In simulation studies conceptualizing situations…

Questionnaires used to measure subject-matter-directed motivation have tended to use information-seeking behavior as the prime indicator. A new measuring instrument, consisting of a list of 15 sets of three adjectives, asks subjects to select one from each set which best applies to the subject matter in question. (BW)

Studied evaluation practices and the attitudes of teachers in the Netherlands toward these practices through a survey of 617 teachers and 214 principals. Findings show assessment routines to be strongly domain-dependent. Teachers have a preference for curriculum-embedded tests and the grading of work sheets above norm-referenced tests. Overall,…

The concept of students' cognitive preferences was analyzed considering empirical findings with cognitive preference tests. Cognitive preferences were identified as the modes of attending to the course subject matter: memory of specific facts, practical application, critical questioning of information, and identification of a fundamental…

A teacher appraisal instrument was developed and validated for a system of teacher evaluation in Rivers State (Nigeria). The developed Likert scale for teacher scoring was tested for 410 teachers evaluated by 16 headteacher evaluators. Initial findings suggest areas in which the appraisal process and instrument can be improved. (SLD)

Developed seven Internet-delivered tests of prior knowledge for distance education students in the Netherlands interested in gaining information about future studies. Analysis of 151 responses received through the Web site showed student appreciation of the instruments and the assessment process. (SLD)

Three studies were conducted on the validity of instruments adopted for student assessment in problem-based learning at the Maastricht School of Economics and Business Administration (the Netherlands). Results with 109 students suggest the importance of the breadth and depth of the student's knowledge profile and the extent to which the knowledge…

There is presently much disagreement about how students should be evaluated effectively to determine their progress. Some common methods are reviewed, including standardized tests and performance-based evaluation such as portfolios. Continuous experimentation is necessary in the effort to develop better measurement approaches. (SLD)

A sociometric tool for teachers was developed to study intergroup relationships in a junior high school in Israel in a study of academic and social integration of four distinct groups of students in a heterogeneous classroom. The format and application of the tool are reported in two school situations. (SLD)