Reading comprehension assessments often include multiple-choice (MC) questions, but some researchers doubt their validity in measuring comprehension. Consequently, new assessments may include more short-answer (SA) questions. The current study contributes to the research comparing MC and SA questions by evaluating the effects of anticipated…

The purpose of this research is to provide information about the psychometric properties of technology-enhanced (TE) items and the effects these items have on the content validity of an assessment. Specifically, this research investigated the impact that the inclusion of TE items has on the construct of a mathematics test, the technical properties…

Two examples demonstrate an argument-based approach to validation of diagnostic assessment using automated writing evaluation (AWE). "Criterion"®, was developed by Educational Testing Service to analyze students' papers grammatically, providing sentence-level error feedback. An interpretive argument was developed for its use as part of…

This brief presents a review of research and current state practices as they relate to measures that Iowa might consider for its federal accountability indicator of school quality or student success--specifically, for inclusion within a composite index of postsecondary readiness. Section 1 of this brief introduces a framework for evaluating and…

The serial and spatially extended nature of many real-world visual tasks suggests the need for control over the content of visual working memory (VWM). We examined the management of VWM in a task that required participants to prioritize individual objects for retention during scene viewing. There were 5 principal findings: (a) Strategic retention…

Colleges and universities have been among the leaders nationwide in adopting green initiatives, partly due to their demographics, but also because they are facing their own budget pressures. Virtualization has become the poster child of many schools' efforts, because it provides significant bang for the buck. However, more and more higher…

External stakeholders and public constituents often have predetermined notions of what administrators do. This quantitative study was designed to help provide concrete evidence of how their time is actually spent. This researcher-developed survey was electronically sent to 332 secondary school principals in the state of Iowa. Although some…

The study investigated the criterion-related validity of the "Test of English as a Foreign Language"[TM] Internet-based test (TOEFL[R] iBT) Listening section by examining its relationship to a criterion measure designed to reflect language-use tasks that university students encounter in everyday academic life: listening to academic…

Describes Accelerated Reader (AR), a computer software program that promotes reading; discusses AR hardware requirements; explains how it is used for book selection and testing in schools; assesses the program's strengths and weaknesses; and describes how Grant and Madison Elementary Schools (Muscatine, Iowa) have used the program effectively.…