The history of general chemistry is one of almost constant calls for reform, yet over the past 60 years little of substance has changed. Those reforms that have been implemented are almost entirely concerned with how the course is taught, rather than what is to be learned. Here we briefly discuss the history of the general chemistry curriculum and…

The Irish national discourse on curriculum and assessment reform at the Junior Cycle level has been fraught with controversy in the past two years. The introduction of the new curriculum and assessment framework in 2012 by the then Minister of Education, Ruairi Quinn has led to significant media coverage and teacher union response. In this paper,…

In today's output defined society, alumni are the output of higher education. This article shows how alumni research can be used as an important indicator of curriculum quality. This relatively unexplored area of engineering education research in Europe is highlighted using a case study carried out in the Netherlands, the outcomes of which have…

Current science education reform efforts highlight the importance of engaging students in scientifically oriented questions as a central dimension of inquiry-based elementary science. However, elementary teachers, particularly beginning teachers, must often overcome a variety of challenges to engage their students in reform-minded,…

An investigation on whether a course designed strategically so that assessment methods are aligned with course objectives promotes the students' capacity for higher-order cognitive thinking is presented. Students' view of their own learning process in this course is examined.

Discusses means of improving curriculum evaluation, especially with respect to the Australian science curriculum. Provides a clear definition of curriculum'' and suggests a master model for curriculum evaluation. Recent trends in procedures for evaluating student progress are also outlined. (JR)

Formative evaluation of a physics curriculum unit (PLON) is reported. Phase one used general ideas and many instruments; phase two focused on specific questions arising from phase one. Findings suggested that relating curriculum content to ability to think about and explain a task was a prerequisite for student satisfaction. (CP)

After discussions of the purposes of evaluation, and integrated curricula, three curriculum analysis systems are described: the Curriculum Materials Analysis System, the Sussex Scheme for the Analysis of Curriculum Materials, and the Curriculum Materials Analysis System for Science. (BW)

Although results of both formative and summative evaluation can be used for planning the next generation of a curriculum, a need exists for a third kind of evaluation, namely, Pre-Planning Evaluation (PPE). The purpose of PPE is to provide a database to curriculum development deliberations to assist in decision-making and to guard against neglect…

The Assessment of Inquiry Potential (AIP) instrument, a tool for classifying scientific materials on the basis of their potential for inquiry learning, is presented and discussed. (MK)

This diagnostic assessment guide is designed to assist schools in developing their curriculum and assessment policies and help teachers in assessing individual pupils' understanding and progress and identifying appropriate next steps in a way which fits in with day to day teaching. Existing research and practice are applied within the context of…

In a study designed to determine the impact of state curriculum initiatives on curriculum framework, student assessment, and textbook adoption in the science curriculum, researchers interviewed state education agency staff, completed four case studies in four districts, and surveyed 100 school districts at random in each of the three diverse…

Describes the evaluation and revision of the O-level Nuffield chemistry student and teacher curriculum materials. Includes a discussion of the rationale for the evaluation process and the methodology used. (JN)

The Instructional Strategy Diagnostic Profile (ISDP) was designed to enable instructional developers and evaluators to predict the effectiveness of, and prescribe improvements for existing instructional materials. Experimental studies were conducted in introductory college statistics and physics classes to validate the ISDP and its accompanying…