Changes in Scotland's curriculum have led to changes in student testing. A system of grade-related criteria has been developed--descriptions of expected performance in key aspects of a subject at different grade levels. (GDC)

During 1969 the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement began a series of cross-cultural studies to investigate the workings of multiple-choice achievement tests and student guessing behaviors. Empirical models to correct for guessing are discussed in terms of test item difficulty, number of response choices,…

Discusses 32 studies which address the relationship between creative drama and language skills. Also provides a chart that includes the following information on each study: drama treatment, language measurement instruments, population, control group or alternate treatment, significant results, conclusions, and other factors studied. (PD)

This report presents the preliminary development and field-testing of an observational system designed specifically to describe teacher-student dyadic interaction in second language instructional settings. (Author)

For the benefit of policy makers who envision a change in the controls placed on student examining, a case study is presented of an institution that has not attempted an honor system and that has not seen a noticeable decline in courses with formal examinations. Procedures at Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences are described. (LBH)

This book explains the range of assessment techniques that monitor learning effectively. It provides step-by-step procedures for a standards-based approach to classroom assessment and strategies for aligning curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Examples show how to implement each form of assessment. The chapters are: (1) "An Overview of…

This guide is designed for companies that are working to strengthen schools. It is meant to help state and local business leaders become more effective advocates for building and sustaining the necessary community support for rigorous assessments of student achievement. The ultimate goal of educational improvement efforts must be to improve…

This reference guide contains clear and concise explanations of concepts related to educational testing and standards. The book may be read straight through as a primer on educational assessment or may be used as a reference for particular topics. The sections are: (1) Accountability (Consumers, Taxpayers, and Citizens); (2) Authenticity in…

The Department of Measurement, Statistics, and Evaluation (EDMS) at the University of Maryland is working to develop Master's degree programs that are oriented around developing assessment professionals for work in applied settings. Two fundamentally different sets of experiences are being developed: (1) assessment development, administration, and…

Describes the formative evaluation of Project IMPACT, a computer-based information system designed to provide school personnel with frequent systematic evaluation information on student progress. Preliminary evidence indicates that with this information instructors can modify instruction to meet the needs of the students and thereby may increase…

Discusses reasons why standardized tests and their use are important topics of discussion. Testing is: widely used in schools and supported by the public; criticized by both educational and noneducational groups; only minimally a part of teachers'/administrators' training; constantly being changed and developed. (LC)

Russell disputes West's description of the Ontario Assessment Pool Instrument as a device for screening students and asserts that, on the contrary, the test can measure program effectiveness. An attempt is made to clarify other issues concerning the effects of educational research on government policy. (PP)

The System of Multicultural Pluralistic Assessment (SOMPA) is described as an example of the structural and cultural pluralistic model of assessment. Mercer's concept of estimated learning potential is described and the medical, social, and pluralistic models are mentioned. Standardization, test administration, validation, and the manuals are…

Described are national methods of assessing and monitoring the achievement in science of students of 11, 13, and 16 years old in England and Wales. The tasks of the Assessment of Performance Unit (APU), a unit within the Department of Education and Science, are also described. (HM)

An investigation of Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) retest scores indicates that limited retest improvement may result when initial scores are fairly low or below what might be predicted based on grade point averages. However, when initial scores approach the national, standardized MCAT mean, or are above what might be predicted, significant…