This article, an initial report on a section of a larger research study, examines the institutional logics that underpin teacher decision making in response to changes in Australian curriculum and assessment. The research analyses secondary school teachers' accounts of their work enacting the "Australian Curriculum: English" and the…

Background: A project has recently been proposed by the National Education Examinations Authority, P. R. China, to develop a national framework of reference for English language education, provisionally called China Standards of English (CSE). In this article, we argue for the necessity of developing the framework of reference in China and…

In 2008, the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA), responsible for the quality assurance of all qualifications, embarked on a review of all qualifications between Levels 1 and 6 on the 10-level National Qualifications Framework (NQF). The review process mandated the reviewed qualifications to be founded on outcome statements of graduate…

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,…

This study investigated the degree to which teacher developed curriculum was aligned with the national standards in Qatar. Three sources of data included teacher response to a questionnaire, teacher interviews and expert rating of the alignment of teacher-developed materials with curriculum standards. A survey and interview questions measured…

This paper describes the design of the curriculum for a Master of Engineering programme in civil engineering at University College Dublin. The revised programme was established to meet the requirements of the Bologna process and this paper specifically considers the design of a new, second-cycle master's component of the programme. In addition to…

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) establishes standards for what effective teachers should know and be able to do. In light of recent research demonstrating differences between the student outcomes in physical education of National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) and non-NBCTs, the purpose of this article is to…

Summarizes the creation and results of the 1997 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Arts Assessment Report Card. Discusses the creation and the many improvements made to the NAEP Assessment, particularly the Arts Assessment. Discusses the impact of the assessment. (SC)

Addresses the creation of national standards for music education in Lithuania. Provides background information on the role of music in Lithuania. Explains that in 1997 a group of music educators helped develop the standards. Demonstrates that the proposed standards will be easily implemented since they were being practiced in the classroom…

Standards-driven school reform is the national strategy to raise U.S. schools to a world-class level by the year 2000. Schools and school districts must develop plans, that show how to integrate the sets of national goals, standards, and assessments. This paper describes a school-improvement model (SIM) developed by the Gilbert (Iowa) Community…

Whether common standards exist among the national standards for kindergarten through grade 12 mathematics, science, and civics and government was studied. Common standards were explored among "Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics," produced by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the "National…

The purpose of this study was to analyze the reform efforts in the education system of Turkey and identify missing points of the reform process that was introduced in 2004. An overview of the Turkish educational system is briefly described, followed by the analysis of the reform's rational. This new curriculum is evaluated in terms of its missing…

This book provides K-12 teachers with information about effective teaching and learning tools. Each innovation has a long history of use and has been researched and evaluated in a variety of settings. The innovations foster a student-centered classroom environment that is equitable and rigorous. The nine chapters focus on: (1) "The Power of…

In this volume of "Adventures in Assessment," an annual literacy education journal, teachers and practitioners write about their experiences with standards-based reform initiatives at the state and national levels. The following seven articles are included: "What Makes a Good Teacher?" (Marie F. Hassett); "Successful…

This paper describes a technology assessment curriculum developed at Auburn High School (Virginia). The program was used in Honors Biology and General Chemistry classes and is based on Neil Postman's ten principles of interaction between technology and society and Edward de Bono's "Six Thinking Hats," a system of approaching a problem…