One of the challenges facing school educators is motivating students to learn science. This study is part of an evaluation of enriched science curriculum introduced in five western Canadian (Alberta) urban schools. The objective was to develop a multidimensional instrument suitable for evaluating the attitudes of students toward science with a…

Criticizes an article by Messick (1989) that emphasizes consequential validity (the potential and actual social consequences of test score interpretation and use) as a component of construct validity. Shows the profitability of separating the construct-indicator link from the indicator-score link, and the greater importance of the former.…

Criteria to guide classroom assessment practice are determine the extent to which assessment practices are based on tasks and activities that are representative of instructional intention and translate into specific information collection, interpretation, evaluation, and reporting procedures; address the accuracy of the assessment; and consider…

Examines the validity of large-scale educational assessment, suggesting that construct validity is insufficient for assuming an achievement measure's internal validity and that the uses of assessment results affect external validity. Discusses the role of learning theory in large-scale assessment, purposes of large-scale assessment, item types and…

Studies processes in 49 Canadian K-13 classrooms to identify teachers' student achievement evaluation methods. Teacher interviews and categorization of their testing instruments showed teachers beyond early primary grades used evaluations mainly to generate marks for reporting purposes. Such reports seen as reaffirming existing judgments, rather…

Use of portfolios and performance tasks has exponentially increased as educators seek to be as "fair" as possible, and to link measurement, assessment, and evaluation more closely to cognition, curriculum, and instruction. However, high standards of reliability and validity are equally essential in the use of "authentic"…

Describes the use of portfolio assessment in preservice teacher education, specifically elementary science methods courses. Presents both theoretical and practical considerations relative to ensuring the highest possible levels of validity. Includes a set of practical validation focus questions and comments from student portfolios. Contains 33…

Reviews medical and psychoeducational assessment models, illustrating need to expand assessment procedure database resulting from the measurement errors in traditional assessment practices. Introduces assessment model emphasizing collection of classroom-based information over time and evaluating data more critically. Suggests model facilitates…

Describes two Quebec studies integrating educational diagnosis with classroom assessment to develop learning strategies. Outlines new model based on studies and new mastery learning developments. Argues that the unit of measurement should shift from the student to the teacher-student interaction, and the methodology should be…

Describes five propositions concerning classroom assessment. Uses propositions to review seven conference papers. Propositions refer to the following: nature of achievement; student information necessary to interpret assessments; tension between need to describe and need to praise; distinction between formal and informal assessment; and need for…