The aims of university System Dynamics (SD) programs include the mastery of systems thinking skills, modeling skills, and/or application to solving real-world, dynamic, complex problems. Existing research has articulated learning sequences of what learners should know and be able to do, and when. It is called the competence development framework…

According to accreditation and professional bodies, evaluation and grading are a high priority in counselor education. Specifications grading, an evaluative tool, can be used to increase grading rigor. This article describes the components of specifications grading and applies the framework of specifications grading to a counseling theories course.

This paper discusses technical issues related to methods of reporting the outcomes of graded tests, with reference to three existing schemes which exemplify differing graded test models. The models are designed for secondary school pupils and are operated in one or more Local Education Authorities in the South of England. (LMO)

Describes a self-paced mastery learning process applied to an introductory sociology course at Lambton College (Sarnia, Ontario) in an attempt to correct traditional instructional and grading "malpractices." Describes course goals and organization, behavioral objectives, grading contracts, teaching techniques, student evaluation and feedback, and…

Thirty special education teachers were assigned to a dynamic-goal or static-goal curriculum-based measurement group, or a control group. Results with their 60 mildly/moderately handicapped students showed that dynamic goal teachers increased goals more frequently and employed more ambitious goals, and their students had better content mastery than…

Mastery learning is a systematic approach to instruction in which students are required to attain specified levels of competence. This paper provides a rationale for using mastery learning in the introductory public speaking course and clarifies the differences between traditional and mastery learning approaches by contrasting their assumptions…

Most educational objectives can be classified as either mastery or developmental. For mastery objectives, teachers can develop satisfactory assessment instruments relatively easily and can describe student achievement as "can do" or "can't do." For developmental objectives, there are a number of evaluation methods, and student progress varies in…

Two approaches to measurement for instructional decision making (specific subskill mastery measurement and general outcome measurement) are described and illustrated with case studies. The paper concludes that measuring general outcome indicators can bridge traditional and contemporary assessment paradigms to form an innovative approach to…

Developed for non-English speaking kindergarten children, this skills check list was designed to evaluate rapidly and to monitor a student's mastery of suggested objectives at the kindergarten level. Objectives to be mastered with 100% accuracy include: (1) oral identification of 6 basic colors; (2) oral identification of numbers 0-5; (3)…

Following the Migrant Student Record Transfer System Skills list, this checklist, designed for non-English speaking students, is a system for rapidly evaluating a student's skill level and for keeping track of the student's mastery of suggested objectives at the fourth grade level. Objectives to be mastered with 100% accuracy include: spelling…

Following the Migrant Student Record Transfer System skills list, this checklist, designed for non-English speaking students, is a system for rapidly evaluating a student's skill level and for keeping track of the student's mastery of suggested objectives at the fifth and sixth grade levels. Objectives to be mastered with 100% accuracy include:…

In a program of Individually Prescribed Instruction (IPI), where a student's progress through each level of a program of study is governed by his performance on a test dealing with individual behavioral objectives, there is considerable value in keeping the number of items on each test at a minimum. The specified test length for each objective…

Following the Migrant Student Record Transfer System skills list, this checklist, designed for non-English speaking students, is a system for rapidly evaluating a student's skill level and for keeping track of the student's mastery of suggested objectives at the second grade level. Objectives to be mastered with 100% accuracy include: reading…

The basic philosophy of mastery learning is that all students can learn if they are provided with effective instruction and practice. Research on mastery learning has been done in many countries and at all levels of education in different subject areas, and it has repeatedly shown excellent results. This teaching and learning strategy succeeds in…

Following the Migrant Student Record Transfer System skills list, this checklist, designed for non-English speaking students, is a system for rapidly evaluating a student's skill level and for keeping track of the student's mastery of suggested objectives at the third grade level. Objectives to be mastered with 100% accuracy include: spelling…