Over the past 8 years, U.S. kindergarten classrooms have been impacted by policies mandating or recommending the administration of a specific kindergarten entry assessment (KEA) in the initial months of school as well as the increasing reliance on digital technology in the form of mobile apps, touchscreen devices, and online data platforms. Using…

This study examines the ways in which teachers provide students with written scaffolds in assessment tasks and the impact of these on students' abilities to demonstrate a core disciplinary proficiency--constructing evidence-based explanations. Data include 76 assessment tasks designed by 33 science teachers and 707 samples of student work. We…

Recent years have witnessed a surge in evidence on preschoolers' emotional development as crucial for both concurrent and later well-being and mental health, and for learning and academic success. Given the importance of building such strengths, assessing emotional competence skills is important to aid early childhood educators in focusing…

Solve serious behavior challenges in K-8 classrooms with this easy-to-use book, the first practical guide to the research-proven Prevent-Teach-Reinforce (PTR) model. Developed by some of the most respected authorities on positive behavior support, this innovative model gives school-based teams a five-step plan for reducing problems unresolved by…

This guide has helped put executive skills on the map for school-based clinicians and educators. The book explains how these critical cognitive processes develop and why they play such a key role in children's behavior and school performance. Provided are step-by-step guidelines and many practical tools to promote executive skill development by…

Confirmative evaluation of instructional materials and learners follows some time after formative and summative evaluation; it determines if materials still meet the original objectives and if learners have maintained their level of competence. Discusses the importance of confirmative evaluation and presents a confirmative evaluation model,…

Learning stories, a form of narrative assessment, were used by teams surrounding two New Zealand children with high and complex needs. Learning stories are currently used by New Zealand early childhood teachers and highlight strengths- and interest-based learning in natural settings. This contrasts with specialists' assessments, which highlight…

Presented is a model designed to aid school personnel in identifying gifted and talented children. In the chapter on problems and challenges of identification, the inadequacies of standardized group intelligence tests are pointed out and factors contributing to the broadening of the concept of giftedness are outlined. Stressed in chapter 2, on…

Drawing upon experimental work in different history departments, Mark Cottingham explores "assessment for learning" principles in practice. He raises the problem of a clash between these approaches and the progression model inherent in the National Curriculum Attainment Target, and, crucially, the way in which history departments are…

This packet contains handouts for training school and community personnel to implement Project STEPS (Sequenced Transition to Education in the Public Schools), an interagency program to facilitate transition of young children with disabilities. A sample agenda for a 3-day training session is provided. Handouts are organized into the eight modules…

This monograph, which was developed for home economics teachers, describes six alternative assessment techniques and contains sample assessment instruments and guide sheets. Discussed in the introduction are factors contributing to the increasing popularity of alternative assessment and the distinguishing features of the alternative assessment…

A strategic planning model for planning and conducting outcomes assessment was developed and implemented at Wayland Baptist University in Lubbock, Texas. First, the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) model was used to survey 100 undergraduate students regarding their perceptions of skills they would need after graduation.…

This report describes a youth competency model that was developed to help trainers involved in Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) programs in Kansas to evaluate program participants' competency in four major areas: pre-employment, work maturity, basic education, and job-specific skills. Discussed in the first section, which provides background on…

This independent learning packet, which is intended for adult literacy tutors, reviews the literature regarding adults with learning disabilities. The packet begins with a learning disabilities pretest. Presented next is the literature review, which includes information on the following aspects of learning disabilities: definition and historical…

This handbook is intended to facilitate the teaching, learning, and assessment of college creditable interpersonal competence acquired or enhanced by experiential learning situations. Experiential learning may be a result of prior experience, such as community affairs and work experience, or may be sponsored by the college. The concept of…