The authors have been engaged in research focused on students' depth of learning as well as teachers' efforts to foster deep learning. Findings from a study examining the teaching practices and student learning outcomes of sixty-four teachers in seventeen different states (Smith et al. 2005) indicated that most of the learning in these classrooms…

Performance tasks build on earlier content knowledge, progress skills, and work habits. They are not add-ons at the end of instruction, but an integral part of the learning and an opportunity to assess the quality of student performance. This guide was written by teachers to share their experiences in the introduction of performance based…

Asserts that the scientific literacy of the average person can be evaluated adequately only with a definition that involves thinking processes and ignores test-taking skills. (PR)

This framework provides rationale, activities, and assessments to integrate global education into the curriculum. Divided into three parts, part 1, "The Framework," contains six sections: (1) "The Rationale for a Global Framework"; (2) "An Overview of the Framework"; (3) "You are a HUMAN BEING"; (4) "Your home is PLANET EARTH"; (5) "You are a…

In the "Student-Centered Classroom Assessment" textbook, readers are offered many opportunities to reflect on classroom assessment ideas in relation to their own classroom assessment experiences. As a companion to that text, this book of case studies serves the same purposes, but in a way that calls for the application of ideas and strategies…

Describes how one teacher and 46 general chemistry students used portfolios as part of the evaluative process. Argues that any worthwhile assessment must address questions about the inevitable impact of testing on students and their learning. (PR)

One of the benefits of performance based assessment is its allowance for the teacher to gather information about how the student understands and applies knowledge. In this Digest, the basic steps a teacher should take to plan and execute effective performance-based assessment are outlined. Coverage includes the steps of planning and executing…

This book illustrates how problem-based learning (PBL) can enliven curriculum and lesson planning by encouraging students to play a more central role in their own learning process. It provides a framework for efficiently and effectively teaching problem-solving skills, tapping children's interests and previous knowledge, and making the curriculum…

This book uses an extended case study to guide readers through the complexities of evaluating service learning outcomes and their relevance to the curriculum. Eight chapters include: (1) "What Is Service Learning?" (e.g., definition and rationale, developing a service learning program, and standards for effective programs); (2) "The…

Presents a lesson plan and performance assessment for teaching about Korea. Explains that the lesson teaches history by giving students interesting problems to work on using the facts they discover about the country. Discusses preparation and research, performance assessment, and writing assessment on whether the two Koreas will unify. (DK)

Constructivism is the theory that people learn by constructing meaning through interpretive interactions with the social environment. Constructivist perspectives are a growing influence among educators seeking to help students connect learning with life experiences, making constructivism highly relevant to vocational and career educators. This…

This book is intended to introduce the classroom teacher and prospective teacher to the elements of measurement and assessment that are essential to good teaching. The main theme is that assessment plays an important role in the instructional process. This edition has been revised to reflect major changes in educational assessment since the last…

Describes a laboratory activity "Observing Reactions in Solution." The activity can be used either as a laboratory or as a performance assessment for a high school chemistry class. (PR)

Asserts that evaluating cooperative learning experiences is both traditional in the tools used and innovative in the way the results benefit students and teachers. Provides suggestions for encouraging interdependence, grading group projects, and evaluating both academic achievement and group process skills. (CFR)

This book is designed to help educators consider how assessment relates to instruction and recognize how assessment affects student learning. It intends to encourage teachers to establish a climate in which students can safely seek and use assessment information. A basic assumption is that learning occurs best in a positive setting, one that…