Purpose: The purpose of this article is to present alternative views on the theory and practice of "formative assessment" (FA), or assessment to support teaching and learning in classrooms, with the purpose of highlighting its value in education and informing discussions on educational assessment policy. Methodology/approach: The method…

Correlational analysis of two years of classroom observation indicates relationships between technology use and various classroom characteristics, including teacher roles and instructional strategies. Three observers used the ISTE Classroom Observation Tool (ICOT) to record 144 observations of classrooms participating in a variety of educational…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide an empirical comparison of two measures of school success -- a value-added assessment system and the federally-mandated system of adequate yearly progress (AYP) -- to identify highly effective urban schools in the USA and to explore the predictive relationship between evidence-based decision-making…

Observation measures of instructional quality tend to fall into two broad categories--those for use across subject areas and those intended for use in specific subject areas. The move toward content-specific measures is a result of research suggesting that effective teaching looks different across subject areas and that both content knowledge and…

The purpose of this article is to describe evaluation capacity building using an immersion approach in two schools: one with an administrator-led process and one with a teacher-led process. The descriptions delineate conceptual, developmental, and sustainability aspects of capacity building through the perspectives of the teachers, principals, and…

The present review examines research on the effects of technology use on reading achievement in K-12 classrooms. Unlike previous reviews, this review applies consistent inclusion standards to focus on studies that met high methodological standards. In addition, methodological and substantive features of the studies are investigated to examine the…

The report, "The Ready to Teach Program: A Federal Initiative in Support of Online Courses for Teachers", describes the history of the Ready to Teach Program and its role as one of the solutions to the national need to increase the performance of teachers through professional development. The report describes selected findings from the Eisenhower…

In response to recent trends and legislation, the concept of implementing evidence-based practices has become a critical component of contemporary schooling. It is important that teachers and families of students with disabilities understand the role that qualitative research plays in determining whether a practice is in fact evidence based.…

THE DUAL PURPOSES OF THIS 1965 PILOT STUDY OF THE 103 NATIONAL DEFENSE EDUCATION ACT SUMMER INSTITUTES IN ENGLISH WERE TO DRAW CONCLUSIONS ABOUT HOW A STUDY OF INSTITUTES COULD BEST BE CONDUCTED AND WHAT OUGHT TO BE THE PURPOSES OF SUCH A STUDY, AND TO REPORT ON WHAT THE INSTITUTES ACCOMPLISHED, TENTATIVELY EVALUATING THEIR EFFECTIVENESS. THE…

The "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001" (PL 107-110) established the Reading First (RF) Program (Title I, Part B, Subpart 1), a major Federal initiative designed to help ensure that all children can read at or above grade level by the end of third-grade. The legislation (Section 1205 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act) requires…

This What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) topic report addresses reading interventions for students in grades K-3, including core reading curricula, programs, or products to be used as supplements to other reading instruction, programs that focus on staff development, and literacy software. The WWC review on beginning reading focuses on programs…

Due to rapid industrial and technological developments, evaluation of vocational education programs must be a continuous process. The product to be evaluated is an educated youth capable not only of entry into the labor market, but also of persisting and progressing in the occupation. Capsulated descriptions of evaluation research on vocational…

A design for the evaluation of ESEA Title VII bilingual programs in the Austin Independent School District is presented. The following topics are included: (1) Evaluation Design Review Form; (2) decision questions including the actual questions addressed on three levels: the Office of Education-Level, the system-level and the project-level; (3) a…

This issue brief, based on a meeting of a group of distinguished researchers, educators, and policymakers convened by the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) explores lessons from research and practice about the role of an intentional curriculum and professional development and supports for teachers in closing the achievement gap for…

A review, analysis, and synthesis of research in career education, which identifies emerging trends, program successes, and the overall relationship of career education to vocational and general education programs, is presented in this information analysis paper. Six major sections are included. Section 1 presents perspectives on the growth and…