Test-taking skills should be part of learning-disabled students' instruction. Student performance on previous tests should be analyzed to determine lack of information, carelessness, misinterpretation, material not studied, or incorrect reading. Notetaking techniques, language problems, and special problems presented by essay tests and math tests…

Points out that significant progress in performance assessment is gained by adopting an interdisciplinary approach for Data Envelopment Analysis. Describes a number of case studies as well as the limitations of the technique and the caution required in interpretation. (Author/BSR)

Examined participation by 32 nontraditional college students in a test-oriented versus nontest-oriented introductory educational psychology course. Results demonstrated that with nontraditional learners, a nontest-oriented approach to college teaching and evaluation can result in content acquisition comparable to traditional instruction and…

Research on teaching has begun to concentrate on "product" or student outcomes. Three instructional techniques are important in the analysis of student outcomes: (1) academic learning time, (2) direct instruction, and (3) mastery learning. The author explores the merits of each, reviewing both critics' and advocates' positions. (MD)

Argues that though college examiners seem to desire candidates' personal responses to literature, the examination questions require students to reply to the opinions of others rather than explain their own opinions. (SRT)

Compared three methods of rating thoughts: self-rating by subjects, rating by experts with thoughts presented randomly, and rating by experts with thoughts presented in context among 107 students who listed their thoughts prior to giving a speech. Results indicated all three methods were equal in predictions of speech anxiety and performance.…

Reviews 15 potential uses of optical disc read-only memory (OD-ROM) in education, including instructional, curriculum, assessment, administrative, and counseling applications. Need for the product, cost of development, size of audience, critical competitor, and potential profitability to suppliers are noted for each application. (MBR)

The Laramie County School District Number 1 (Wyoming) developed local norms for a standardized developmental test of entering school students. The district's analysis of the differences between the local norms and the national norms is presented. Further study of the results is needed to assess the tests' usefulness. (MD)

A California school district revamped its curriculum and established a quality-control testing system that evaluates how teachers and students are doing. The success of the program was dependent on the support of teachers and parents. Outlined are three important points for establishing such support. (MD)

Two individuals who hold university and industry appointments were asked to respond to questions on various issues related to science curriculum and instruction in Great Britain. Their responses to these questions are presented. Issues examined include 0-/A-level testing and the use of erroneous science reports in the media. (JN)

The Midwest Talent Search Project is an effort to identify and provide an appropriate accelerated curriculum for gifted secondary school students in the midwest. Many aspects of the project are discussed here, including testing, programming, benefits, and implications for curriculum reform. (Author/MCG)

Latent image processing is a method which reveals hidden ink when marked with a special pen. Using multiple-choice items with commercially available latent image transfers can provide immediate feedback on take-home quizzes. Students benefitted from formative evaluation and were challenged to search for alternative solutions and explain unexpected…

Since the 1970s, policymakers have learned that test results can be used as an administrative mechanism to implement policy. A national system of external certification tests would involve several problems: (1) absence of independent examination boards; (2) negative impact on teaching; (3) tendency to elitism; (4) competition for RFP's; and (5)…

Describes a study of how the verb-form variables of tense, aspect, mode, person, number, and stem and suffix irregularities interact for lower-level students of Spanish to determine if performance can be improved by asking students to monitor an individual variable when many of such variables must be integrated in a particular exercise. (SED)

The history and demise of the following two educational agencies are discussed: the Schools Council for Curriculum and Examinations of England and Wales and the National Council for Innovation in Education of Norway. (RM)