Two studies are presented in this report. The first is titled "Empirical Studies of Multilevel Approaches to Test Development and Interpretation: Measuring Between-Group Differences in Instruction." Because of a belief that schooling does affect student achievement, researchers have questioned the empirical and measurement techniques…

The purpose of this study was to examine the stability of measures of student writing performance across types of discourse (genres) and across response modes (selected response: multiple choice; constructed response: single paragraph, and full length essay). The study addressed the following: (1) the relationship/stability of writing scores…

Guidelines are given assessing the community living skills of deaf students through an adaptation of the Street Survival Skills Questionnaire (SSSQ), which was originally designed for developmentally disabled or handicapped adolescents and adults. Adaptations include consideration of situational factors (such as visual distractions) and the…

The paper examines aspects involved in providing an accurate evaluation of speech and language of culturally different preschool children. Dialectical differences of Spanish and Black English speakers are detailed. Culturally based nonverbal behaviors and situational factors, including touching behavior and eye contact, are considered. Cultural…

The linguistic norm for testing and instructing Students of Limited-English-Proficiency (SLEPs) is that of a monolingual native speaker of English. The claim is made that this norm is not implemented accurately in testing and instruction and that a bilingual norm for testing and instruction would be more appropriate. The failure to implement…

This publication contains 12 papers presented at the 28th annual meeting of the Far Western Philosophy of Education Society. A wide variety of topics is discussed. For example, one paper titled "Democracy, Models, and a Paradigm for Internship," discusses the functions of educational administration. The theme of manipulation is examined in a paper…

This study was conducted to test the effect of practice or adjunct questions on learning in a real-world training environment. Subjects were 289 males enrolled in a self-study Naval communications course. Subjects were assigned to one of three experimental groups which received workbooks, or to a control group which did not receive workbooks. The…

Controlling the rate of oral delivery in the second language classroom has been demonstrated as beneficial to the learner, whose information-processing capacity is an important factor in listening comprehension. Rate of information delivery can be controlled by limiting the actual rate of words per unit of time, or by maintaining content…

This study explored the relationship between classification achievements and mathematics scores. A series of 16 items which included many of the traditional tasks used in Piagetian examinations of intellectual function, were used in group presentations. Ten of these tasks required concrete operations including class inclusion, additive…

Connecticut's experience with four different standard-setting methods regarding multiple choice proficiency tests is described. The methods include Angoff, Nedelsky, Borderline Group, and Contrasting Groups Methods. All Connecticut ninth graders were administered proficiency tests in reading, language arts, and mathematics. As soon as final test…

Context effects are defined as being influences on test performance associated with the content of successively presented test items or sections. Four types of context effects are identified: (1) direct context effects (practice effects) which occur when performance on items is affected by the examinee having been exposed to similar types of…

This paper describes Missouri's minimum competency testing program. The administration, funding, organization, goals and evaluation procedures of the testing program, which evaluates all eighth graders in the State, are outlined. Also discussed are the relationship between the State board of education and the local districts and how State policy…

In the spring of 1980, the Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DODDS) completed its second year of basic skills testing. During the first year, the Basic Skills Assessment Program tested students' math skills in grades 7 and 11, and reading and language skills in grades 9 and 11. During the second year, the testing program was expanded to…

This investigation focused on sex and ethnic differences in mathematics achievement among and between black and Mexican-American adolescents. One hundred twelve subjects were chosen; the selection included 61 blacks and 51 Mexican-Americans. The sample included 42 males and 70 females. All pupils attended the same school, with most from homes low…

A cross-cultural educational research study involving 12,500 students in 13 countries is described, with particular emphasis on one aspect of geographic literacy--place vocabulary skills. Place vocabulary is defined as that component of vocabulary that is concerned with places which are proper nouns and capitalized to show their importance. The…