This material provides an initial assessment procedure to help identify the level of basic skills competence of people entering education or training. It is based on Adult Literacy and Basic Skills Unit Standards that describe how and to what level of performance adults should be able to use communication and number skills. The material can be…

Two procedures were developed to determine whether examinees in a given test center were affected by a testing irregularity on the Listening Comprehension section of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). One approach employed analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) on Listening Comprehension (Section 1) means using scores on Structure and…

This paper discusses a computer-based prototype called TestMaker that enables educators to create computer-based tests. Given the functional needs of faculty, the host of research implications computer technology has for assessment, and current educational perspectives such as constructivism and their impact on testing, the purposes for developing…

In an effort to spend time resources more wisely, many schools have turned to block scheduling, in which classes are taught in longer periods. The school year is adjusted by dividing it into 30-; 45-; 60-; or 90-day periods. This paper presents findings of a study that investigated the effects of block scheduling on seventh-grade mathematics…

The multimethod approach used to collect a assessment data at the local and state levels for the Louisiana Teacher Assessment Program is described. This program develops information about a new teacher's competence that can be used to suggest instructional improvement activities and to decide on qualifications for certification. The first…

This booklet provides some systematic guidelines for assisting educational planners to discriminate between high-quality educational research and research that should not be relied on for decision making. The guidelines focus on educational research studies that employ either experimental or survey-research methodologies. A checklist is presented…

Alcohol intoxication increases the risk of highway accidents, the relative risk of crash probability increasing as a function of blood alcohol content (BAC). Because alcohol use is more prevalent than use of other drugs, more is known about the relationship between alcohol use and driving. Most states presume a BAC of .10% to be evidence of drunk…

This book is designed to help adult educators become skillful in conducting an informal assessment of learning. Chapter 1 gives a background in the basic concepts of assessment and stresses the importance of assessing the design of activities and the behaviors as well as the achievements of learners. Chapter 2 introduces the use of the planning…

This document defines the requirements and program for the American Welding Society to certify expert welders through an evaluation process entailing performance qualification and practical knowledge tests requiring the use of advanced reading, computational, and manual skills. The following items are included: statement of the standard's scope;…

This booklet is intended for practitioners interested in administering, hand scoring, and providing individualized feedback reports on the Leader Attributes Inventory (LAI), an inventory designed to provide assessment data on 37 leader attributes. The following topics are discussed in the booklet's six sections: preparing the instruments for use;…

This booklet is intended for practitioners interested in administering, hand scoring, and providing individualized feedback reports on the Leader Effectiveness Index (LEI), a seven-item instrument designed to provide assessment data on leader effectiveness. The following topics are discussed in the booklet's six sections: preparing the instruments…

As individual states and communities work out curriculum and instructional expectations, high quality assessments of communication skills will continue to evolve. An active cycle of setting goals, developing instruction, teaching, testing, and assessing student and system success is the key to the process of renewal and improvement. All types of…

A model for testing listening comprehension in English as a Second Language is discussed and compared with the Test for English Majors (TEM). The model in question incorporates listening for: (1) understanding factual information; (2) comprehension and interpretation; (3) detailed and selective information; (4) global ideas; (5) on-line tasks…

Open-ended learning environments (OELEs) like microworlds have been touted as one approach for blending learning theory and emerging technology to support the building of student-centered understanding. The learning process involves developing a theory-in-action--an intuitive theory that is generated and changed by learners as they reflect upon…

A study examined retelling as a reading comprehension-enhancing technique. Subjects were 26 urban, lower socio-economic fourth graders from New Jersey (Essex County), including 10 girls and 16 boys. A control sample answered questions as a follow-up to reading basal stories; an experimental sample retold the stories as a follow-up. Comparable…