This elementary physical education teacher developed a student evaluation system by rewriting the curriculum, producing a series of grade-specific objectives to guide her teaching, matching learning activities, creating rubrics for the objectives which she and the students could use, and generating computerized, personalized grade reports for each…

Summarizes various stakeholder surveys and factor analyses that attempt to delineate transferable skills, such as problem solving, communication, teamwork, and critical thinking. Points out that employer skill requirements may vary among countries and these differences may not always be cultural, but are related to different uses of terminology…

A study investigated the people and actions related to two successful gifted advocacy events that included state legislative changes. Five ingredients of success represented the key characteristics common to the leaders in each advocacy group: passion, preparation, inspiration, perseverance, and the ability to take advantage of serendipity.…

This annotated bibliography contains recent research and publications on the efficacy of cochlear implants for children with hearing loss. Materials are provided for the following categories: rules and regulations (2); available devices (3); and the impact of implants on development (18). Factors affecting the benefits of the devices are…

A study was conducted of 201 adults with Down's syndrome to investigate the differential causes of decline in adaptive behavior. Results indicated that aging, dementia, and severity of mental retardation were significant factors, while absence of a medical illness predicted a higher level of adaptive behavior. (CR)

Reflects on research that showed that, as reading ability of students without disabilities increased in schools engaged in "effective schools" reforms, the reading ability of students with disabilities decreased. Concerns are raised that resources previously devoted to special education programs may serve to infuse general school…

Examines the role of portfolios as an alternative method of mathematics assessment in the primary grades. Defines math portfolios and their use, and proposes ideas on how to evaluate progress in classification, numbers, and spatial relationships. Suggests that use of portfolios focuses on problem solving and reasoning, and places responsibility on…

Used path analysis to examine effects of spatial skill, math anxiety, and math self-confidence as mediators of gender differences in Mathematics Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT-M) in upper third of college-bound adolescents. Found that mental rotation and math self-confidence indirectly mediated the gender-SAT-M relationship. Most of the mediational…

Estimates of the costs of including hands-on measures of science skills in a large-scale assessment program were derived from a field trial involving more than 2,000 fifth and sixth graders. Results suggest that complexity makes hands-on assessments more than three times as expensive as open-ended writing assessments. (SLD)

The eight chapters of this theme issue use quantitative and qualitative methods to explore the nature and nurture of young participants in the mathematics Olympiad from five countries. Parallel studies are presented of winners from China, Taiwan, and the United States, along with descriptions of programs in Japan and Russia. (SLD)

A survey of 32 department heads at Rhodes University (South Africa) found that in just over half the departments, students were given the opportunity to evaluate course content and presentation, and department heads were favorably disposed toward the system. Two issues deemed important in institutionalization of course evaluation were methods for…

A study of 303 predominately Hispanic and Native American ninth graders investigated the validity of the DISCOVER assessment. Results provided evidence for an alignment of the assessment with the theory of multiple intelligences. No overall gender or ethnic differences were found in the numbers of students identified as gifted. (Contains…

Based on the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) recent report, this article provides the foundation for state accountability systems that focus on improvement. Contains NASBE's proposed Public Policy Position on Low Performing Schools. (Contains 14 references.) (Author/MLF)

A five-year longitudinal study of 531 incarcerated youth, more than half of whom had a disability, showed that those who were working or in school 6 months after release tended to stay involved in positive activities and had not returned to the juvenile facility 12 months after release. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Case studies of two academically gifted and talented African American male college students are presented to highlight the importance of relationships with faculty and peers and the value of being connected to family. Factors influencing college selection and self-perception are discussed, as well as practical implications. (Contains references.)…