This study explored how some African American students dramatically improved their control of Edited American English (EAE) in their introductory composition course at Howard University. The participants included 40 students who were enrolled in ENGL 002 in 1998, 1999, or 2000, as well as the 10 teachers who had recommended the students as…

Elementary education majors at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette are required to use performance portfolios, which document their experiences in the field, provide opportunities for improved performance-based assessment by the instructor/field experience supervisors, and promote self-evaluation and self-reflection. At the end of the spring…

There is currently much interest in the assessment of student achievement in public schools. This guide to forms of assessment discusses some of the most common tests and their uses. Standardized tests are described, and some of their limitations are outlined. State-mandated tests are common, and, because the creators of such tests are removed…

This paper describes the use of portfolios to assess the preservice teacher's knowledge growth in teaching mathematics during a one year graduate-level teacher preparation program at Oregon State University. Portfolios provided evidence of what the preservice teacher used to show development of competency in knowledge and skill of teaching.…

Three commonly used means of assessment of student achievement are discussed. First, standardized tests are often used to assess student achievement. These tests are developed by professional testing and measurement specialists who are completely removed from the local student and classroom. There are many objections to the use of standardized…

The current school reform effort emphasizes the need to improve the education of all students. Assessing the academic achievement of every student is an essential part of this reform, but one that presents a challenge for most schools, school districts, and states. Traditional assessment practices in many states and school districts have tended to…

This guide shows how to make assessment authentic and meaningful in chapters that outline the "hows" and "whys" of assessment. In addition to suggestions for making assessment enriching and informative, the book includes a CD-ROM that contains reproducible forms. The chapters are: (1) "Trust and Risk"; (2) "Instruments: Assessment Drives…

Business educators in middle schools and high schools across the country play a prominent role in developing the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for students to succeed in the workforce. With the advancement of technology, business teachers are coming back to the teacher education program to be retooled and retrained to teach business…

This paper describes the success one institution achieved by placing a faculty committee at the heart of its effort to create an electronic institutional portfolio for accreditation, accountability, and assessment. Working in partnership with the institutional research office, the committee provided faculty opportunities to think about and discuss…

This report describes the assessment practices of the undergraduate performance and field-based teacher preparation programs of Central Washington University. The undergraduate program involves 2-year programs for elementary school teacher candidates in 3 school districts. Portfolios are used in this program as a means of authentic assessment and…

This study analyzed preservice teachers' personal written reflections in order to better understand their individual perspectives on their learning and growth during the early phases of the learning to teach experience. The study investigated students' perceptions of the transformative process during an introductory course, Classroom Processes and…

The Work Sampling System is a performance assessment system that is used in preschool through fifth grade to document and assess children's skills, knowledge, behavior, and accomplishments across curriculum areas. This teacher's manual explains the use of the Work Sampling System in the following chapters: (1) "Introducing the Work Sampling…

Educational research has provided evidence about the effectiveness of small classes. Overall, research suggests that teachers in small classes find more time for individualized instruction, and that they find more opportunities for enrichment and curriculum changes. Most of the changes seem to have occurred because easing the constraints of a…

Arguing that writing assessment and instruction should inform and influence one another, should evolve together, and should be developed locally, this book presents essays that analyze the development of the writing assessment and instruction program at Washington State University. The essays in the book directly challenge the use of national…

During the 2000-2001 school year, the Washington State Institute for Public Policy conducted a study of how public high schools in Washington State are responding to state education reform. One aspect of the study was the experiences of high schools with various strategies to increase student engagement in learning. This paper summarizes study…