English learning has become a vital educational strategy in many non-English-speaking countries. Vocabulary is a critical element for language learners. Therefore, developing sufficient vocabulary knowledge enables effective communication. However, learning a foreign language is difficult and stressful. In addition, memorizing English vocabulary…

Evaluating college and university faculty teaching performance is necessary for multiple reasons, including assurance of student learning and informing administrative decision-making. A holistic system of evaluating university teaching is necessary for reasons including the limitations of student evaluations and the complexity of assessing…

This research focuses on ePortfolio assessment strategies that yield important accountability and reporting information. Under foundational categories of reliability, validity, and fairness, we present methods of gathering evidence from ePortfolio scores and their relationship to demographic information (gender, race/ethnicity, and socio-economic…

Southampton Solent University has been running the unit ENG195 Applied and Academic English Advanced for international students since 2008 as part of the Institution-Wide Language Programme. Following the implementation of a new employability strategy in 2013, the unit was revalidated in July 2014, which led to a major redesign of the curriculum…

Researchers consider the underrepresentation of Black, Hispanic, and Native American students is largely due to the use of traditional methods of identification (i.e., IQ and standardized achievement tests). To address this concern, researchers created novel nontraditional identification methods (e.g., nonverbal tests, student portfolios,…

To equitably prepare all students for success in the 21st century, we must define and measure broader, deeper, and more student-centered outcomes for students and schools. In this paper, we review the outcomes that researchers, students, educators, families, and communities indicate are important, and describe the array of emerging strategies for…

Given the importance of applied learning and skills needed in sustainability education, this study sought to explore how electronic portfolios enable students to provide a range of evidence to demonstrate their sustainability learning. Michigan State University developed an undergraduate minor on sustainability that required students to provide…

Increase in tuition fees means there will be renewed pressure on universities to provide "value for money" courses that provide extensive training in both subject-specific and generic skills. For graduates of chemistry this includes embedding the generic, practical, and laboratory-based skills associated with industrial research as an…

In this article, we use the findings of a study conducted in a university in the southeast of Mexico to examine strengths and limitations of portfolios to assess formatively the quality of teaching. The research is part of the study: Model for the Development and Evaluation of Academic Competencies, involving researchers from six Mexican…

This study examined the types of teacher reflections and the changes in reflective levels as 15 candidates for National Board Certification worked through the portfolio process. This study also examined how the portfolio requirements and mentoring from candidate support providers helped teachers deepen their levels of reflection. Study findings…

Since 2008, the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) has annually surveyed our nation's authorizers. Survey findings provide an annual measuring stick for those in the field of authorizing, and they help education decision makers, foundations, legislators, and researchers inform their understanding of the field of charter…

Although assessment is acknowledged as being of central importance to the student learning experience, assessment practices have been consistently highlighted as one of the weakest features by the Quality Assurance Agency and identified by many as a crisis within higher education. This paper explores the use of Patchwork Text Assessment within a…

Smith College initiated an ePortfolio pilot project to guide students in documenting key learning experiences and in linking those experiences to Smith's institutional mission of "developing leaders for society's challenges" (Smith College, 2011). Twenty-one college students volunteered to participate in the pilot, based on the…

Self-regulated learners are aware of their knowledge and skills and proactive in learning. They view learning as a controllable process and accept more responsibility for the results of this process. The research described in this article proposes, implements, and evaluates an ePortfolio-based self-regulated learning model. An ePortfolio system…

A strong focus on teacher performance is resurfacing in teacher-preparation programs across the US. EdTPA, a teacher-performance assessment designed to determine K-12 teacher candidates' readiness for the classroom, has become central in teacher-preparation programs in several states and promises to be implemented in more states in the coming…