Studies effectiveness of the Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST) in predicting subsequent grades for 9,064 Arizona applicants to teacher education programs in 1985 to 1989 and 100 students with subsequent performance data. The PPST has blocked minority students from teacher preparation programs, although correlations between score and performance…

Asked adults and children ages 7 to 15 to detect changes in an unaccompanied drumbeat. Found significant differences in performance as a function of age when drumbeats fluctuated. Found musical training more influential than age when drumbeat was constant. Discusses a multiprocess model for the perception of tempo. (NL)

An Australian oral/aural program for students with hearing impairments fosters independence and independent learning by teaching cognitive and metacognitive skills. Factors attributing to the program's success include careful planning for integration, a clear understanding of support teachers' roles, special programs to meet individual needs, and…

Data from 95 educationally disadvantaged Hong Kong students placed in mastery-learning classes were compared with 64 control students in expository-learning classes. Results indicate that under mastery learning, deep- and surface-biased learners increasingly diverge in performance and attitude, with surface learners doing better unit to unit, and…

Asserts that the presumption that student evaluation of teacher performance will eliminate poor or below-average teachers is dubious. Maintains that student evaluation is less harmful than peer evaluation. Argues that student evaluation is one of several factors that contribute to the decline of U.S. universities. (CFR)

Argues that the application of competency-based education strategies have served to reduce the educator's role and marginalize teachers' commitment. Criticizes the British approach and describes alternative concepts. Recommends models of professionalism based on "expertise." (CFR)

Presents tips to help teachers develop and manage valid, truly authentic assessments that are linked to daily class instruction, discussing how to refine assessments, get parents involved, encourage self-assessment, and make criteria clear. A model developmental reading scale for bringing more uniformity to reading assessment is presented. (SM)

Examines gender differences among 27 female and 14 male Caucasian college students in reaction to receiving unsolicited help from a similar peer on an educational task. Implications of the results for the threat to self-esteem model and suggestions for future research are discussed. (SLD)

Data from 9,727 college students (sophomore through senior years) generally support the interpretation of the Professional Knowledge Test of the NTE battery as a measure of knowledge of teaching gained through teacher education courses. The other two core battery tests are less reflective of knowledge acquired in teacher education. (SLD)

Discusses the portfolio method of student assessment in the Educational Leadership program at Auburn University Montgomery (Alabama). Highlights include the procedures, format, components, and assessment practices utilized; perceptions of university faculty, students, and prospective employers; and the future of leadership portfolio assessment.…

Bernard Weiner and other motivation researchers have explored what happens to students when they try to explain why they succeed or fail. Causal attributions directly affect motivation and make the difference between helpless and mastery-oriented students. Suggestions are offered to educators to help change the attributions of helpless students…

Describes a training program for facilitators that prepares them to conduct six teacher workshops throughout the school year on technology integration, including software evaluation, appropriate types of technology, and authentic assessment techniques. Research results show that teachers' computer anxiety decreased, and their computer use and…

Reviews personalized instruction models, highlighting contributions of DPIE (diagnosis, prescription, implementation, and evaluation), continuous-progress education, the open-school movement, portfolio assessment, cognitive apprenticeships, and Levin's Accelerated Learning program. All these models profile learning characteristics and promote…

Explores consequences of the gendered division of labor in Canadian university faculties of education. Interviewees reported working hard but feeling disappointed by the results. Argues that this is related to the academic reward system and to expectations of harder work from women. Explores individual and structural explanations of the findings.…

Analyses of 10 raters' reasoning during think-aloud interviews provided evidence to support a model of the fundamental processes involved in rating standards-based, nonprescriptive portfolios. This process model provides a framework within which to conceptualize sound-rater reasoning and to identify reasoning that distorts the meaning of scores.…