Discusses linear, or systematic, instructional design and development, including a 15-step model. Topics include needs assessment; formative evaluation; performance objectives; instructional materials development; pilot testing; design alternatives that challenge linear instructional design, including constructivism, anchored instruction, and…

Reflections of participants in a psychology of aging course in which students participated in service learning with older adults found that it significantly enhanced the course experience from the perspectives of instructors, graduate teaching assistants, students, and field site staff. (SK)

Presents guidelines for the evaluation of academic advising that can be used in a variety of settings. Illustrates the process by examining advising in an academic support program at a small New England college. Discusses the roles of formative and summative evaluation. (SLD)

Worksites represent an untapped resource for reaching teens with tobacco control messages, given that 80% of teens have held at least one job by the time they graduate from high school. This paper presents formative research findings from a methods development study aimed at designing and testing a tobacco control intervention targeting working…

It is not enough to say merely that formative assessment is a measure of student achievement administered several times during the school year, whereas summative assessment is a measure of student achievement usually administered at the end of the year. That is only part of the answer, the true distinction between the two lies in their respective…

This article describes a step-by-step procedure to differentiate instruction through tiered lessons. (Contains 3 figures.)

Classroom assessment information should be the basis for important classroom processes and outcomes: students' study and work patterns, students' understanding of what they are learning, and teachers' instructional and grading decisions. Attention to principles of assessment quality, especially validity and reliability, increases confidence in the…

Problem-based service-learning projects are complex and ambiguous learning environments. New thinking about assessment must occur to be able to assist the learning from this type of project. (Contains 1 table.)

From the perspective of years in the classroom, Jago shares her journey of reflective teaching that led to a strong belief that all students need the "language of literature" incorporated into daily instruction. Having the vocabulary of intellectual thought at their disposal helps students think through complex issues and express their questions…

This article discusses the Network of Performance-Based Schools, first developed in 1999, and how it answers a personal and professional desire shared to work together in multidisciplinary groups with the profit of learning. The development of the Network of Performance-Based Schools evolved out of a shared personal and professional desire for…

The QIAT Self-Evaluation Matrices (QILT, 2001) were developed in response to formative evaluation data indicating a need for a model that could assist in the application of the Quality Indicators for Assistive Technology Services in Schools (Zabala, et al, 2000). The QIAT Matrices are based on the idea that change does not happen immediately, but…

Focus group research is an effective way for school nurses to gain knowledge about a diverse range of issues that children in schools may face. It is a means to gather information about perceptions, feelings, points of view, and manners of thinking from a group of individuals about a specific topic. This article overviews focus groups as a…

To effectively differentiate instruction, a teacher needs to: (1) collect information about students; (2) manage all the data; (3) plan instruction based on the students' readiness level, interests, and/or learning profile; and (4) communicate with students, other teachers, and parents. Formative assessment is a key component of differentiated…

Formative assessments are systematically designed instructional interventions to assess and provide feedback on students' strengths and weaknesses in the course of teaching and learning. Despite their known benefits to student attitudes and learning, medical school curricula have been slow to integrate such assessments into the curriculum. This…

The rapid growth of the Internet and intranets supports the infrastructure necessary for computer-based testing (CBT). The parallel growth of sophisticated computer programming and powerful computers offers new possibilities in testing, such as Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT), where the responses of the subject dictate the nature of the test…