This paper examines the direct relationship between curriculum, instruction, and evaluation, suggesting that following a national curriculum and preparing students to take national examinations requires diverse teaching materials, teaching methodologies, and testing techniques to train students to apply their cognitive skills to thinking,…

This book presents practical skills for successful instructional design. Maintaining a balance between theory and application, it offers a flexible model that can be adapted for use in many settings. Examples are presented from business, higher education, and K-12 education. The 15 chapters are: (1) "Introduction to the Instructional Design…

This test manual presents information on the Brockport Physical Fitness Test (BPFT), a criterion-referenced fitness test for children and adolescents with disabilities. The first chapter of the test manual includes an introduction and target populations are identified, defined, and classified. The second chapter presents information on the…

The Alaska Benchmarks Examinations measure student achievement in reading, writing, and mathematics at grades 3, 6, and 8. This booklet answers some of the most frequently asked questions about these examinations and presents some sample questions. The Benchmark Examinations are part of a statewide school reform effort known as the Quality Schools…

In 1996, the Department of Computer Science at Monash University (Australia) implemented a First Year Advanced Students' Project Scheme aimed at extending and stimulating its best first year students. The goal of the scheme was to give students the opportunity to work on a project that best suited their needs and captured their interests. One of…

The hypothesis that enhanced knowledge of assessment rubrics by teachers and thus by students results in improved student achievement was studied in the context of the development of mandatory high school assessments for the Maryland State Department of Education. Rubrics were under development to score constructed-response items in the content…

This paper describes the various ways in which the SAT has evolved since its introduction in 1926. Some of the modifications have involved changes in the types of questions used to measure verbal and mathematical skills. Other modifications focused on liberalizing time limits to ensure that speed of responding to questions has minimal effect on…

Describes development and validation of a 24-item test which assesses student performance on a set of 12 objectives related to planning and constructing an investigation. In addition to sound psychometric properties, the test is distinctive because it includes a set of interrelated cumulative objectives which reflect autonomous problem solving.…

Describes the development of a Piagetian demonstration group test utilized to assess 9-12 year-old students' (N=161) understanding of heat and temperature. Findings include a unitary relationship between Piagetian stages of development and levels of understanding of heat concepts. (DS)

The evolution of the California Assessment Program from its legislative origins in 1961 is discussed. The following topics are included: history; analysis and reporting of results; program impact; program assessment; and future changes in emphasis. (MH)

The validity of logistic test models and computer simulation methods for generating sampling distributions of item bias statistics was evaluated under the hypothesis of no item bias. Test data from 937 ninth-grade students were used to develop 7 steps for applying computer-simulated baseline statistics in test development. (SLD)

Topics discussed in this feature include the importance of measurement and evaluation (M&E) in physical education, the gap between theory and practice in physical education M&E, accountability, grading and testing, M&E curricula in professional physical education preparation programs, and practical guidelines for constructing assessment…

Describes the language-arts assessment instrument developed and piloted by a small urban school district that has a high percentage of students learning English as a Second Language. Developing the instrument, training teachers to be scorers, and the actual piloting of the reading and writing portions of the evaluation are detailed. (SLD)

Three studies involving 79 teacher leaders, 4 school empowerment experts, and 387 secondary school teachers indicate that the 38-item School Participant Empowerment Scale (SPES) may tap 6 dimensions of empowerment within the school organization identified in the literature. The SPES effectively measures perceived empowerment in school settings.…

The nature and quality of chapter-end tests accompanying social studies and science textbooks used in elementary school and middle school grades were studied through reviews by 3 judges of 91 tests. Identified shortcomings lead to the recommendation that these tests not be used intact in classroom assessment. (SLD)