Corruption in higher education is a newly emerging topic in the field of education research. There is a phenomenal growth in the number of media reports on corruption in higher education over the last decade. However, the rigorous systematic research on education corruption is virtually nonexistent. This paper considers corruption in higher…

The purpose of this book is to introduce the research on readability, defined here as reading ease. The first part of the book covers how people read. A series of national literacy surveys show that the average person in the U.S. and most other countries are adults of limited reading skills. For example, the average adult in the U.S. reads at the…

A popular image today is that students are "consumers" and teachers are "producers" and "sellers" of education. Many in academia claim that economic metaphors distort and corrupt the true nature of education and they offer a variety of alternative images of the relationships between teachers and students: traveler/guide, worker/boss, artistic…

A study was conducted to determine what methods of student evaluation parents felt were most effective in helping them assist in their child's efforts to develop skills and understand their child's performance in school. A survey was conducted among 168 parents in central Virginia, including parents of kindergarten through fourth grade students in…

In response to concerns about current grading policies and procedures, a study was undertaken to provide state leaders with descriptions of grading policies and procedures across high schools. A total of 144 districts (out of 292 in the state that was the focus of this study) responded. Documents provided by the districts varied according to…

A case is presented for adjusting the scores for free response items in the Advanced Placement (AP) tests. Using information about the rating process from the reliability studies, administrations of the AP test for three subject areas, psychology, computer science, and English language and composition, are analyzed. In the reliability studies, 299…

There is increasing pressure on teachers in higher education to provide assessment systems that are fair, valid, reliable, efficient, and effective. Funding bodies, students themselves, and public opinion have higher expectations, and there is a new emphasis on competence-based systems. Growing numbers of students and financial constraints make…

This paper explores the effect of reviewing items and altering responses on the efficiency of computer adaptive tests (CATs) and the resultant ability measures of examinees. Subjects included 712 medical students: 220 subjects were randomly assigned to the review condition; 492 were randomly assigned to a review control condition (the usual CAT…

This study investigated how instructional goals, activities, and methods for grading in college level courses vary across disciplines and how these course design variables are related to student ratings, class size, and course level. The study used a 44-item, multiple choice questionnaire mailed to 1280 instructors teaching 2700 course sections in…

To alleviate problems associated with free composition as a method of foreign language writing instruction, the directed writing method was adapted for use in a college French composition course. High-quality French texts, often of only a page or two and written by native speakers, are used as a basis for grammatical analysis and discussion and a…

Designed to assist community college instructors in the difficult task of grading students, this seven-part guidebook provides philosophical, theoretical and practical advice. Section I covers common problems associated with grading, the need for grades, and the link between grades and subsequent performance. Section II, "Limitations of Grades,"…

Designed to aid public school educators in placing Vietnamese refugees in American schools, this four-part publication describes the Vietnamese educational system. Part 1 outlines subject requirements and their time allotments by grade level. The Vietnamese curriculum is further subdivided into courses for boys and girls where applicable. Part 2…

This learning module, one in a series of 127 performance-based teacher education learning packages focusing upon specific professional competencies of vocational teachers, deals with determining student grades. Addressed in the individual learning experiences are the following topics: understanding the functions of grades and traditional systems…

In 1989, a survey was conducted at Catonsville Community College to establish a consensus about the underlying philosophy governing the college's grading policy. The survey respondents included 167 full-time or adjunct faculty members, 15 student personnel professionals, 8 administrators, and 6 library, media, or telecommunications professionals.…

A handbook on teaching is presented that covers teaching preparation, the first teaching experience, teaching methods, testing and grading, instructional evaluation and improvement, relationships with students, and teaching resources. An introductory section briefly describes programs for faculty and teaching assistants and programs for students…