This article explains a two-part plan, created by the people at the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County (PLCMC), to help staff members keep up with the sea change of technology. A core competencies training program was developed. This keeps workers afloat by providing them with the technology skills they need to support the change…

Mastery learning can combine the strengths of direct instruction with the strengths of discovery learning. This paper describes how mastery learning is being used in Missouri schools to enhance the quality of instruction in science at all grade levels. In addition, the dramatic results in student science achievement that have occurred within the…

Developed as part of the Arkansas Minimum Performance Testing Program (MPT), these item specifications relate to the eighth grade language arts minimum performance test. There is one item specification for each instructional objective included in the MPT. Item specifications are intended to provide an overview of the general content and format of…

This paper considers three areas related to the testing of minimum knowledge and skills: public policy, the nature of higher-order thinking and selected aspects of educational measurement. The discussion of public policy issues centers around an apparent dichotomy of egalitarianism and elitism in public education, schooling and the public economy,…

The purpose of the practicum described in this report was to develop a competency-based vocational articulation pilot project between Mercer County Community College (MCCC) located in Trenton, New Jersey, and four secondary schools for three subjects: Typewriting I and II, Stenography I and II, and Office Procedures. Chapters I and II provide an…

Intended for students preparing for the General Educational Development (GED) test, this workbook enables them to complete lessons in writing and spelling skills and to take the simulated writing skills tests. The first section contains worksheets on basic writing skills, such as sentence structure, capitalization, and punctuation and the use of…

The statewide implementation of the Georgia State Board of Education (GSBE) policy for high school graduation requirements was begun in September, 1980. It specifically stated that the GSBE would be responsible for assessing the basic skills, or learner skills, of students enrolled in public schools. It further stated that each local school system…

Factors are discussed which affect the role played by faculty in implementing legislation mandating that each of the Florida community colleges define the skills that must be mastered by students before transferring to a baccalaureate program. The report first presents a rationale for this mandate, based on the disproportionately high number of…

A competency-based evaluation (skills test, minimum competence standard, attitude survey) conducted to measure effectiveness of large scale basic library skills workbook program showed that workbook instruction made statistically significant improvement in test scores, but failed to raise more than 53% of students to a minimum-competence level.…

Many states are turning to minimum-competency testing at the secondary school level. Although at least 17 states have enacted legislation that sets minimum-competency standards for graduation from public high schools, the basic skills testing movement at the postsecondary level is still in its infancy. (MLW)

This paper encourages the investigation of real world problems by students and faculty and links recommended student competencies with project based learning. In addition to the traditional course objectives, project-based learning (PBL) uses real world problems for classroom instruction and fieldwork to connect students, instructors, and industry…

This evaluation research compares the first-grade competencies of two cohorts of Bangladesh children who attended "Succeed" preschools, with a control group who did not attend preschool. Testing of these groups occurred in 2006, 2007, and 2005, respectively. The Succeed program aims to improve children's learning and children's school…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine how Malaysian managers acquire job competencies through self-directed learning activities at their workplace. Specifically it aims to investigate what types of job competencies are required for the managers, how they learn to acquire those competencies, and whether the managers have the…

Technological advances have created unlimited opportunities in education. Training and technology have merged to create new methods referred to as technology-based training. The purpose of this study was to identify organizations that hire agriculture and life sciences students for positions involving technology-based training and identify…

This study examined the reading achievement scores of 66 third- and fourth-grade students who were referred by their general education teachers on the basis of a suspected reading disability. Before a reading disability diagnosis was conducted, each student was reviewed by an Intervention Assistance Team and intervention assistance was provided.…