This digest provides a review of the research literature on assessment of the effectiveness of higher education in producing graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary for well-educated citizens today. Major findings are grouped as answers or partial answers to the following nine questions: (1) "what are the critical competencies and…

An overview of the fourth conference of the European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA) on the Quality of Early Childhood Education is provided in this document. The conference focused on how interactions among settings at various levels in a micro-macrosystem influence, directly or indirectly, the experience and behaviors of…

This manual presents information about student learning, assessments, and evaluation, and gives practical suggestions for aiding student achievement in the visual arts. The Introduction, (1) "Finding Tar Beach: A Context for Assessment" (Deborah Smith-Shank) reminds educators that evaluation, assessment, and judgment procedures selected should…

This training module is designed to provide an introduction to education of the gifted and talented, including information on characteristics associated with gifted/talented individuals and suggestions for modifying curriculum to meet the needs of above-average students. Part 1 of the module covers the following topics: definitions and models of…

Translating William Glasser's quality school ideas and Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences into simple language and practical ideas, this book contains 21 activities or strategies designed to help students in developing and organizing some new learning behaviors. The book is divided into three parts. Part 1, entitled "Paving the…

An internationalized dietetic technician (DT) program was developed at the Milwaukee Area Technical College through a process that included the design and development of international modules to be used through infusion or an individual unit approach in selected courses. The following procedures were used: a review of the literature on benefits of…

This paper reports on the initial stages of developing training modules for study by students on the Internet in a course on local government. These training modules and their development are part of the "Teaching and Learning on the Internet Project" at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) (Australia). Some of the…

Integration is based on the assumption that computers should be an integral part of the learning process, both for servicing curriculum needs and as an object for study. The integration of computers into everyday classroom activity has proved to be more slow and difficult than expected, creating the notion that there are incentives enhancing the…

The two articles in this newsletter issue focus on and discuss the multiple intelligences (MI) theory and its application in schools. Developed by Howard Gardner at Harvard University, the theory argues that individuals differ in their abilities, learning styles, and interests, and that these differences need to be acknowledged and nurtured in…

This teacher's guide is designed to accompany the two-part videotape "One Nation Under God? School Prayer and the First Amendment." The videotape and teacher's guide should help students to: (1) understand the history of freedom of religion and the First Amendment; (2) examine the controversy surrounding school prayer; (3) compare and…

Students who are anxious about mathematics elect to take fewer mathematics courses in high school and college. This math avoidance is also typical for many first-year elementary school teachers who show high levels of mathematics anxiety. These teachers schedule less time for mathematics instruction than their less anxious colleagues. This paper…

Educators are beginning to look at authentic assessment as a valid alternative to standardized tests and traditional objective tests. Although authentic assessment means different things to different people, it is understood to focus on whether or not students can use the skills and strategies they have learned and apply them in appropriate…

This updated and expanded edition provides a number of new concepts and techniques that should prove valuable to the trainer who is interested in involving his/her learners experientially. It primarily cover methods that relate to the delivery of the training. The book's organization reflects group-in-action bias--the more participative,…

The relationship between selected contextual and socioeconomic variables and school-level results from a statewide performance-based student assessment system was studied using the Kentucky Instructional Results Information System (KIRIS). KIRIS uses portfolios of student work, scores from on-demand assessments, and student performance on…

This book contains two papers: an overview of the development and impact of National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) and General National Vocational Qualifications (GNVQs) in the United Kingdom and a discussion of that overview in the context of the wider changes occurring in U.K. education, training, and society. The first paper,…