This book examines much of the large body of research on educational inequality in Britain since the Second World War, focusing on studies concerned with inequalities in the internal organization and functioning of the schools. A social constructionist approach to the study of social problems as a way of providing a reflexive perspective on the…

The Computer-Assisted Job Skill Evaluation (CAJSE) project was conducted to develop an evaluation software instrument that could be used in career and technical education programs throughout Texas to provide immediate performance evaluations in vocational-technical and career education. Ten instructors selected from vocational-technical education…

As concern about the developmental progress of preschoolers has increased, the number of assessment instruments available has expanded. This paper reviews recent advances in early childhood assessment and evaluation, and describes several screening and assessment instruments. Varying information is presented for each test, but may include a…

Changes in the predictive validity of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) that have been observed in the University System of Georgia (USGA) over the past two decades were studied. Several analyses were performed using student data from 27 USGA schools to determine the effectiveness of the SAT in predicting freshman grades. National trends…

This paper outlines the development of a quantitative instrument designed to measure students' multiple achievement goals and key aspects of their cognitive engagement in Australian educational settings. The paper demonstrates the use of congeneric measurement models in assessing and improving the validity of the scales comprising the Goal…

A study was conducted to determine the psychometric properties and the subscales of a 67-item Assessment Practices Inventory (API) and to examine the effects of measurement training and teaching experience on teachers' perceived assessment competency. Data were collected from 311 teachers on the API. The reliability of the API was supported by a…

In person-fit analysis, the object is to investigate whether an item score pattern is improbable given the item score patterns of the other persons in the group or given what is expected on the basis of a test model. In this study, several existing group-based statistics to detect such improbable score patterns were investigated, along with the…

A study examined the relationships between the skills measured by basic skills assessment tools and the competencies that U.S. employers desire of their hourly employees. The basic skills desired by employers were identified through a literature review. Tools for assessing adult basic/employability skills that are currently available from a total…

Although many studies report on the parent/child bond and its negative correlation with substance use, few researchers have examined the interaction between the parent/child relationship and parent substance use to predict adolescent use. In this study, 763 adolescents, 11-15 years old, along with their parents and siblings, participated in a…

Noting that reliable and valid measures of competence are essential for preschool screening, diagnostic, and research purposes, this review for practitioners and researchers presents an inventory and evaluation of standardized measuring instruments designed for assessing social and emotional competence in preschool children. A total of 39…

This book chapter outlines a number of key characteristics crucial to the integrity, utility, and efficiency of a behavioral assessment instrument for community living skills of people with developmental disabilities. In addition to basic psychometric considerations, the paper suggests that the functions of a behavioral assessment instrument could…

The Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude, 3rd Edition (DLTA-3) is a battery of 11 subtests that measure different but interrelated mental abilities. These are clinically assessed by the battery, which further attempts to delineate the factors that contribute to Spearman's factor for general intelligence. The DLTA-3 has age norms expressed for test…

The use of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) for predicting academic success has generated tremendous debate about fairness and bias. Despite discrepant observations and arguments, the need for a credible assessment formula remains strong. Although widely used by a large number of American colleges, the SAT and similar tests are not widely used…

In 1979, the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) began its high school graduates by state projections. The three editions issued since that time have been widely used. This report provides an analysis of the accuracy of the WICHE's projections and an examination of the cohort survival method used to generate the projections.…

A study developed and validated a set of curriculum guidelines for the communication technology area of teacher preparation programs in technology education. The initial curriculum guidelines were established through personal interviews with three groups of professionals: five technology education teacher preparation professionals, five…