This technical report describes the development of progress monitoring measures in the area of Reading Comprehension. Measures were developed for grades 6 through 8. Twenty alternate forms of each measure were created. Passages were written by graduate students and reviewed by the lead author, as well as teachers and panels of graduate students.…

Computer aided instruction (CAI) encompasses a broad range of computer technologies that supplement the classroom learning environment and can dramatically increase a student's access to information. Criticism of CAI generally focuses on two issues: it lacks an adequate foundation in educational theory and the software is difficult to implement…

The first purpose of this study was to investigate whether the visuospatial working memory (VSWM) skills of 15-16-year-old pupils with difficulties in mathematics differ from those of their normally achieving peers. The goal was to broaden the view of the complex system of VSWM. A set of passive and active VSWM tasks was used. The study's second…

Many researchers use information and communications technology (ICT)-tools to augment learning in a great variety of tasks. Their effects are generally measured in terms of intended outcomes. This article argues for the use of additional, more general measures to obtain a more complete impression of the effects of ICT-tools. The first study…

The development of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test involves input from educators across the state. The development process attempts to create an assessment that reflects the skills and content understanding of students at the tested grade level. This study attempts to determine other factors that can affect student performance on…

Being a teacher is a multifaceted process situated in contexts that deeply influence one's experiences and development. History teachers face a number of challenges while simultaneously holding particular goals for history teaching. Drawing on interview data from focus teachers with different levels of teaching experience, this article presents…

This is an investigation of secondary mathematics teachers' understanding of performance-based tasks with respect to the contextual design of tasks that promote urban students' engagement and pursuit in learning mathematical concepts. We examined the alignment of teacher designed tasks with their personal definitions of tasks; then further…

The authors examine the interaction of teaching and culture as it relates to students' perceptions of course difficulty. Course content was found to be the most important factor in students' views of courses. For a difficult course, "study hard" was rated as most important to the students' perception of course success by all ethnic groups. In…

Previous research notes the importance of understanding racial/ethnic differential prediction of college grades across multiple institutions. Institutional variation in selection indices is especially important given some states' laws governing public institutions' admissions decisions. This paper employed multilevel moderated multiple regression…

Today, the use of web-based videos in science classrooms is becoming more and more commonplace. However, these videos are often fast-paced and information rich--science concepts can be fragmented and embedded within larger cultural issues. This article addresses the cognitive difficulties posed by many web-based science videos. Drawing on concepts…

The purpose of this Executive Position Paper (EPP) is to develop a model for improving the online training modules utilized by a mid-Atlantic Residence Life department. The complexity of the Residence Life staff positions, coupled with demands from other university departments and the need to provide as much information as possible, resulted in an…

Basic issues in understanding Item Response Theory (IRT), or Latent Trait Theory, measurement models are discussed. These theories have gained popularity because of their promise to provide greater precision and control in measurement involving both achievement and attitude instruments. IRT models implement probabilistic techniques that yield…

Two experiments tested the Conceptual Dependency Theory, stating that verbs are represented in memory as combinations of actions and relations encoding underlying conceptual structure. Experiment I results supported the conceptual complexity hypothesis, while II rejected complexity for imagery as the predictor of performance. (CHK)

The development of a new technique, the Relative Difficulty Ratio (RDR), is described, as well as how it can be used to determine the difficulty level of a test so that meaningful inter-test difficulty comparisons can be made. Assumptions made in computing RDR include: 1) each item must be scored dichotomously with only one answer choice keyed as…

Two techniques for writing achievement test items to accompany instructional materials were contrasted: (1) generating items from statements of instructional objectives, and (2) generating items from rules for transforming instructional statements (adapted from Bormuth). Items of each type were written by two experienced item writers. Subjects…