In the "Student-Centered Classroom Assessment" textbook, readers are offered many opportunities to reflect on classroom assessment ideas in relation to their own classroom assessment experiences. As a companion to that text, this book of case studies serves the same purposes, but in a way that calls for the application of ideas and strategies…

A symposium on educational evaluation was held to celebrate the career of Robert E. Stake. Contributions, which relate to many aspects of educational evaluation, include: (1) "The Issue of Advocacy in Evaluation" (Ernest House and Kenneth Howe); (2) "The Meaning of Bias" (Michael Scriven); (3) Commentary on Ernie House and…

This paper provides information on testing programs for elementary and secondary school students that are administered or coordinated by the Office of Educational Accountability within the Wisconsin State Department of Public Instruction. The first section provides background and definitions of assessment alternatives, including various types of…

This paper describes an assessment and evaluation effort occurring in the context of a middle school science curriculum development effort known as Learning by Design (LBD). The LBD approach builds on a body of cognitive science and professional education research that emphasizes learning from problem-solving experience. The assessment and…

The purpose of these protocols is to assist in providing guidance to PMRT members and Sub-groups in relation to seeking approval for the publication of documents of the Performance Measurement and Reporting Taskforce (PMRT) or of its predecessor the National Education Performance Monitoring Taskforce (NEPMT). These protocols complement the…

Describes the elements and application of a teacher-made performance-based assessment tool for teachers of beginning readers or nonreaders. A sample performance assessment checklist is included. (HTH)

Pretest and posttest measures of reading were obtained for two groups of learning disabled elementary students for 2 years. The argument was made that based on reliability considerations, practical issues, and ethical concerns, teachers might be better off to opt for the direct approach to evaluating their reading programs. For related information…

Research on automated scoring is extended by comparing alternative automated systems for scoring a computer simulation of physicians' patient management skills. A regression-based system is more highly correlated with experts' evaluations than a system that uses complex rules to map performances into score levels, but both approaches are feasible.…

Results and interpretations of the data from a performance examination were compared for four methods of analysis for 74 medical specialty certification candidates: (1) traditional summary statistics; (2) inter-judge correlations; (3) generalizability theory; and (4) the multifaceted Rasch model. Advantages of the Rasch model are outlined. (SLD)

Six dimensions of curriculum profiles are identified: (1) function-purpose; (2) curriculum coverage; (3) criterion referencing; (4) validity-reliability; (5) manageability; and (6) interpretability. Each dimension in Australian National Profiles, the Victoria (Australia) Profiles, and the National Curriculum Assessment in England and Wales is…

The seven chapters of this volume review current design and use of performance measurement in public and nonprofit programs. The contexts surrounding design and implementation of performance measurement systems and best practices are discussed, and examples of the use of performance measurement in government and the nonprofit sector are presented.…

Dissatisfied with the mismatch between letter grades and their new (state-mandated) curricular emphases, the Tucson (Arizona) Public Schools began experimenting with rubric descriptions of student progress. The prototype progress report assesses students in two general categories: learner qualities and content areas. Frequent communication with…

This article attempts to introduce parents of gifted students to the basics of performance-based assessment, authentic assessment, and portfolio assessment. A list of suggested questions is provided for parents to ask educators in the areas of alternative assessment measures, evaluation criteria, grading guidelines, and other problematic issues.…

Examines results of Piagetian spatial research studies while focusing on the existence of gender differences in Piagetian spatial assessments. Results indicate that a majority of performance assessments did not demonstrate a significant difference between males and females. Concludes that the clinical interview results provide evidence of the…

Describes a project in an elementary mathematics methods course in which preservice teachers developed performance assessment tasks then administered these tasks in a K-8 classroom. Presents the guiding framework for this project, the project design, and the teaching and learning experiences for project leaders and preservice teachers. Includes…