This report describes a strategy for infusing computer technology into the essay composition process in order to enhance student achievement. The targeted population consisted of freshman high school students in a middle class community in central Illinois. Problems related to the use of computer technology in the learning process were documented…

To explore the implications of recommendations from national reports on teacher education reform, a university course was designed for teachers using practical inquiry to structure the use of craft knowledge, collaboration, and reflection. Participating teachers reported that they gained confidence in their teaching choices through the course.…

Reports on a study of 126 secondary English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students' transfer of essay organization skills between languages (Icelandic and English). Pre- and posttest proficiency scores were analyzed. It was concluded that students' success in transferring writing skills between languages is assisted by their grammatical proficiency…

This study reports the development and evaluation of a web-based interactive writing environment designed for elementary school students. The environment includes three writing themes, "story pass on", "story chameleon" and "thousand ideas", to encourage reading comprehension, creativity and problem-solving skills of…

The article presents the cultural background, methodological design, theory, and results of a comprehensive research project where the doxa and textual norms of the judges at the national writing exam in Norway were studied. The background of the study is the quite comprehensive reforms in Norway of the way writing is taught in the upper secondary…

In 1991 Pennsylvania began implementation of a direct writing assessment at the sixth-grade and ninth-grade levels. A total of 18,758 sixth graders and 16,575 ninth graders wrote a response to 1 of 9 prompts reflecting 3 modes of writing. A six-point holistic scale was used to score the papers, with two readers scoring each paper. A third reader,…

Three articles on current research in testing are presented. The first article, "Testing in the Schools", discusses the role of testing in educational reform. In the 1980s, the overwhelming purpose of state standardized testing has become promoting accountability in areas of: (1) monitoring; (2) gatekeeping; (3) remediation; and (4)…

The collection of 18 essays is intended to provide the educator with an understanding of specific aspects of social studies instruction and education in general. The essays include: "Objectives and Learning Experiences in the Social Studies"; "Studying Trends in Society"; "Social Studies: Process versus "Studying Trends in Society"; "Social…

The validity and reliability of two techniques of assessing writing proficiency were compared in a sample of 300 South African students (in Standard 8) for whom English was a second language. The objective, multiple choice method was compared with a subjective, essay method. Students completed a Standard English Second Language Item Bank Test and…

Test specifications for the Texas Examination of Current Administrators and Teachers (TECAT) are presented in detail. These specifications are designed to help teachers prepare for the TECAT, and should also be made available to administrators and persons preparing review courses. This test focuses on reading and writing skills. In the test…

This study examines the K-12 mathematical experiences of U.S. university students via an expressive writing assignment: a mathematical autobiography essay. The essays of 67 college students, out of over 300 enrolled in 16 sections of a college liberal arts mathematics course, were analyzed using constant-comparative methods. Two categories of…

A wide variety of techniques are appropriate for evaluating different types of experiential learning. This monograph includes sections on performance tests, simulations, interviews, ratings, self evaluation, and product assessment. Each section orients the reader to one of these general types of assessment and then provides brief illustrations of…

As part of a series on career and life planning for adults, this booklet examines strategies and academic skills that can help reentry adult students. Part I discusses factors to be considered in planning a return to school: determining the motivation for returning, choosing an appropriate educational program, investigating nontraditional methods…

This booklet discusses and offers solutions for some of the educational problems growing out of the diverse nature of schools in the United States. Chapter I describes the society as a multicultural one in which a wide discrepancy exists between ideals and practices. A multicultural society is made up of many groups with varying degrees of common…

In a series of essays, the author analyzes and comments on the perceived weaknesses of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) testing program. The basis of his criticism is that the NAEP has attempted to establish national norms, thereby disregarding the pluralistic nature of American society and the historical basis for community…