The process used in Ohio to reform the state dental licensing examination and incorporate a nonpatient (simulated) clinical procedure is described and the results summarized. Findings focus on the degree to which results of the new testing procedures differentiate dental students by class rank. (MSE)

Number-correct scoring was compared to empirical option weighting for estimating domain scores and making pass/fail decisions that are typical of certification, licensing, competency, and proficiency testing. The usefulness of the option-total correlation option-weighting method was illustrated with a sample of 1,000 high school students. (SLD)

The history of research and development (R&D) and its evaluation within the 3M Company are traced as an example of the progression of the use of evaluation and evaluation techniques. Scoring methods, cost-benefit analysis, and risk analysis have been among the most frequently used program evaluation methods. (SLD)

Using responses of 123 elementary school teachers, a battery of performance-assessment tasks designed to generate responses to reading tests was evaluated from task development and scoring perspectives. More than one dozen types of errors were identified. Practical outcomes of the study and improvement of task development and scoring are…

Two eighth-grade teachers at a Georgia middle school recently redesigned their curriculum to emphasize problem-centered, hands-on learning projects focusing on issues relevant to students. To demonstrate what was learned, students and teachers employed various student projects assessed by using rubrics that define a wide range of acceptable and…

Considers the suitability of criteria-specific rating scales in the selection of high school students for participation in an honors ensemble. Criteria-specific music-performance rating scales include written descriptions of specific levels of performance rather than simple numerical notations. Concludes that these scales can be used with…

Drawing on the idea that a constructivist classroom is very different from a traditional setting, this article presents a rubric based on current understanding of constructivist theory and education. The rubric is designed as a formative assessment of teachers to stimulate thinking and improve methods related to constructivist teaching. (SD)

Addresses the notion of defining and measuring student achievement in ways that go hand in hand with educational reform efforts. Focuses on performance-based assessment, portfolios, and rubrics. (DDR)

Two hundred and thirty-one students in six Grade 9 classes in two government secondary schools located near Chiang Mai, Thailand, attempted to solve the same 18 quadratic equations before and after participating in 11 lessons on quadratic equations. Data from the students' written responses to the equations, together with data in the form of…

The current study examined special education teachers' ratings of the usefulness of strategy microanalytic assessment (SMA) (i.e., self-regulation, strategy use) and standardized norm-referenced assessment information (SNRA) (i.e., cognitive and academic skills). Ninety-six participants separately rated the frequency with which SMA and SNRA are…

This article reports data from children aged about 5 years in their 1st year of schooling. Scores on tests of both literacy and numeracy at the start and end of the year were used to derive value-added measures of progress using both residual gain analysis and multilevel (ML) modelling. Results indicated that the school was more effective in…

Improving the public understanding of science is an important challenge for the future professional scientists who are our current undergraduates. In this paper, we present a conceptual model that explores the role of mass media as community gatekeepers of new scientific findings. This model frames the benefits for undergraduate science students…

Although peer reviewing of writing is a way to create more writing opportunities in college and university settings, the validity and reliability of peer-generated grades are a major concern. This study investigated the validity and reliability of peer-generated writing grades of 708 students across sixteen different courses from four universities…

Students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) are required to pass the same competency exams as students enrolled in general education in order to graduate to new grade levels and to earn a high school diploma. In this study, the authors taught students with SLD a self-directed organizational strategy designed to assist them in passing the…

Video is a powerful tool, and it can be used to motivate student achievement and learning. One of the greatest advantages in getting students to work with digital media is that they can retake and re-edit a project until they are satisfied with it. Students become very occupied in applying what they have learned by producing mini-documentaries,…