"Linguistic ability" is a widely misused term in foreign language literature. This confusion prompted an investigation into language aptitude testing, the specific goals of which included determining: the distribution of language aptitude across ability range; the validity of Pimsleur's suggestions of combined verbal and auditory scores;…

This study presents preliminary findings from research developing an instructional quality assessment (IQA) toolkit that could be used to monitor the influence of reform initiatives on students' learning environments and to guide professional development efforts within a school or district. This report focuses specifically on the portion of the…

The link between instruction in middle school science and assessment in ninth grade science in a small rural midwestern school district was investigated. Science students, in middle school grades 6-8 (917) and their 13 science teachers responded to surveys used to characterize science learning opportunities in the middle school classes. Ninth…

The purpose of this study was to develop a program to help cultivate divergent thinking in mathematics based on open-ended problems and to investigate its effect. The participants were 398 seventh grade students attending middle schools in Seoul. A method of pre- and post-testing was used to measure mainly divergent thinking skills through…

This guide to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) describes its purpose, contents, uses, and research methodology by presenting 21 questions about the NAEP program. The NAEP is mandated by Congress to survey the educational accomplishments of U.S. students and to monitor changes in these accomplishments. It tracks the…

This feasibility study explored the automated data collection, scoring, and reporting of children's complex problem-solving processes and performance in Web-based information-rich environments. Problem solving was studied using realistic problems in realistic contexts demanding multiple cognitive processes in the domain of environmental science.…

Because the primary years are the point where specific changes are required in teaching practice and school organization, a task force examined Kentucky's primary program through school visits, interviews, expert testimony, and research. The last three years have shown marked improvement in student performance in the basics (reading, writing, and…

As part of a project on assessing deep understanding of subject matter, a study was conducted to assess students' knowledge of history by focusing on essay writing. Reading a provided text was incorporated into the assessment procedure. Ratings from five high school history teachers were compared with those of four English teachers for 85 essays…

The purpose of this manual is to encourage discussions among science teachers about desired student outcomes in science and assessments appropriate to these outcomes. Once teachers know clearly what they hope to accomplish with their students, choosing appropriate assessment measures follows. Assessment methods described center on observing…

The Assessment Development Laboratory for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is developing a certification process with the three components of school site documentation, a content knowledge examination, and assessment center exercises. Activities involved in the development of the exercises and their scoring are described. The…

This report provides an overview of the Oklahoma School Testing Program (OSTP) and summarizes students' average writing assessment scores from 1987 through 1992. Oklahoma has completed its 6th year of administering a state legislature mandated test to 10th graders and its 5th year of testing 7th graders. The Stanford Writing Assessment Program was…

This report provides an overview of the Oklahoma School Testing Program (OSTP) and summarizes students' average writing assessment scores from 1987 through 1993. In 1992, the Stanford Writing Assessment replaced the MAT-6 Writing Test as the instrument for measuring writing achievement for 7th and 10th graders in Oklahoma. Student papers were hand…

The United Kingdom has a history of performance assessment even for accountability purposes, as the public examinations (standardized achievement tests) at age 16 demonstrate. What the country does not have is a strong history in the area of equity. Debate and policy-making, when concerned at all, have been concentrated on equality of opportunity,…

A study conducted for the Tennessee State Department of Education by Memphis State University addressed two objectives with respect to the Professional School Service Personnel endorsements for initial licensure for non-teaching professional personnel: to determine the validity of the National Teacher Examination (NTE) Core Battery tests for…

This handbook is a guide to the "Test Development Notebook" of the System for Pupil and Program Evaluation and Development (SPPED). It describes the contents and organization of the notebook, suggests various uses of the exercises, provides sample test designs, outlines test production procedures, and offers guidelines for score…