The authors discuss the establishment of a program at a state university that prepared teachers of the visually impaired (TVI) and orientation and mobility (O&M) specialists using distance education and intensive, face-to-face instruction. The authors evaluated the self-assessed competencies of 8 participants who completed prescribed TVI and…

This article connects teachers' experiences of reflective school portfolio development to the idea of teachers' knowledge communities, the different groups and individuals with whom teachers negotiate meaning for their stories of experience, lived and told, and re-lived and re-told, over time. The reflective analysis makes the case that the…

As the world economy continues to evolve, businesses and industries must adopt new practices and processes in order to survive. Quality and cost control, work teams and participatory management, and an infusion of technology are transforming the way people work and do business. Employees are now expected to read, write, and communicate…

Every developmental education teacher would probably agree that motivation to complete assignments is one of the biggest obstacles to getting students to practice necessary skills. Short stories and other types of recreational reading might help motivate students, but they need to learn specific skills to help them cope with college textbook…

This document defines the requirements and program for the American Welding Society (AWS) to certify advanced-level welders through an evaluation process entailing performance qualification and practical knowledge tests requiring the use of advanced reading, computational, and manual skills. The following items are included: statement of the…

The Illinois Learning Standards are required learning targets for Illinois students and schools. This guidebook includes the Illinois State Goals for Learning in seven learning areas (as updated from the 1985 Learning Goals), Learning Standards for each of the State Goals, and Learning Benchmarks that define progress at five developmental levels…

The procedures currently used in the 12 European Community (EC) member countries for certifying the employment qualifications of graduates of full-time vocational education and training programs and/or apprenticeship programs were compared. The comparison, which was based on information obtained from 12 national studies of EC members' education…

This paper explores common concerns about competency testing as they relate to the certification of high school graduates seeking a diploma in the United States. Competency testing is widespread in the United States, with 40 states engaged in competency testing in at least one grade. In general, and particularly for graduation requirements, the…

The summary information in this report provides teachers, school administrators, and students with an overview of results from the June 1998 administration of the Social Studies 30 Diploma Examination given in Alberta, Canada. This information is most helpful when used in conjunction with the detailed school and jurisdiction report. The report…

The summary information in this report provides teachers, school administrators, and students with an overview of results from the June 1998 administration of the Social Studies 33 Diploma Examination given in Alberta, Canada. The report first notes that the examination consists of 60 multiple-choice questions worth 60% and four writing…

The competency movement, or "the cult of competency," is critiqued in this paper, which argues that the movement is less concerned with the complex facets of competence than it is with a technology of specific knowledge and application. Educational institutions have several message systems through which objectives can be achieved:…

School psychologists can play a central role in ensuring that handicapped students are treated fairly in minimum competency testing (MCT). Advocacy concerns include protection in the evaluation process as well as access to graduation and/or a high school diploma. In addition to these rights guaranteed by P.L. 94-142 (the Education for All…

Listening skills are the most used and least taught of the communication skills. However, in 1978 the United States federal government, through the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, added listening and speaking to reading, writing, and arithmetic as determinants of literacy and needed basic competencies. Through the 1978 legislation, funds…

Connecticut's Education Enhancement Act provides for a network of support and assessment programs that represent a comprehensive effort to attract and retain highly qualified teachers. The CONNCEPT program is regarded as the foundation piece of the Enhancement Act. The centerpiece of this program is the Connecticut Competency Examination For…

This report summarizes findings on 26 National Teacher Examination specialty area tests provided by faculty reviewers from five Oregon institutions of higher education. Reviewers were asked to judge tests on the basis of: (1) whether students at the reviewer's institution would have the opportunity to acquire the knowledge measured in test items;…