Studied the relationship between reliability and assessment cost using two empirical examples to show that more than one combination of sources of error may result in a desired generalizability coefficient, and that it is possible to increase the number of observations while decreasing cost. The studies involved 50 undergraduates studying…

Contends that the development of a new wave of computers, some characterized by small size and portability and others noted for powerful capabilities to record and edit electronically stored motion pictures, suggests a wide range of applications of these new technologies to the teaching and administration of performance-based communication…

Provides an evaluation of the Community College Management Audit, a system designed to assess the abilities of administrative personnel to perform certain key functions of a manager regardless of their areas of responsibility. Argues that the principles underlying organizational effectiveness apply to both businesses and educational organizations.…

An analytic framework is presented for examining the properties and objectives of assessments and scoring systems piloted in a number of state and district testing programs. The article explores the application of this framework, which considers the cognitive components of competence described in studies of expertise, to the analysis of science…

Discusses how to handle problem employees in interpretive settings. Outlines minimal personnel management guides and minimal coaching/supervisory investment. Recommends learning personnel rules of the agency, thoroughly documenting the problem, and obtaining management support. (PVD)

Describes the design of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and results for Dutch students in grade 8. Presents these results in an international perspective and discusses differences between the results of these Dutch students on the written test (far above the international mean) and in the performance assessment (close…

Studied the validity of teacher judgments based on the Work Sampling System (WSS), a curriculum-embedded performance assessment for preschool to grade 5. Results for 345 K-3 students in 17 classrooms demonstrate that the WSS correlates well with a standardized, individually administered psychoeducational battery and is a reliable predictor of…

Researchers in the field of educational measurement need to monitor their own actions to keep their achievements in perspective. Some possible symptoms of obsession with their own significance are explored. Pride, destructive criticism, and misusing others to advance oneself are flaws researchers should strive to eradicate. (SLD)

This article explains how elementary teachers can link performance-based assessments and student self-assessments to the curriculum for improved learning. It provides graphic organizers, rubrics, and examples of student writings, and discusses ways to connect assessment and instruction, benefits for students (feedback and instruction), and…

Discusses research on middle school science learning and instruction that suggests how generative models of scientific phenomena can be developed. The Computer as Learning Partner curriculum is introduced as a curriculum that provides a firm foundation for lifelong learning through the use of authentic questions. (SLD)

Describes service learning as a vehicle for merging current educational reform initiatives, including standards-based education and authentic assessment. Also describes a case study project and a general model for designing and assessing service learning projects. Draws implications from research on service learning, focusing on the K-12 context.…

A Colorado school district approved a mill levy that tied additional future funding to improved student performance on the Colorado Student Assessment Program. In a single year the district met more than half of their 3-year goal and credits success to a focused, data-driven approach, a bipartisan citizens committee, a strategic plan, a plan for…

Examines the importance of reporting portfolio contents through effective conferences or conferencing. Provides several strategies and factors that come into play, including the four "C's" of conferencing: (1) collecting; (2) collaborating; (3) consulting; and (4) communicating. Addresses conference objectives, generic conference…

Diane Ravitch makes an articulate case for higher national standards and more emphasis on performance assessments of various kinds, but she does this by simplifying the issues and failing to understand some of the most powerful economic, ideological, and political currents in the United States and elsewhere. (SLD)

A relatively new performance-based assessment, the DISCOVER process, is presented in this review. The theoretical framework of the assessment is explained, followed by a delineation of the assessment process, checklist characteristics and development, and the tasks in the five different activities. Findings on assessment validity and reliability…