This article presents procedures and results from a 2-year project developing science key vocabulary (KV) short tests suitable for progress monitoring Grade 5 science in Texas public schools using computer-generated, -administered, and -scored assessments. KV items included KV definitions and important usages in a multiple-choice cloze format. A…

The goal of this article is to contribute to the validation of a self-evaluation method, which can be used by schools to evaluate the quality of their Competence Assessment Program (CAP). The outcomes of the self-evaluations of two schools are systematically compared: a novice school with little experience in competence-based education and…

This study examines the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT V2.0) for use as a formative faculty development tool. The MSCEIT was designed to measure emotional intelligence abilities as defined by Mayer-Salovey's EI Ability model. Individuals can deliberately develop emotional intelligence skills; a formative assessment of EI…

Work-experience programs, which are commonplace in most Canadian high schools, are designed to enhance learning for students while providing them with the opportunity to explore their career options. Current research on the effectiveness of such programs suggests that they have a number of important benefits, from improved self-esteem to increased…

The purpose of the research study was to identify those factors contributing to long-term-relationships between school boards and superintendents. The primary focus of the study was about how conflict is resolved between superintendents and school boards. There were school districts where superintendents have chosen to and were allowed to lead for…

Currently, there is a growing need for formal training in forensic psychology. This pilot study examines the relational-behavior model (RBM) as a method of intrinsic motivational instruction, perceived academic competence, and program competency among a sample of forensic psychology students. In theory, the RBM suggests that self-appraisal,…

Teachers (n = 20) and administrators (n = 18) from two school districts in southern Ontario, Canada, were interviewed with a semistructured format. Employed in both elementary and secondary schools, participants were asked about their understanding and use of assessment "of" (summative), "for" (formative), and "as"…

What began as formative assessment, now also known as assessment for learning (AfL), is a set of ideas and practices that has--for an educational innovation--an unusually good research pedigree. In the past decade, these ideas and practices have been incorporated into national education policies in all four countries of the UK, although with…

The first article of the PE Metrics series, "Developing Quality Physical Education through Student Assessments" (January/February 2009 "Strategies" issue) focused on the importance of assessing student learning in relation to NASPE's content standards (NASPE, 2004). The article emphasized that unless students are appropriately assessed, it is…

Sparking a flame of mutual professional development at Twin Groves Middle School, in Illinois' Kildeer District 96 was a formative assessment. "Formatives," as the practitioners call them, are a technique usually adopted as a safety net for struggling students. But as districts are finding out, they are also effective at honing teacher…

Librarians throughout higher education must assess information literacy; however, many are overwhelmed by the prospect of selecting the best assessment for their campus context. This article presents six questions to aid librarians in surmounting this challenge. Are we ready to conduct an information literacy assessment? Why are we conducting this…

There has always been a debate around the issue of what it is that improves learning: the instruction itself or the media used for it (Clark 1983; Kozma 1994). It has also been said (Kulik and Kulik 1991; Andrewartha & Wilmot 2001) that computer mediated learning, as opposed to traditional instruction, positively influences the students'…

Research and development of a new type of scoring rubric for the integrated speaking tasks of "TOEFL iBT"® are described. These "analytic rating guides" could be helpful if tasks modeled after those in TOEFL iBT were used for formative assessment, a purpose which is different from TOEFL iBT's primary use for admission…

The need for Australian school students to develop a strong understanding of Asian culture has been recognised in the cross-curriculum priority, "Asia and Australia's Engagement with Asia," of the Australian Curriculum. School students in rural and remote Australia have limited opportunities to engage with Asians and learn about their…

In the context of practicing intercultural communication skills, we investigated the role of fidelity in a game-based, virtual learning environment as well as the role of feedback delivered by an intelligent tutoring system. In 2 experiments, we compared variations on the game interface, use of the tutoring system, and the form of the feedback.…