To investigate whether games may serve as useful formative assessment environments, this study examined, experimentally, the effects of two aspects of formative assessment on math achievement, game play, and help-seeking behaviors: (a) making assessment criteria explicit through the explanation of scoring rules and (b) incentivizing the use of…

For middle and high school teachers of mathematics and science, this book is filled with examples of instructional strategies that address students' readiness levels, interests, and learning preferences. It shows teachers how to formatively assess their students by addressing differentiated learning targets. Included are detailed examples of…

Background: Collaborative action research provides teachers with the framework and methodology to reflect upon their work and take action with regard to specific concerns and situations in their classrooms. Within this approach, internal evaluation could be a useful tool to help teachers develop critical thinking about their work by locating areas…

This paper presents both the design and the pilot formative evaluation study of a computer-based problem-solving environment (named LECGO: Learning Environment for programming using C using Geometrical Objects) for the learning of computer programming using C by beginners. In its design, constructivist and social learning theories were taken into…

Little research has been conducted to directly compare the effectiveness of different models of field-based learning experiences and little has been reported on the use of the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) standards in establishing a formative assessment for teacher candidates (TCs). The current study used the…

In the Netherlands, as in many other countries, the algebraic expertise of students graduating from secondary education is an issue. The use of digital tools for algebra education is expected to change epistemologies, activity structures and student achievement. Therefore, a study was set up to investigate in what way the use of ICT in upper…

College instructors often provide students with only summative evaluations of their work, typically in the form of exam scores or paper grades. Formative evaluation, such as classroom assessment techniques (CATs), are rarer in higher education and provide an ongoing evaluation of students' progress. In this article, the author summarizes the use…

Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) accreditation has had an important role in improving medical education as well as in verifying the quality of education in the nation's medical schools. In this manner, it also serves the interests of the public. Every eight years, medical schools undergo an accreditation process to determine whether…

Purpose: This paper seeks to discuss the development of a strategy game for enterprise education. It is argued that requiring students to initially struggle with the game's rules and strategies results in a worthwhile test of their persistence and ability to manage ambiguity. Further, that in the absence of uncertainty, students will not benefit…

As assessment methods are changing, the way to determine their quality needs to be changed accordingly. This article argues for the use Competence Assessment Programs (CAPs), combinations of traditional tests and new assessment methods which involve both formative and summative assessments. To assist schools in evaluating their CAPs, a…

This article presents the state of practice of evaluability assessment (EA) as represented in the published literature from 1986 to 2006. Twenty-three EA studies were located, showing that EA was conducted in a wide variety of programs, disciplines, and settings. Most studies employed document reviews, site visits, and interviews, common…

A framework is provided for the evaluation of self instructional materials before the materials are ready for field testing. Several aids are offered to assist the development of an evaluation model, including: checklists, maps of relations between terminal objectives and single didactic units, and unit charting protocols. Checklist questions…

In this article, the author presents a master class that vividly demonstrates the dynamic interaction between process and reflection that is a widely recognized feature of art making and learning and has spawned process-based approaches to educational assessment. Process-based assessment distinguishes itself from "good/bad" and "right/wrong"…

This article examines the many critiques of educational policies concerning the National Curriculum and the standards and testing regimes for pupils and teachers associated with it. It goes on to suggest that there is a danger of educational researchers and policy-makers arguing themselves into a "cul de sac" where an unproductive stand-off may…

This State-specific summary report serves as an assessment of the District of Columbia's annual Race to the Top implementation. The Year 3 report for Phase 1 and 2 grantees highlights successes and accomplishments, identifies challenges, and provides lessons learned from implementation from approximately September 2012 through September 2013. In…