Controversy exists regarding the "DSM-5" criteria for ASD. This study tested the psychometric properties of the "DSM-5" model and determined how well it performed across different gender, IQ, and "DSM-IV-TR" sub-type, using clinically collected data on 227 subjects (median age = 3.95 years, majority had IQ > 70).…

The purpose of this paper is to guide the process of selecting meaningful books to use in pre-K-6 classrooms. With thousands of children's books being published each year, it is difficult for teachers to select which ones hold the most potential to inspire students towards a life time of reading pleasure and purpose. This paper outlines…

This paper examines the relative merits of early and delayed offer schemes in attracting under-represented students to university. Following the introduction of a demand-driven system and the establishment of national growth and equity targets, Australian universities have increased the number of offers made to students before the release of…

As a follow-up to a companion study (Zaheer & Zirkel, in press) that focused on the legal content in school psychology, this analysis examined legal quality. The companion study found that only 35 of the more than 7,000 articles in five leading journals of school psychology for the period 1970-2013 met rather relaxed standards for being law…

Special education administrators play a critical role in the implementation of successful inclusion in diverse, standards-based environments. They provide the vision and leadership necessary to guide educators in both general and special education as they deliver instructional programs to meet the needs of diverse students with disabilities.…

It is so easy to criticize the SAT that most observers overlook the weaknesses of its architect, the College Board. This author contents that, until the latter is replaced, however, the former will never be fixed. The College Board has every incentive to create a complex, stressful, expensive college admissions system. Because it is accountable to…

Education has a long-standing practice of turning worthwhile learning goals into lists of bits. One might even say that this practice is the original sin in curriculum design: take a complex whole, divide it into small pieces, string those together in a rigid sequence of instruction and testing, and call completion of this sequence…

Research trends related to e-learning systems are oriented towards increasing the efficiency and capacity of the systems, thus they reflect a large variance in performance when considering content conformity and quality standards. The Framework related to standardisation of digital content for e-learning systems is likely to play a significant…

Lack of clarity about assessment criteria and standards is a source of anxiety for many first-year university students. The Developing Understanding of Assessment for Learning (DUAL) programme was designed as a staged approach to gradually familiarise students with expectations, and to provide opportunities for the development of the skills…

Performance-based assessment clearly represents an indispensable approach for assessing gifted student learning. Challenging performance tasks allow gifted learners to reveal their considerable intellectual capacity and energy. Through performance tasks, teachers gain insights into a gifted student's true level of capability in a domain of…

In this article the authors share advice from the viewpoints of both a formal and informal educator that will help teachers identify the right Informal Science Institutions (ISIs)--institutions that specialize in learning that occurs outside of the school setting--to maximize their students' learning and use informal education to their…

A rubric was developed to evaluate laboratory reports written by undergraduate students of astronomy and astrophysics from Universidad Católica de Chile. The process of elaboration, peer validation, and application of the rubric to the evaluation of written tasks extended from August 2011 to August 2012. The instrument proved to be effective as an…

Despite the acknowledged importance of assessment in education, there has been minimal research into the preparation of preservice teachers for the important role of involving preservice teachers in marking, grading, moderating and providing feedback on student work. This article reports on a pilot project in which preservice teachers participated…

Although qualified special educators are more likely to provide effective teaching for students with disabilities and special education needs, it seems many teachers in special education and support positions are not qualified for this role. The study reported here provided analysis of 219 job advertisements for special education positions in…

"Implementing Governance for a New Era" is an action plan to assist college and university trustees in reforming higher education. Delivered to more than 16,000 college and university trustees in November 2014, the plan provides details on how trustees properly represent the public by ensuring students receive a quality education at a…