This paper reports on the findings of a formative evaluation of the mentorship support programme run by the Maskh'iSizwe Centre of Excellence for recipients of its bursaries. Learning theory traditions have typically been divided into those that prioritise individual cognition versus those that prioritise the context in which learning occurs. In…

Literacy expectations for persons with cognitive impairments, including impairments caused by traumatic brain injury (TBI), have remained quite low. Some researchers have suggested that educators move from a focus on teaching functional skills to teaching basic reading skills in a manner similar to instruction for nondisabled learners. The purpose…

Instructional planning is an essential skill for teaching mathematics to students with learning disabilities and other struggling learners. The authors' frame of reference is based on their experiences in developing and testing mathematic lessons for the Blending Assessment With Instruction Program (BAIP) over a five-year period. The authors…

Assessing the preparation of preservice candidates for quality teaching, both for mainstream students and for ELs, requires reliable and valid assessments that pay close attention to context, process, and reflection, factors that traditional evaluations of teaching either ignore or undervalue. In this article, the authors focus on one high-stakes…

Peer assessment is an arrangement for learners to consider and specify the level, value, or quality of a product or performance of other equal-status learners. Products to be assessed can include writing, oral presentations, portfolios, test performance, or other skilled behaviors. Peer assessment can be summative or formative. A formative view is…

This formative experiment was designed to ensure that a group of high school students developed their literacy habits. The intervention consisted of a schoolwide approach to literacy using four instructional routines: think-alouds, note-taking writing to learn, and dedicated reading time. As part of the formative experiment, we document the…

Drawing upon data arising from an evaluation carried out for the Jersey educational authority, this article discusses the interaction of two professional development initiatives, formative assessment and critical skills thinking, bringing the two initiatives together from the perspective of Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT). This allows…

The authors describe a graduate capstone accounting class as a basis for building communication skills desired by both accounting practitioners and accounting faculty. An academic service-learning (ASL) component is included. Adopted as a required class for a master of science degree in accounting at two universities, this course supports…

In this article, the author describes how recorded lectures can be utilized as powerful educational tools. He relates that recorded lectures had been useful to him particularly when he starting a new course for his students. While there are clearly advantages in using recorded lectures, the author also shares some of the disadvantages in using…

Background: The implementation and evaluation of Active Support in Australia is reported, the first such formal evaluation outside the UK. Method: Residents and staff of five group homes participated. Active Support was introduced by training staff in one home at a time. Effectiveness was assessed using direct observation of resident engagement in…

Legislators are now drawing on information from online program assessment rating tools to determine funding allocations for government programs. Clearly, assessment is now a critical factor in education programs and the grants that support these programs. In this article, the author provides some key elements that an institution can implement to…

This article concerns the importance of clarity in thinking and talking about certain core concepts of educational assessment. It begins by identifying three quite distinct interpretations of the term "assessment purpose". It continues by challenging the supposed distinction between "formative" and…

This article explores the concepts of Freire's "universal human ethic", Price and Shildrick's "becoming-in-the-world-with-others" and Foucault's "power in action". Although human relationships and behaviour may be regarded as intrinsic to most arts projects, the specific context of the Inter-Act project places the focus upon the very nature of…

In this article we present evidence linking an improvement in students' conceptions of quality in their work in geography with improvements in the outcomes of their learning. In the first part of the article we develop a rationale for the approach to formative assessment employed in this research. Our results are derived from testing this approach…

The Accelerate Online/OPTIONS alternative certification program provides those possessing a degree an option leading to certification that can be completed in 18 months. The program consists of an online curriculum, an early field experience and a year-long paid internship. To determine program effectiveness across five years, five benchmark…