Assessment is a prominent issue in education today. However, assessment of learning often occurs only at the end of the semester to satisfy accreditation agencies. An alternative is to conduct assessments during the course, not only to assess if learning goals are being met but also to assess student learning during the course. Assessment for…

This paper explores why the learning posited as an intrinsic dimension of evaluation practice and use has been difficult to achieve, and how it might be more effectively realized. In recent decades language programme evaluation has evolved from focused studies of teaching methods inspired by language learning theories to a curriculum management…

The constructivist learning environment was designed on three perspectives: pedagogical, social and technological. A group of 24 trainee teachers used the environment and participated in the formative evaluation. Results showed that the trainee teachers liked the design specifications and perceived the learning environment to be useful. The…

There has been a lot of research in recent years into the characteristics of effective departments, but very little of it covers the nature of effective subject leadership. A fundamental aspect of effective subject leadership is the question of how to bring about radical change. In this article, the author describes the investigation he made, as…

One of the most pressing needs in gifted education, and in education in general, is how to conduct a responsible evaluation. In this article, the author discusses one of the most important procedures in program evaluation, which is to distinguish between summative evaluation and formative evaluation. In summative evaluation, the data is being…

To assure that gerontology students meet their educational objectives and are prepared to assume professional roles, gerontological program assessment is imperative. This paper situates gerontological academic program assessment within the framework of the American Association of Higher Education's principles of assessment. It presents clear…

Purpose: Using the UK's recent disability legislation as a trigger, the paper explores issues in evidencing competence in the current context of using assessment as a tool for learning. Design/methodology/approach: A modified version of the pragmatic method is used, in which assessment theory is used to explore the tension in assessment which is…

In this study, a Reggio Emilia style of pedagogical documentation was introduced in five kindergarten classrooms in the New Westminster school district over a six month period from January to June 2005 to investigate its potential as a means of formative assessment in literacy instruction, and to communicate learning to children and their…

This paper seeks to unpack some dimensions of formative assessment not yet fully articulated in the existing literature. It introduces the term, pre-emptive formative assessment to denote teacher actions which attempt to clarify student understandings before misconceptions have resulted in ineffective learning outcomes and/or loss of marks in…

The need for a revision of the Field Reader Evaluation Form used throughout the Regional Research Program, as well as by other programs in the Office of Education, is documented. An empirical development of a revised form was completed through two formative evaluation cycles. The revision was then subjected to a field test. Utilizing the revised…

Beyond assessing whether a treatment is effective, researchers must understand why it is effective if evaluation research is to determine how treatments can be improved. Means of combining process evaluation and outcome evaluation toward this goal and two general approaches to testing causal models are described. (TJH)

Identifies some general maxims that shape instructional development activities, describes four major issues that must be addressed when planning and implementing formative evaluation as part of a large development project, and offers some practical procedures to guide overall formative evaluation efforts. (Author)

Notes that psychotherapy process research has produced advances in measure development and substantive findings of process-outcome relations. Describes paradigm shift toward sequentially patterned, significant change episodes, emphasizing segmentation of process by meaningful patterns wherever they occur. Reviews theoretical, psychometric, and…

Discusses problems and issues of psychotherapy process research. Notes complexity of research that attempts to combine process and outcome adequately. Suggests that more than one therapeutic orientation be studied in specific project to include some type of control. Cautions that, although statistically significant correlations between process and…