In the 1992 mathematics assessment of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), approximately one-third of the questions and about half of the student response time were devoted to questions asking students to construct their own responses. Regular constructed response items required a short answer with a problem solution, while…

Theoretical tools from cognitive science were used to put together a framework for a fine-grained theory of how students learn elementary algebra in the classroom. Developing the framework included assessing the shortcomings of current models, evaluating whether unified theories of cognition can be adapted for learning mathematics in the…

The Renaissance Group, a consortium of 19 universities, was created in 1989 to improve the education of teachers and to facilitate efforts to reform teacher education nationally. One of the group's first priorities has been to analyze the growth of several largely environmental conditions such as the changing structure of the American family and…

Student perceptions of changes in the mode of instruction used by teachers who use alternative assessment techniques and changes in student attitudes and beliefs about mathematics after experiencing alternative assessment were studied. Eighteen teachers surveyed their elementary school and secondary school students three times during the school…

This loose-leaf compendium includes three types of brief research summaries: "topical synthesis,""close-ups," and "snapshots." The single topical synthesis is entitled "School-Based Management" (Kathleen Cotton). Close-ups consist of brief definitions and essential research findings on the following topics:…

The Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) represents the union of three surveys by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the Teacher Demand and Shortage Survey, the School and School Administrator Surveys, and the Teacher Survey. The SASS measures critical aspects of teaching supply and demand, the composition of the teacher and…

This instructor's guide was used to help instructors present a course in test-taking skills and five areas that are tested in a standardized test used for apprenticeship screening at many manufacturing companies. The course description lists target audience, general objective, and typical results observed. The rationale for the whole language…

This guide provides specific classroom activities keyed to both yearly goals and individual objectives as specified on a learning disabled student's Individualized Education Program (IEP). The guide includes objectives and activities grouped into nine areas within which students with learning disabilities often have needs: (1) mathematics, (2)…

Teacher educators developed a consortium program between Duquesne University (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) and the Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) Public Schools designed to attract individuals from math and science backgrounds into teaching in an urban setting. The model was formatted to support the certification of individuals who: (1) received a…

The longitudinal analysis population of the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88) is used to produce descriptive findings about the transition to high school of eighth grade students. An overview summarizes some of the policy issues of the study and sketches the research design and samples. First, longitudinal data are used to…

This life resources guide for senior adult learners contains activities in the life skills curriculum. The manual is organized by content area and instructional goal. Under each instructional goal, one or more activities is given. A list of resources is at the end of each section. The activities cover the following topics: (1) consumer education;…

The Connecticut Mastery Test is a critical element of the state's efforts to attain educational equity and excellence. The testing program assesses essential skills in mathematics and language arts, including listening, reading, and writing for grades 4, 6, and 8. Student achievement is measured and reported in relation to specific learning…

This curriculum guide contains workplace-specific instructional materials developed for use in a rural workplace literacy demonstration project, specifically with welders. Contents include a student assessment form, instructional objectives, pre- and posttests, learning activities (some locally developed and some selected from commercially…

The National Education Goals Panel was created by the President and Governors in July 1990 to assess and report on the progress of the nation and states in achieving six National Education goals by the year 2000. The Panel created six resource groups, one for each goal, to develop short- and long-term recommendations for methods to ensure…

The Alternative Basic Comprehension Program (Project A.B.C.) for bilingual high school students was a special alternative instructional program funded by Title VII for the third year at two high schools in the Bronx. In the year under review, Project A.B.C. served 260 students of limited English proficiency (LEP). Participating students received…