This study describes the multifaceted components of an assessment process. The paper explains a novel approach in which an advisory council participated in a "fun," hands-on activity to rank-order learning outcomes. The top ranked learning competency, as identified by the advisory council, was the need for students to gain a better…

Teacher quality is a central concern of the profession. College-based teacher education, the core of teacher preparation in the United States, has increasingly included some form of practitioner inquiry in the pre-service program to encourage teacher candidates to be reflective, adaptive teachers who systematically and intentionally examine…

This study evaluated the predictive validity of two preemployment screening devices--the Urban Teacher Perceiver Interview and the Academic Skills Assessment portion of the Praxis Series test--as used by an urban high-need and hard-to-staff school district. Specifically, we compared predictor scores with subsequent teacher assessment scores…

The authors' purpose is to help students clarify the difference between scientific laws and scientific theories. Understanding the nature of science is important to our students; however, persistent misconceptions, such as misunderstandings about scientific laws and theories, are still present. In this two-part activity, students will have a…

The business college at University of West Florida is currently in the throes of implementing an assessment initiative to develop student learning outcomes, design assessment devices to measure learning, analyze the measurement results to identify learning shortfalls, and establish feedback mechanisms to modify the curriculum to address the…

The purpose of this study was to investigate elementary teacher interview processes. The method for this qualitative study consisted of surveys as well as in-depth, semi-structured interviews with a sample of 17 elementary principals. The study examined the extent to which research-based best practices were reported by principals as they conducted…

Students in grades 5 and 8 completed a state writing assessment, and their first and final drafts on the extended writing portion of the test were copied and scored using the state writing rubric. The rubric consisted of three primary traits: Content and Organization, Style and Fluency, and Language Use. Scorers were blind to the study purpose and…

Student attainment of educational outcomes is a core purpose of any institution of higher education and assessment provides a vehicle through which a program of study is able to ascertain how well it is achieving its stated learning outcomes and how program improvement might be achieved. Assessment of student learning begins with the clear…

This study examined the degree of similarity between scores on the Self-Directed Search and an online instrument measuring Holland types. A relatively high congruency score was found between the two measures. Implications for career counselors are discussed.

A study was conducted comparing the feedback received from students about teaching obtained using different instruments. Twelve first- and second-year undergraduate modules were selected from seven different schools within a single university. Students studying each module were allocated to "questionnaire" and "comparator" groups. "Questionnaire"…

An integrated technical writing and design course has been developed at Rowan University. This course was developed using aspects of project-based learning and recent discussions about design education, as well as pedagogical approaches from the write-to-learn and the writing in the disciplines (WID) movements. The result is a course where the…

The purpose of this paper was to describe the process of development of assessment instruments for the Comparing Options in Secondary Mathematics: Investigating Curriculum (COSMIC) project. The COSMIC project was a three-year longitudinal comparative study focusing on evaluating high school students' mathematics learning from two distinct…

Secondary vocational-technical education programs in Mississippi are faced with many challenges resulting from sweeping educational reforms at the national and state levels. Schools and teachers are increasingly being held accountable for providing true learning activities to every student in the classroom. This accountability is measured through…

In this article, the authors describe a pilot project in which formative feedback from industry professionals creates a genuine learning experience for students. Industry is giving feedback to higher education that many graduates are not employable or that they need substantial postcollegiate on-the-job training. Higher education is struggling to…

Discusses the use of rubrics in assessment in science education. Highlights types of rubrics and benefits of rubrics in the classroom. Outlines steps to assist educators in constructing a first rubric or refining a current rubric. (JRH)