Identifies 10 characteristics of stable systems of performance funding for public colleges and universities based on a survey of state and campus policymakers in 9 of the 10 states with performance funding in 1996. Respondents agreed on the importance of careful choice of performance indicators, recognition of the difficulty of measuring higher…

Examines popular approaches to performance and organizational improvement to see what flaws they contain and how continued practice will impede progress. Discusses benchmarking; quality management/continuous improvement; needs assessment; training; downsizing; reengineering; system(s) approach; and strategic planning. Describes the Organizational…

Introduces an activity for fifth grade elementary students on water, cohesion, and adhesion. Provides a list of necessary materials and includes a checklist for performance based assessment. Recommends follow up experiments for testing cohesive property with different liquids. (YDS)

This article discusses three future directions of early childhood assessment: attention to assessment of progress and growth, adaptation of methods typically associated with ecobehavioral research to assess environmental conditions that affect performance, and continued integration and linkage of assessment and intervention, which will yield more…

Students can use Web-based portfolios in technology classes to display classwork and project work. Developing effective websites gives them an understanding of a range of information-age tools, motivates them to do high-quality work, requires self-assessment and reflection, and teaches design skills. (SK)

Presents advice for preparing a portfolio to document science teaching performance. Includes lesson plans for a teacher education portfolio assignment and a description of useful portfolio components. (WRM)

Only by exploring practical questions with teachers and considering their wisdom concerning brain-based resources can we accommodate multiple ways of knowing, while honoring the demands of curriculum mandates, state requirements, and college entrance expectations. A checklist enables teachers to survey specific approaches (collaboration, cultural…

Presents a framework for assessment of critical thinking of college students. Proposes a multimethod approach focused on assessment of three major components of critical thinking: knowledge, thinking skills, and attitudes. Notes that each component requires its own assessment. Finds this multidimensional assessment framework is a workable solution…

Discusses the educational jargon that accompanies President Clinton's proposed national test of student performance and the jargon that describes assessment in "cutting-edge" Vermont. Asks who gets to establish national requirements; contends that national standards mean a national curriculum and the end of local school control. (PA)

A big problem with performance tests and standards is their specificity, or lack of generalizability. "Keeping no secrets" and "teaching to the test" for performance tasks and traditional tests are absolutely necessary if schools are to prepare students adequately to meet performance standards. This nontraditional approach…

The time demands of authentic tasks and consistent scoring pose technical and practical challenges. Involving teachers in test development and scoring helps them grasp what is expected, gain familiarity with examples of standards-based practice, and discover new ways to assess their students' work. Costs are considerably higher than for…

The two articles in this special section, combined with two previous articles, discuss the use of portfolios in large-scale assessment. Ten years ago, there was great interest in portfolio assessment in state testing programs, but no large-scale program relies on portfolios at the present time. These articles continue to consider their uses. (SLD)

Discusses appropriate ways to prepare students for performance assessments and proposes a list of six guidelines for teaching to performance assessments. The focus is on elementary and secondary education. It is believed that these guidelines will help balance the domain and sample problem. (SLD)

Examines measurement concepts and assumptions traditionally used in educational assessment, using the Early Adolescence/English Language Arts assessment developed for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards as a context. The use of numerical ratings in complex performance assessment is questioned. (SLD)

Discusses briefly the standards movement and content standards for oral communication. Describes "New Standards" as one model for incorporating the domain of oral communication into an influential, nationally-based program for performance assessment. Discusses five principles regarding speaking/listening/viewing that are incorporated…