A study determined specific skills and competencies that employers in Tempe, Arizona require in entry-level employees. It identified student-produced performance products applicants can use to signal proficiency in the skills and competencies. A modified Delphi inquiry was used, with 3 rounds of questionnaires over a 5-month period to survey 24…

This document outlines the proficiencies in the visual and performing arts that students should demonstrate for admission to the Oregon University System (OUS) of institutions beginning in the Fall of 2004. The Proficiency-based Admission Standards System (PASS) has identified six proficiency areas and the performance criteria for determining…

High school students' lack of personal responsibility and academic ownership, negative or indifferent attitude, and lack of initiative and general motivation are often of concern to teachers and parents. This action research project evaluated an intervention to increase high school students' motivation, responsibility, and initiative. Students…

The extent to which the instruction, assessment, and Maryland School Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP) test preparation activities of language arts teachers aligned with the Maryland Learning Outcomes (MLOs) and the reading and writing tasks on the MSPAP was studied in the 1996-97 school year. The reading and writing activities of 280…

Discussions about the importance of technology have permeated every area of the counseling field. How prepared are counselors for changes in technology? How competent are counselors in the use of technology? Who will provide the training? This study attempts to address some of these issues. It is designed to assess how competent counselors are in…

This publication reports on a forum on competency based training (CBT) research in Australia. Section 1 contains biographies of presenters and panel members. Section 2 presents an overview of the research and highlights key findings. Summaries follow of each of the five key projects. "The CBT Decade: Teaching for Flexibility and…

A study investigated whether teaching techniques and the use of self-evaluation tended to increase student motivation and second language proficiency. Subjects were 59 high school Honors Spanish 4 students with varying levels of academic ability, motivation, and proficiency, and included both non-native and English-dominant Spanish speakers. The…

An attempt was made to improve students' academic grades and students' opinions of themselves as learners through the use of alternative assessments. The format of mastery learning using the direct instruction practice model was combined with performance-based assessment to increase achievement, self-esteem, and higher level thinking skills.…

This study explores peer assessment and self-efficacy in a counseling practicum. Data was gathered on the perceptions of practicum students, in their second year of a master's program, with regard to the counseling competencies of their peers and themselves. Counselor self-efficacy was measured using the Counselor Self-Efficacy Rating Scale.…

Teachers and administrators were surveyed to determine the extent to which AP Vertical Teams for English were implemented in schools. Results indicate that even though the goals of the AP Vertical Teams were only partially realized, there was some positive impact on student exposure to Pre-AP instruction and AP courses and student performance on…

Describes a popular seventh-grade mathematics project that involves house plans. Students choose house plans from books, transfer the plan to grid paper, and stake out the floor plan on a vacant area of the neighborhood. Project includes designing dream homes, researching jobs to afford their homes, and discussion of real-life concerns. (PVD)

Argues that statewide performance based assessments are a waste of time and money and can discourage students. After describing problems with performance based assessment in several states, the paper suggests that it is more important to restore students' respect for and interest in education by offering challenging curricula rather than dull…

Examines the function of schooling as constituted in the interactional sequences of routine testing events. Demonstrates that classroom testing represents a critical activity through which the grouping of students is accomplished. Suggests that the differentiation of both homogeneous and heterogeneous school populations is a necessary by-product…

A 1993 National Study of High School Restructuring surveyed principals of 3,380 high schools concerning restructuring elements being used. Although 10-15% of U.S. schools are being restructured, few are simultaneously employing key elements (performance standards, authentic assessment, interdisciplinary curriculum, school-based decision making,…

Asserts that authentic assessment can be applied successfully to the social studies. Describes a long-term, role-playing activity recreating the voyages of Ibn Battuta, who lived during the Islamic golden age. Includes project objectives, student assignments, a biographical sketch of Ibn Battuta, and a model of a student presentation sheet. (CFR)