Presents the science demonstration assessment as an authentic- assessment technique to assess whether students understand basic science concepts and can use them to solve problems. Uses rubrics to prepare students for the assessment and to assign final grades. Provides examples of science demonstration assessments and the scoring of rubrics in the…

Presented are assessment techniques to help improve instruction. Included are the formative assessment techniques observation and questioning, diagnostic interviews, and problem-solving-based investigations and the summative assessment technique of performance-based tasks. Examples of these methods are provided together with at-home activities…

A September 1991 National Council for Social Studies report urges that social studies instruction for middle school students should focus on developing young adolescents' self-esteem, personal ethics, democratic values, and concern for the larger world. These values are fostered by using experiential learning, interdisciplinary instruction,…

This instructional module from the National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME) explains how to design assessments for written reports, develop performance criteria and communicate them to students, monitor progress, and assess the outcome. Learning how to give students a role in assessment adds a dimension to their responsibilities. (SLD)

Develops a framework for promoting effective coaching, in the sense of encouraging children's achievement, in community settings for children of different ages. Effective coaches perform the following tasks: (1) teach; (2) assess performance; (3) structure the learning environment; and (4) provide social support. (SLD)

Presents the case against private school choice, exploring myths and facts about public and private education. Private school choice would not increase accountability and would not bring about healthy competition for students. In addition, private schools do not outperform public schools to the extent one would expect. (SLD)

Results from the Maryland School Performance Assessment Program for 5,392 elementary school students and from the Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills (multiple choice) for a national sample are used to explore local item independence (LID) of test items. Some strategies are suggested for measuring LID in performance assessments. (SLD)

Process/product instruments of the 1970s attempt to evaluate teaching based on classroom observations. Performance-based teacher assessment is an ineffective, inappropriate method that does not truly assess teaching. Alternative methods (portfolios, student evaluations, peer evaluation, dossiers, and 360-degree feedback) support professional…

To examine how performance-based assessment changed mathematics teaching under conditions of moderate and low-stake assessment, middle school teachers were studied in five districts in Maryland and Maine, with interviews of 82 teachers and administrators. Findings suggest that effects of state testing on teaching may be overrated by both advocates…

The changing emphasis in teacher education from a theoretical perspective to a practical, performance-based perspective has forced teacher educators to revise and rethink their instructional techniques and styles. The Hearing Impairment Teacher Training Program at Eastern Kentucky University is currently being restructured in response to the new…

This study examined Wichita State University's portfolio plan for preservice teachers to investigate whether the portfolios reflected a programmatic emphasis on integration. Written descriptions of 586 self-selected entries from 127 portfolios indicated a sameness in self-selected entries, with significant differences in who submitted units,…

Studied the amount of measurement error in a state's performance-based writing task as it relates to high-stakes decision reproducibility. Using 175 eighth-grade writing samples, the study finds moderate correlations between the two raters' scores, with significant differences for the rates for the handwritten, but not the typed, essays.(SLD)

Explains that authentic teaching and assessment enable students to utilize their prior knowledge, recent learning, and critical thinking and problem-solving skills in real-world contexts. Describes examples of authentic teaching and assessment that use the "Voluntary National Content Standards in Economics" as a framework for economics…

There is increasing pressure to evaluate and document the capabilities of students exiting teacher education programs. A professional portfolio can serve as an effective tool for documenting this process. Faculty wishing to institute portfolios in pre-service teacher assessment should be aware of the difficulties that arise during discourse and…

This article describes the development of a computer-based assessment system for children in early childhood programs, The Indiana Assessment System of Educational Proficiencies: Early Childhood (IASEP: EC). Skills in five developmental domains (i.e., cognitive, communication, social, sensory motor, and self-help) were selected and content…