Based on the premise that diagnosis and correction are interwoven with reading instruction on a daily basis, this book helps preservice and in-service teachers acquire the skills necessary to make diagnosis and correction integral parts of their reading program. To achieve this goal, the book combines theory, basic knowledge and skills, practical…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of using performance and portfolio assessment techniques to diversify assessment in a minority teacher education program at Tuskegee University (Alabama). Both performance and portfolio assessments served as the exit examination. These techniques were used for three reasons: a state…

This document identifies skill standards for utility construction in a format that uses scenarios to provide a picture of the construction process under consideration. The scenarios provide a general description of the pipe laying and utility construction process. An introduction describes use and benefits of skill standards. Section 2 presents…

In 1994, as part of an ongoing study of the quality and effects of large-scale educational assessments, RAND began a series of studies of Kentucky's assessment, the Kentucky Instructional Results Information System (KIRIS). KIRIS is a cornerstone of Kentucky's education reform program. It exemplifies several key themes of current assessment-based…

As administrators, students, and the political machinery make higher education more accountable, assessment has become a relevant and timely topic. Recent interest in assessment and evaluation have brought significant changes in the way that educators in the field of organizational communication judge their students' work. The lecture method is…

The framework for teaching described in this book is based on PRAXIS III: Classroom Performance Assessments criteria developed by the Educational Testing Service. This framework identifies those aspects of a teacher's responsibilities that have been documented through empirical studies and theoretical research as promoting improved student…

A study was conducted to determine the prevalence of the use of portfolios in selected public elementary schools. Participants were asked for demographic information and information about the amount of training they had in portfolio use and the perceived strengths and benefits, weaknesses and barriers they find in portfolio use. A questionnaire…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is one part of a comprehensive assessment system that is evolving in the United States. In the view of the NAEP Technical Subgroup for the National Education Goals Panel, the NAEP should be an independent, statistically rigorous longitudinal measure of educational attainment in the essential…

The Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST) has developed an Alternative Assessments in Practice Data Base to support technical assistance needs and to promote the exchange of new assessment ideas. The database is designed to provide easy access and retrieval of information about ongoing and newly developed…

The term "conative" is used to describe constructs that span both motivational and volitional aspects of human behavior, distinguished from constructs that emphasize cognition and affection. Among the conative constructs are achievement strivings, beliefs about self-esteem and self-efficacy, interests and attitudes about learning,…

This document contains a brief overview and introduction to the Urban District Assessment Consortium (UDAC), sample performance items with student responses, and sample open-ended items with student responses. The UDAC is a multiyear cooperative effort that is comprised of 11 major urban school districts across the United States and the Center for…

The work carried out in Edmonton School District Number 7 as part of the Educational Quality Indicators (EQI) project in the Alberta (Canada) schools resulted in development and validation of processes, criteria, and reporting methods related to student achievement in six "essential learning outcomes" keyed to the more traditional…

Performance-based assessments and the instructional programs from which they emerge and into which they fit demand intelligent caring teachers with experience and knowledge in assessments, instruction, student learning, and human development theory. Full implementation of performance-based assessments requires that teachers discuss performance and…

Three expert panels reviewed the 1991 Maryland School Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP) reading test. This was the first year of an assessment program designed to measure school progress toward, among other content areas, three reading outcomes: reading for literary experience, reading to become informed, and reading to perform a task. The…

This digest discusses how well authentic mathematics assessment tests can be expected to meet the needs of mathematics instruction that focuses on conceptual insights and analytical skills. In the new mathematics curriculum, situational lessons or real-life problems attempt to include dimensions of thinking and reasoning, individual or small-group…