The third conference on improving mathematics and science assessment brought together more than 550 educators, researchers, and policymakers. Recommendations and information from the conference are incorporated into this report. Conference consensus was that students must recognize that there is more to assessment than grades and scores and begin…

In further exploring the relationship between teacher behaviors and student learning, this study, part of the National Study of Student Learning, examined how teacher organization and preparation and teacher skill and clarity influenced the development of general cognitive skills in the first year of college. A sample of 2,302 students attending…

The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) has been designed to test developed verbal and mathematics reasoning abilities of college-bound students, primarily high school juniors and seniors. For almost a decade there has been a research and development process to evaluate and change the entire SAT program. These changes were implemented in the SAT I:…

This research investigated how use of an interactive videodisk information system, the Strategic Teaching Framework (STF), helped preservice teachers expand their visions of teaching, learning, and assessment in mathematics, and helped develop their skills in translating that vision into action in the classroom. STF consisted of videos of…

The 13 essays in this book examine the theory of constructivism in relation to teaching and learning. The first section provides an account of the epistemological, psychological, and sociocultural research that serves as the theoretical basis of constructivism, and includes the following chapters: "Introduction: Aspects of Constructivism" (Ernst…

A project at Texas State Technical College developed a curriculum to bridge the gap between the competency level of persons who enter college having completed the secondary component of a tech prep program and those who had not. The project used a technical advisory committee, two task forces, and a panel of experts to identify the competency…

Intended to help children sustain gains made in school, this manual consists of simple learning activities that parents can use to engage children ranging from second grade through middle school/junior high school. The description of each activity outlines the purpose for the activity, the materials needed, the duration of the activity, how it is…

The Edison Project, in concert with its public school partners, produces curriculum materials and standards for its six "academies," or educational levels. This book sets forth standards describing the knowledge and skills students will have in each curriculum area when they complete the Elementary Academy (for children in grades 3…

Two studies examined the relationship between children's clay models and the children's concurrent school achievement, and compared a 6-year longitudinal record of achievement test scores for one cohort of students at schools that did or did not provide visual arts instruction. Participating in Study 1 were 201 kindergartners and third graders…

Twenty-five years after it was enacted by Congress in 1972, Title IX of the Education Amendments (the federal mandate against sex discrimination in education) has opened doors previously closed to women and girls. This report by the National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education (NCWGE) celebrates the progress made to date but also identifies…

The practice test described consists of test items that are similar to those that appear on the Ohio Fourth-grade Proficiency Tests. The practice test consists of 2 writing exercises, 15 reading questions, 20 mathematics questions, 20 citizenship questions, and 20 science questions. The manual contains instructions for the teacher as well as oral…

This study, using data from the National Study of Student Learning, examined whether participation in a collegiate work-study program was related to cognitive educational benefits. Data were collected from 2,485 entering students at 23 institutions nationwide in the fall of 1992 with follow-up in the spring of 1993, of whom 494 (19.9 percent)…

Measuring student progress toward higher achievement has been the purpose of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) since its inception in 1969. Students in both public and nonpublic schools have been assessed in various subject areas on a regular basis. This report presents results of the 1994 NAEP trend assessments in science,…

The Missouri Mastery and Achievement Tests (MMAT) were developed as a result of the Excellence in Education Act of 1985, which required the state department of education to identify core competencies and key skills in reading/language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies/civics and to test a sample of students annually. State-level data…

As the country began to debate the proposition that the United States adopt a national examination system, it became apparent that information was needed about the present extent and cost of testing, as well as the estimated cost of a national examination system. In the fall of 1991, the General Accounting Office (GAO) surveyed testing officials…