Investigates the long-term effects of two national language tests in Israel, one in Arabic as a second language and one in English as a foreign language. The study employed questionnaires, interviews, and document analysis from teachers, students and language inspectors. Findings reveal that washback varies over time, owing to factors such as the…

Discusses the Basque Government's policy requiring its employees to learn the minority, co-official language. Presents reasons for the plan's deficiency, including a lack of incentives for workers, and points to a more comprehensive plan for Basquisation. (16 references) (Author/CK)

A new development in teacher education is the involvement of accrediting agencies, legislatures, and the federal government in mandating standards, curriculum, and assessment at all levels of education. The effects of this development on teacher education are examined, and changes needed within teacher education and administrator education…

Identifies an integral problem in most undergraduate psychology classes covering testing and ethical principles. The American Psychological Association's ethical code, rules, and test standards seem obtuse and irrelevant to many students. Recommends teaching the Test Takers' Bill of Rights. Includes a copy of this document. (MJP)

The historical roots of current educational assessment practices are traced, exploring assessment in the generic sense rather than as educational measurement. Our culture of assessment developed long ago, predating the history of educational measurement. Current inefficiencies in education and faults in school life may have grown with this…

Despite educators' well-founded misgivings about standardized multiple-choice testing, this practice is firmly entrenched in American life. One of educators' major responsibilities is preparing students to make wise choices in school and the "real world." With college and career opportunities hinging on standardized test scores, schools are…

Describes a continuous school-wide effort begun in 1994 by Nogales High School (Arizona) to improve student writing. Nogales students in 2000 and 2001 scored at or above the state averages on the writing assessment portion of the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS). Advocates involving all teachers from all disciplines in the effort to…

Presents the findings from research studies regarding the effectiveness and validity of various assessment accommodations for English Language Learners (ELLs) including: modifying English exams, providing glossaries and dictionaries, and allowing extra time. Based on the research findings, provides eight recommendations to policy makers and…

A review was conducted of the literature on technology-based practices for secondary students with learning disabilities. Technology-based practices included computer- or video-based interventions, multimedia programs, technology-based assessment, and verbatim audio recordings. Three practices appear promising: hypertext and hypermedia software…

The movement to standardization and high-stakes testing has been driven by ideological and political concerns and has adversely affected teaching/learning, democratic discourse, and educational equity. Rural schools are hit harder because of geographic isolation and insufficient staff and resources. Testing used for purposes other than measuring…

The importance of item difficulty (equated delta) was explored as a predictor of differential item functioning of Black versus White examinees for 4 verbal item types using 13 Graduate Record Examination forms and 11 Scholastic Aptitude Test forms. Several significant racial differences were found. (TJH)

Discussion of the use of interactive television in the classroom focuses on a study that compared the effectiveness of using interactive television to teach an introductory college accounting class with traditional teaching. Hypotheses tested are explained, student attitudes are examined, and the results of evaluative questionnaires are analyzed.…

Mail questionnaire items that are susceptible to order effects were examined using data from 168 questionnaires in a Florida Cooperative Extension Service evaluation. Order effects were found for multiple-response and attributive questions but not for single-response items. Order also interacted with question complexity, social desirability, and…

This article discusses cultural and linguistic biases and distortions present in standardized tests and offers explanations and suggestions on modifying or eliminating them. Key cultural concepts and linguistic differences are described to assist evaluators in assessing East Asian students appropriately and fairly. Several commonly used tests are…

Evaluates whether the "Degrees of Reading Power" reading achievement test (1) is a testing and teaching tool; (2) is a valid reading assessment; (3) should be used for third grade; and (4) correlates with other reading tests. Questions whether the test's Readability Report information really reflects test scores. (SR)