As part of Hungary's Curriculum Theory Department (CTD-80) assessment, 1,543 14-year-olds were tested in the performance of science experiments in physics and chemistry. Skills included observing, measuring, hypothesizing, and drawing conclusions. Results are presented, and implications for curriculum are suggested. (GDC)

Describes research which attempts to provide a solution to the performance criterion problem, concluding that is seems possible to measure many aspects of clerical work using psychometric measures that are highly job related; recommends that such devices be used to supplement ratings in the performance evaluation process.

This report explores some of the critical issues that have emerged from the data collected from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study-Repeat (TIMSS-R) to inform educational decisions in the state of Delaware. Research questions include Delaware's student performance on the TIMSS-R and the Delaware Student Testing Program (DSTP),…

A criterion-referenced test for a beginning archery class was developed and evaluated. Techniques for estimating test validity and reliability were applied to data. A method developed by R. A. Burk (1976) was used to establish a cutoff score that would distinguish between those mastering the class and nonmasters. (Authors/PP)

To help give elementary school physical education students a greater appreciation of their own progress and to increase their motivation to achieve, a club-oriented incentive program was established. Students were tested in skills taught at each grade level and those meeting the requirements were awarded club membership certificates. (PP)

A physical education teacher has created a recordkeeping system which maintains a continuous record of each student's progress in fitness tests, basic motor skills, specific play skills, and interpersonal behavior. The system helps with student motivation, administration, decision making, and building parental support. (PP)

The development of a simulation technique to evaluate performance of psychomotor skills in an undergraduate nursing program is described. This method is used as one admission requirement to an alternate route nursing program. With modifications, any health profession could use this technique where psychomotor skills performance is important.…

The author discusses several factors which have in the past decade made it difficult for school personnel directors to establish quality teacher selection procedures. He identifies some basic criteria and methods for the selection process, emphasizing direct observation of the candidate's teaching performance as a selection tool. (SJL)

Different methods and instruments used to assess medical problem solving are discussed. Various features of the instruments are compared and suggestions for additional data are made, in order to ensure maximum efficiency in the choice of instruments. (Author/MH)

Reports that 26 of 199 responding colleges require the Fundamentals of Engineering examination. States that of the 26, 16 require it to be taken college-wide and 3 require the student to pass. It was estimated that fewer than half of all graduating engineering students take the exam. (MVL)

This study evaluated 4 types of assessment with 74 fourth-grade students with and without learning disabilities (LD) in general education classrooms. Students with and without LD performed more strongly on the hands-on tasks than the paper-and-pencil measures; the facilitative effect of hands-on assessment was greater for students with LD and…

A recent study compared hands-on scientific inquiry assessment to assessments involving lab notebooks, computer simulations, short-answer paper-and-pencil problems, and multiple-choice questions. Creating high quality performance assessments is a costly, time-consuming process requiring considerable scientific and technological know-how. Improved…

Use of portfolios and performance tasks has exponentially increased as educators seek to be as "fair" as possible, and to link measurement, assessment, and evaluation more closely to cognition, curriculum, and instruction. However, high standards of reliability and validity are equally essential in the use of "authentic"…

The experience of the RAND Corporation as it develops the performance test component of a licensing examination for secondary school teachers is explored. The performance test, composed of written tasks that simulate important teacher activities, corresponds to portions of other professional examinations. (SLD)