The nontraditional education movement in postsecondary education has presented new problems for accreditation in terms of results vs process, governance, the rise of entrepreneurs, and territoriality. (JMF)

Argues that all instructors, regardless of field, share responsibility for improving students' writing skills. Advocates (1) establishing academic objectives for all students to meet by the end of their college career, (2) requiring essays and papers, rather than objective tests, and (3) requiring effective writing in every course. (DD)

The process of setting performance standards must be examined within the particular context in which specific approaches have been used to construct or select the criterion performance measures being utilized. (Author/RLV)

Discusses successes and problems of the Adult Performance Level (APL) project funded by the U.S. Office of Education in 1971 to identify the skills necessary for an adult to function successfully in today's society. (TA)

The University of Pittsburgh responded to concerns about academic integrity by establishing a code of rights and responsibilities for students and faculty. The university's guidelines are detailed and their workability is illustrated by seven case studies. (Editor/LBH)

The 1996 National Assessment of Educational Progress showed progress in all three grade levels compared with 1990 and 1992 studies. The national standards developed by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the National Research Council will continue to provide guidance for modifying math and science education. Educators must fully…

In the five years since a Trappe, Maryland elementary school put Gardner's multiple-intelligences theory into practice, students' overall achievement and confidence have risen substantially. Specialists helped teachers develop standards for grading students' art work and oral presentations. To prepare students for state assessments, written…

Third-year education students (n=25) required to self-assess a literature review using the teacher's grading guide produced assessments generally in agreement with the teacher's but tended to overestimate their grades. Interviews with students indicated those overestimating their grades were less clear about evaluation standards and wanted more…

Proposes an alternative to current use of a single evaluation of medical residents to both monitor achievement of performance standards and to provide guidance concerning professional development. Suggests a dual evaluation system consisting of (1) a faculty-controlled, quality-control system for performance and (2) a resident-controlled,…

Describes a model using a group of fifth-grade students to better understand the assessment standards. Discusses the activity, the lesson on tessellation, and instructional decisions from the perspective of the assessment standards. (ASK)

Presents a rationale for increasing the role of drug education in the science curriculum in Great Britain. Describes a draw-and-write technique that can be used to assess children's ideas about drugs. The technique is used with children ages 7 through 11. (DDR)

Current efforts to identify content and curriculum standards overlook individual students' needs. Visionary standards and benchmarks serve only to establish targets for learning. The companion variables of student interest and background, learning styles, instructional methods, and learning time must also be addressed. All demand a personalized…

This study used the Assessment Standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics to evaluate the appropriateness and adequacy of selected standardized tests of mathematics achievement as they pertain to students with disabilities. Problems with content validity included inadequate representation of content domains, inappropriate…

Argues that higher academic standards constitute a necessary but not sufficient condition for achieving the "world class" academic performance necessary in a globally competitive workforce. Reveals how social, family support, and economic conditions are different for American youth compared to other developed countries and how these…