We introduce a multidimensional item response theory (IRT) model for binary data based on a proximity response mechanism. Under the model, a respondent at the mode of the item response function (IRF) endorses the item with probability one. The mode of the IRF is the ideal point, or in the multidimensional case, an ideal hyperplane. The model…

In general, it is assumed that distinct true values will be found behind what is actually measured in surveys. By acquiring sufficient knowledge of measurement error, its extent and nature, we are supposed to be able to obtain adequate knowledge of underlying properties. It could be maintained, however, that this idea of a stable and…

This article discusses the use of computer-based technology in the educational system. The author contends that while this technology is useful as an instructional tool, it is no substitute for face-to-face education. The author provides four principles of learning that will allow teachers to use this type of technology in the service of discovery.

In an effort to increase her students' interest in science, a teacher in an underresourced school secured large donations of science-related books for her classroom of second-language learners. By balancing her science classroom library and read-alouds with a number of interesting nonfiction trade books and storybooks, the teacher tried to enhance…

Miscue analysis has been used by teachers and reading specialists for more than 30 years. Its purpose is to reveal strengths and weaknesses in how children process text and thereby inform instruction for individual learners. But is it still a useful approach? The authors assert that miscue analysis can indeed be a useful tool, though not for all…

In this article, the author discusses Robert J. Sternberg's theory of "successful intelligence," which theorizes that intelligence consists of three parts: analytic, creative and practical abilities. Sternberg argues that intelligence can be fostered in the right educational environment by encouraging students to develop and exercise their…

In this article, the author, an elementary school teacher at Totoket Valley Elementary School in North Branford, Connecticut, describes how she uses music of the 1950s as a vehicle for teaching skills. She has found that selecting songs that have fun, peppy, and clean lyrics, and also lend themselves to teaching a particular skill, is a great way…

Middle school teachers are not unique in their lack of time to contemplate their profession in any systematic way. Educators could benefit from journal-keeping as a means to reflect on their practice, their attitudes towards what they do in the classroom, and the obstacles they all face in teaching. This article presents excerpt from a teacher's…

This article offers a historical overview, explores current trends, and suggests future directions of gender research and pedagogical approaches that inform TESOL. It highlights key theories, research paradigms, and subjects of study that contribute to SLA knowledge while addressing inequitable gendered social, pedagogical, and linguistic…

This article describes a responsive evaluation study of ESL services and Spanish language services for immigrants in a rural county in Indiana. An ESL specialist led the evaluation of language services in the county from the perspectives of language providers and recipients. The responsive evaluation--a form of action research that uses…

It is important for college teachers to motivate their students because student motivation correlates with a student's academic achievement. This study was concerned with exploring what intrinsically motivates college students to continue attending class; what brings them to class because of a desire to be there, not because of external factors…

Many schools mandate that teachers use scripted lessons and specific reading programs. To minimize the many problems that such instructional inflexibility can create for struggling readers, this article describes five principles of motivation and shows how teachers can apply these principles with struggling readers within the framework of mandated…

An examination of national and regional developments relating to quality assurance and accreditation systems in the three main countries having a campus of the University of the West Indies, Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, provides an appreciation of some of the emerging provisions in the region to respond to the concerns of the…

In this paper the grades awarded in the subject level review process that ran in England between 1995 and 2001 are examined. These grades have subsequently been used to sustain most published league tables and are often cited in debates about institutional quality. However, the grades were never subject to any moderation, either at the time of the…

In this article the authors develop a model that employs a factor analysis structure at Level 2 of a two-level hierarchical linear model (HLM). The model (HLM2F) imposes a structure on a deficient rank Level 2 covariance matrix [tau], and facilitates estimation of a relatively large [tau] matrix. Maximum likelihood estimators are derived via the…