The rapid growth of online learning has led to the development of faculty inservice evaluation models focused on quality improvement of degree programs. Based on current "best practices" of student online assessment, the Online Faculty Development and Assessment System (OFDAS), created at the Canary Islands, was designed to serve the…

According to the Committee on the Foundations of Educational Assessment, traditional educational assessment does a reasonable job of measuring knowledge of basic facts, procedures and proficiency of an area of the curriculum. However, the traditional approach fails to capture the breadth and richness of knowledge and cognition. Such a concern…

This final report describes activities and accomplishments of a project which developed, implemented, and evaluated the effectiveness of a microcomputer/videodisc math instructional management system for grades K-4. The system was designed to operate on an APPLE II microcomputer, videodisc player, and input-output devices. It included three…

In the spring of 1991 the first full-scale National Household Education Survey (NHES:91) was conducted for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The NHES:91 was a national random digit dial telephone survey of about 14,000 parents of 3- to 8-year-old children concerning the educational experiences of young children. A reinterview…

This report describes the development, operation, maintenance, and future prospects of the item banks pioneered by the Portland (Oregon) School District. At the time of this report, there were 3,500 mathematics, 2,200 reading, and 2,300 language usage items calibrated under the fixed parameter model of item response theory (IRT) for Grades 3-8.…

This paper describes two case studies of testing programs at local levels. The work was conducted as part of the Assessment Development and Use component of the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory's (NWREL) Assessment and Development project. Two school districts were recruited to participate in this effort--McMinnville, Oregon, and Kyrene,…

New computer software for physics, mathematics, computer science, and statistics courses at North Carolina State University and in some high schools allows students to solve problems on the computer, recording every answer submitted to provide faculty with a record of student performance, and providing immediate feedback to students. Computerized…

This article illustrates the path of the College of Education at Towson University to successfully integrate technology within coursework and thereby meet national technology standards. This discussion includes details about specific required instructional technology courses and a faculty development project that supports the ongoing use of…

Through this article, an attempt is made to highlight some ways on how teachers can integrate technology into their teaching repertoire to enhance the teaching learning process to make it both an enjoyable and enriching experience. Technology has several advantages: it is being used as a powerful tool by many teachers for making lesson plans and…

Bennett College (North Carolina) has developed the use of an Integrated Computerized Instructional Support System (ICISS) featuring the use of large networked test-banks, a sophisticated test management system, application software, and multimedia. These materials are used both for interactive learning experiences in the classroom and for…

The technical implementation and operation of the Comprehensive Achievement Monitoring (CAM) system are discussed in this manual. It is written as a guide for those responsible for implementing CAM and for processing CAM-related work requests. Subjects covered include: CAM system operation summary: objectives and test items; conferencing with the…

Instruction gains value when measurement shows that objectives have been achieved and learning has occurred. Making the measurement an integral part of class activity allows the identification of problems and consequent improvements even while the course is ongoing. Learner-centered active assessment both provides direct objective measurement of…

Innovations, ETS's corporate magazine, provides information on educational assessment for educators, school leaders, researchers and policymakers around the world. Each issue of Innovations focuses on a particular theme in assessment. This issue reports on how new technologies in classrooms around the world are enhancing teaching, learning and…

This keynote address reported on the current state of science education in three areas: curriculum development, attitudes toward science, and assessment in science. Three major projects in science curriculum reform were the focus of the section on curriculum development: (1) Project 2061; (2) Scope, Sequence, and Coordination; and (3) Earth…

The use and potential of online assessment in Australia's vocational education and training (VET) sector was examined. The pertinent literature was reviewed, and 41 Australian and international online designers were interviewed. The following issues in achieving quality online assessment were identified: (1) using the online environment to expand…