This ERIC Digest explores the need for improvement in geography education in the United States, based on concern expressed by geography professors across the United States and findings from a number of recent state, national, and international polls and studies showing that many students leave high school illiterate in geography. A section…

This digest addresses the importance of and the methods used to assess the performance of college students. Following a definition of "assessment," the digest considers: (1) why classroom assessment of students' achievement is important; (2) how an instructor can ensure the quality of information from classroom assessments; (3) methods…

This digest reviews alternative certification on the basis of educational quality and the need to fill teacher shortages. Following a definition of traditional certification, the alternative certification route is described as a process designed to certify candidates who have subject-matter competencies, without going through formal teacher…

With few exceptions, the development of adult intelligence assessment instruments has proceeded along the lines of the Binet-Simon tests for children, stressing psychological assessment over the evaluation of what an individual knows. These tests, developed over 90 years ago, were quite effective in predicting school success, but were much less…

In this digest a rationale is given for using open-ended questions in the assessment of student achievement, the use of open-ended questions in reading is discussed, and some implications for the classroom are outlined. Research has helped shift the focus from learning as content knowledge per se to learning as the ability to use and interpret…

In February 1990, the President of the United States and the 50 state governors proclaimed a set of six national goals to prompt profound improvements in schools and student achievement by the year 2000. These six goals reflect widely held concerns that most people have not been receiving the kind of education they need to meet the challenges of…

During 1990, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reported findings about elementary and secondary school students' knowledge of U.S. history, geography, and civics. In 1988, the Joint Council on Economic Education reported findings from its national study of high school students' knowledge of economics. The designers and…

This ERIC Digest reports on the origins, purposes, and methods of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) Civic Education Study. In 1993, the General Assembly of the IEA decided to carry out a two phase study of civic education. The goal of the two phase study was to identify and examine in a comparative…

The work of the National Research Center on Student Learning (CSL) is described. The CSL, one of 23 national centers funded by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, is an integral part of the Learning Research and Development Center of the University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania). The CSL conducts interdisciplinary research that…

This digest provides a review of the research literature on assessment of the effectiveness of higher education in producing graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary for well-educated citizens today. Major findings are grouped as answers or partial answers to the following nine questions: (1) "what are the critical competencies and…

Aspects of professional competence and professional socialization that are being emphasized in professional education programs are summarized. Of concern are generic outcomes of professional preparation, outcome-related issues and trends common to professional education in diverse fields, some problems that concern professional educators, and…