The author states that by neglecting to give essay tests, teachers not only eliminate the motivation to read and write but also fail to test for a deep understanding of the material. The author presents guidelines for designing essay questions. (CT)

Education in Africa is studied. (CK)

Describes the use of a crossword puzzle for testing students for content in a Greek mythology course. Includes a sample crossword puzzle. (TJ)

Grade related contingencies such as tests resulted in high student attendance in class, but frequent quizzing resulted in lower attendance at nontest sessions. (Editor)

Contends that educational reform strategies that feature measurement-driven instruction as their centerpiece are often maligned as "quick fixes." Although asserting that measurement-driven instruction has potential benefits, notes that assessment experts should share their knowledge with policymakers to avoid ineffective strategies. (Author/NB)

Statistical terms are accurate and powerful but can sometimes lead to misleading impressions among beginning students. Discrepancies between the popular and statistical meanings of "conditional" are discussed, and suggestions are made for the use of different vocabulary when teaching beginners in applied introductory courses.

Earlier reports have shown that prospective teachers' conceptions about teaching science to a high degree are resistant and do not change substantially during the teacher-training programme. In our investigation we elucidate the prospective teachers' initial conceptions about pupils' understanding of science and mathematics. We applied "The…

This review looks at the reform movements in the nation's two most populous states--Texas and California. Both states are in a desperate pursuit to demonstrate student competency of standards and achievement by way of student performance on standardized tests to meet federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) compliance. In examining the accountability…

The purpose of this research was to study the development, implementation, assessment, and revision of an integrated social justice curriculum with the goal of providing an understanding of the elements which supported and hindered social justice education from the perspective of an elementary school teacher. The research procedures used in this…

This document includes the final data collection and scoring tools created by the "Scoop" project, a five-year project funded through the Center for Evaluation, Standards,and Student Testing (CRESST), to develop an alternative approach for characterizing classroom practice. The goal of the project was to use artifacts and related materials to…

The Secretary of Education's Commission on the Future of Higher Education too often focused on what's wrong with American higher education and too seldom offered real solutions to vexing problems. In this article, the author, as a Commission member, takes a look at how two issues in particular, high costs and inadequate student learning, might…

The mission of the National Academy for Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (NAIRTL) is to ensure that all higher education students are exposed to cutting edge research in their classrooms, and that students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels are actively engaged in relevant and authentic research in their chosen discipline. To…