Describes a three-way planning and conferencing method involving teacher, student, and parents that incorporates the use of student portfolios. Performance and academic achievement are assessed on the basis of portfolio materials prepared by the student, and continuing objectives and planning evolve from the portfolio process. (ET)

An alternative school in southern Oregon that allows students to make up missing credits offers project-based thematic classes that take students outside the school. One course studied the Klamath Basin's water crisis and involved exploring the area and the perspectives of farmers, biologists, park rangers, and Native Americans. Courses culminate…

Assessing students' knowledge has always been a difficult task, especially in today's climate of standards driven curriculum. Challenges to educators include meeting content standards, assessing students' progress and focusing on diverse learning styles, as well as preparing students for work and life beyond schools. To meet these challenges,…

To what degree is a Dutch curriculum reform in classics incorporated into teaching practice? This study included two data sources: questionnaires that asked teachers about their beliefs concerning curricular innovations and an analysis of authentic assessment material, i.e. school examinations constructed by teachers. The findings suggest that the…

In this article, the author believes that equity and excellence ought simultaneously to govern educational decisions for all students in the middle grades. That is, each student should have access to curriculum that is high level, authentic, meaning-making, expert-focused, and highly relevant to young adolescents. In that way, equity of…

Mathematics teacher education programs are designed with an intention, explicit or implicit, to produce graduates who are competent in both pedagogic knowledge and discipline knowledge. This paper explores students' experiences in coming to learn mathematics and mathematics education. Using an example from a quiz question, supplemented with…

Teachers can promote long-lasting learning, build higher-order thinking skills, develop individual student accountability, and increase student achievement by incorporating performance learning tasks into the curriculum. In this second edition of "Performance-Based Learning," Sally Berman demonstrates how this model can be modified for learners at…

The second annual Affiliates' meeting of the National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools, and Teaching brought together 200 people to examine authentic teaching and assessment practices and policies. Nine presentations from the meeting are compiled in this document, illustrating different approaches to developing alternative assessment…

This collection of articles on the learner-centered classroom offers strategies that fall into the following five educational arenas: (1) integrated curricula; (2) thoughtful instruction; (3) active learning; (4) reflective transfer; and (5) authentic assessment. Section one presents an overview of natural, holistic, integrated curricula created…

The most important issue in education today is helping students reach high standards. These standards are changing American education from a system driven by inputs and regulations to one judged by results. This manual is intended for use with any set of standards. Followed step by step, it will take the teacher from the abstract statements of the…

This guidebook explains the purpose and rationale for initiating a portfolio process in the schools. A fundamental authentic assessment principle holds that students should demonstrate, rather than be required to tell or be questioned about, what they know and can do. The use of portfolios has gained significant attention as an alternative to…

This booklet, second in a series on issues in assessment, seeks to describe an initiative supported by Finger Lakes Community College (New York) to use classroom assessment techniques (CATs) in different academic areas and to present an overview of some assessment approaches that have been used in the classroom. Papers include: (1) "Enhancing…

Teachers' reactions to the administration and scoring of the Maryland School Performance Assessment Program tests (MSPAP) were studied, focusing on their direct and indirect exposure to tasks and evaluative criteria through the experience of scoring the MSPAP. Since its inception in 1991, the MSPAP has been scored in-state by certified teachers…

Seven recommendations are made by the California Art Education Association (CAEA) for a high quality middle school visual arts program for all students in California's middle schools. The seven recommendations are: (1) a sequential middle school visual arts curriculum should be developed by art educators and focus on art as a discipline requiring…

Interdisciplinary curriculum is a methodology that can help students gain the necessary content knowledge to support the following basic skills: (1) using language well and thoughtfully; (2) thinking through a problem and experimenting with solutions; (3) understanding scientific and technological ideas and using tools; (4) using imagination; (5)…