Describes experiences of three second graders taking standardized achievement tests. Maintains that many children lose learning time and confidence over test results that are not adequately explained to parents. Argues that samples of children's work over time better document growth and that young children should be viewed in terms of widely held…

Reveals how English test item analysis is carried out with the help of a computer-programmed approach, what significance this has, and how beneficial it could be to teachers of English all over the world. (Author/VWL)

Describes the development and administration of a computerized test at the Iowa State University Library for a mandatory library skills class. Discusses the use of Authorware; test appearance and environment; test administration; compiling test scores; results of students' evaluations; Web courseware; and future of the computerized test. (LRW)

This paper presents and critically analyzes data from a project that sought teacher candidates' responses to the process and content of the Ontario Teacher Qualifying Test (OTQT), a mandatory, standardized, pencil and paper initial teacher qualification test. The aim of the project, guided by a critical democratic perspective, was to critically…

As large-scale accountability testing becomes more refined, statewide standards are being created so that teachers and students can create learning and assessment targets that are aligned with statewide testing systems. An important hurdle in assisting teachers in their efforts to create standards-aligned classroom assessments is creating feelings…

This article reviews research on differential item functioning (DIF) in language testing conducted primarily between 1990 and 2005 with an eye toward providing methodological guidelines for developing, conducting, and disseminating research in this area. The article contains a synthesis of 27 studies with respect to five essential sets of…

The authors discuss the impact of standards and testing on curriculum and instruction. They begin with a brief history of the growth and development of academic standards and high-stakes testing. Next, they review relevant research on the impact high-stakes testing has had on curriculum and instruction and discuss ways that high-stakes testing has…

The Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-Third Edition (Bayley-III) is a revision of the frequently used and well-known Bayley Scales of Infant Development-Second Edition (BSID-II; Bayley, 1993). Like its prior editions, the Bayley-III is an individually administered instrument designed to measure the developmental functioning of…

The purpose of this paper is to describe the logic and identify key assumptions associated with making cognitive inferences using two attribute-based psychometric methods. The first method is Kikumi Tatsuoka's rule-space model. This model provides a strong point of reference for studying the nature of diagnostic inferences because it is important…

High stakes testing puts considerable pressure on schools, teachers, and students to achieve at high levels. Therefore, how schools and individuals cope with this major source of stress may have important implications for the success of high stakes testing. This article reviews relevant theory and research on stress as they relate to public…

This article documents the experiences of a single working mother as she advocates for her daughter and attempts to negotiate a shifting educational landscape that she knows has dire consequences for her child. It also documents institutional responses to this mother's attempts at advocacy while they also adapt to the shifting landscape that…

Perceptions of children and teachers were examined to address concerns regarding children's welfare following sociometric testing. Third-graders (N = 91) were interviewed; teachers also reported on each child's responses to the testing. Results indicate that children were not hurt or upset by the testing, most enjoyed the procedures, did not feel…

Parents are concerned about their children's math learning. Teachers are concerned about math teaching. When parents see what children are bringing home under the new curriculum, it is clear that their children are not working on the same mathematics that parents remember from the time when they were in school. But, the problem goes beyond grades…

By definition, adolescence begins with the onset of puberty (often starting earlier now) and ends when adult responsibilities are assumed (often starting later). This is a very long period of enormous change and rapid growth, physically, socially, sexually, cognitively, emotionally, motivationally, and morally. Adolescents are moving from…

How did standardized tests become the measure of performance in our public schools? In this compelling work, Mark J. Garrison attempts to answer this question by analyzing the development of standardized testing, from the days of Horace Mann and Alfred Binet to the current scene. Approaching the issue from a sociohistorical perspective, the author…