Discusses platform unity, or aligning curriculum content with appropriate test types. Presents findings from a survey of 30 Virginia community college faculty, indicating that the faculty did not plan and test content congruently, tended to overtest content, and were effective but not efficient in test selection. (25 citations) (AJL)

Guidelines for assessing the classroom environment for optimal student performance cover physical environment, time/instructional management, behavior management, and teacher effectiveness. Vignettes illustrate classroom problems and suggest management solutions. A checklist identifies instructional methods and conditions that positively affect…

A consortium of Chicago-area school districts obtained special permission to administer the Third International Mathematics and Science Survey (TIMSS) to consortium students so it could evaluate how its students stacked up against their international peers. TIMSS officials and the U.S. Department of Education are encouraging other districts and…

An introduction to a section on e-learning and effective pedagogy notes the explosive growth of instructional technology and the need for guiding principles in its application. It focuses on two areas: the instructional needs and anticipated outcomes for personnel preparation programs in special education and electronic student assessment.…

This article provides a brief overview of general outcome measurement and its potential for assessment of continuous progress in early childhood education. It describes an eight-step research and development process for the generating and evaluating of individual growth and development indicators. These indicators are adaptable across children,…

Claims that the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) represent a leap forward in the quality of comparative international research on schooling. Discusses prospects of achieving a consensus among educational policy makers on the reforms suggested in both study…

Provides brief history of the German Gymnasium as a traditional European secondary school system with a preparatory function for higher education. Reviews the main goals of the gymnasium. Asks what role the gymnasium plays as a learning environment for gifted students. Discusses the politico-educational consequences and demands on the gymnasium.…

This article summarizes concerns expressed at the SENCo-Forum about the stress that the Key Stage 1 Standard Assessment Tasks procedures place on children with special needs. Concerns include effects on student confidence, forcing teachers into roles that run counter to their educational ethos, and the time given to test preparation. (CR)

Discussion of problems in documenting student performance and progress focuses on middle-secondary subject matter, the state standards that are fundamental to most large-scale assessment systems, and curriculum text structures that limit the type of learning that can be documented. It suggests critical thinking measures as an alternative procedure…

This book focuses on topics germane to cognitive abilities viewed from a "minority psychology" perspective. The most contentious chapters concern test bias and heredity, with culture, socioeconomic status, and case viewed as the chief explanations for test score differences between social classes and racial and ethnic groups. The reviewer…

This article highlights some of the defining characteristics of distance education courses and their impact on traditional assessment practices for instructors and students, including those with learning disabilities. Factors that instructors need to consider for dealing with test accommodations for students with learning disabilities are…

Four alternate versions of a 15-item general outcome measure (GOM) of mathematics conceptual understanding and applications were developed and administered to 117 eighth-graders. Results were correlated with scores on state multiple-choice mathematics achievement tests. Correlations ranged from .81 to .87 with no significant differences, offering…

In this intervention study, training was found to increase the quality and extent of participation and accommodation documentation on the Individualized Education Program (IEP) of students with disabilities in three Illinois school districts. Correlations between what was documented on the IEP and what happened on testing day were highly variable.…

Describes the Liberal Studies/Professional Skills (LS/PS) faculty development program at Inver Hills Community College (Minnesota). Reports that the program began with the intent to develop an assessment process that would provide immediate benefits to students and faculty. Explains that it goes beyond transcripts to verify student competencies…

This article argues that standardized tests mandated by No Child Left Behind Act will not produce improved learning opportunities and outcomes. It offers three recommendations for changing educational practices and the law: Districts and states must emphasize assessment for learning; districts should implement new forms of accountability; people…