To address the states' growing need for information about student performance in science, the Council of Chief State School Officers initiated the State Collaborative on Assessment and Student Standards (SCASS) Science Education Assessment Project. This multistate consortium pooled expertise and resources to apply standards and benchmark documents…

This annotated bibliography presents descriptions of sources related to the construction, use, and scoring of portfolios for assessment. Both student and professional staff portfolios are considered, as are theoretical issues and practical examples of portfolio use. Articles cover all grade levels and many subject matter areas. There are two…

A 2-year study of 18 schools across Oregon was conducted to provide descriptive information about the effects of supported education on students with and without Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). Regular classroom teachers and their supporting special education staff volunteered to teach and score performance tasks in their supported…

This digest discusses the origins of Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences, his definition of intelligence, the incorporation of the theory into the classroom, and its role in alternative assessment practices. Gardner defines intelligence as the "capacity to solve problems or to fashion products that are valued in one or more…

The last two decades have seen an increase in the demand for information about school effectiveness. For this paper, school effectiveness is defined as the value-added effectiveness. Value-added indices measure achievement over and above what would have been expected from attendance at a comparable school. They assess school effectiveness after…

Based on experience with non-native English speaking students, this book connects classroom practice to critical theory and provides a clear vision of alternative classroom environments in action. In the form of letters from a teacher-educator to her students, the book urges teachers to review and reevaluate their classroom practices to create an…

This final report describes activities and accomplishments of a 2-year (1987 through 1989) project on the design and evaluation of specific marker and student outcome variables in school learning environments for effective mainstreaming of students with mild disabilities. The report is organized into eight sections; these include a project…

Learning centers are special areas in the classroom where students can work independently or in small groups to build a concept, explore a topic, or refine a skill. Learning centers are a way to meet the academic, social, emotional, and physical needs of elementary school students through active involvement in the learning process by enabling…

Portfolios represent the intersection of assessment and instruction, and they provide a framework for viewing evaluation as complex, multidimensional, and dynamic. This article describes the system of portfolio assessment adopted by the Department of Early Childhood and Family Studies at Kean College of New Jersey, which is based primarily on…

One component of the Maryland School Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP) is the state's performance-based assessments, criterion-referenced tests that require students to apply what they know and can do to solve problems and display other higher-order thinking skills. This document helps parents, teachers, students, and other citizens…

This document consists of four papers presented during a symposium on human resource development (HRD) journals moderated by Peter W.J. Schramade at the 1996 conference of the Academy of Human Resource Development. "Refereed Journals: The Cornerstone of a Developing Profession" (Gary N. McLean) describes the purpose, format, success, and…

This document contains four papers presented at a symposium moderated by Allen Church at the 1996 conference of the Academy of Human Resource Development. "Teambuilding Intervention Strategy Development: A Case Study of Two Midwestern Manufacturing Industries" (Paul E. Brauchle, David W. Wright) discusses a qualitative case study of employee…

A survey was conducted to establish the content validity of the material presented during a diagnostic and evaluative procedures course for elementary education majors. Although the content was consistent with information typical of the course, validation through the opinions of practicing teachers could strengthen its validity with the students.…

This brief reviews the concept of multiple intelligences (MI) and discusses the implementation of the theory of MI in the New City School, an independent school in St. Louis (Missouri). The theory of MI, as developed by Howard Gardner, says that there are at least seven different intelligences: linguistic, logical, musical, bodily-kinesthetic,…

This collection of 12 essays provides an overview of research on effective teaching in higher education. It includes: (1) "Perceived Control in College Students: Implications for Instruction in Higher Education" (Raymond P. Perry); (2) "A Motivational Analysis of Academic Life in College" (Martin V. Covington); (3) "Turning Work into Play: The…