Children want to explore, dig, build, play, and wonder. To do this they need to touch, feel, see, observe, listen, manipulate, plan, and create. How does a teacher build and maintain a learning environment that will help students investigate meaningful questions? How does a teacher plan and manage ongoing investigations? How does a teacher use…

This memorandum introduces a set of 10 principles--"from" states and "for" states--to inform the design and management of effective systems to improve or replace low-performing schools. The principles are derived from what is known based on current research, evidence, and experience, and the input of state leaders, key…

The usual role of a discussant is to clarify and correct the paper being discussed, but in this case, the author, Howard Wainer, generally agrees with everything David Thissen says in his essay, "Bad Questions: An Essay Involving Item Response Theory." This essay expands on David Thissen's statement that there are typically two principal…

The discourse of quality has permeated everyday discussions about education, yet the concept as such remains complex. Moreover, during the constant struggle to improve educational quality, governments have increasingly devoted attention to the results of international large-scale assessments. As those results are used to inform policy decisions to…

Exam malpractice can be found in every nation in the globe. The practice of providing quality examinations in Ethiopian schools has ran into difficulties. The various forms of national examination malpractices, as well as preventative methods, were investigated in this study.A5-point rating scale labelled 'Forms of Examination Malpractices…

The aim of the research is to evaluate the impact on stakeholders participating within an assessment process focusing on the learning and teaching of history in primary schools. The assessment was devised by the Historical Association (UK) leading to the award of a Quality Mark. This award was introduced in September 2014 with the aim of rewarding…

This article assesses the accuracy of the assumption that undergraduate research leads to better student outcomes. In particular, it examines whether research involvement by undergraduates predicts subsequent academic success, as measured by grade point average (GPA). Consistent with predictions, results from a series of multiple regression…

A variety of assessment options that incorporate high-impact educational practices (HIPS) have emerged to assist higher education faculty in meeting student learning outcomes. HIPS are teaching and learning tools which have been demonstrated to increase student engagement and persistence. Practices such as first-year seminars, tech-rich learning…

Identifying three "modes of policy legitimation" in education, illustrated by shifts in Swedish educational assessment and grading policies over the past decades, the paper demonstrates significant trends with regard to national governments' policymaking and borrowing. We observe a shift away from "collaboracy" -- defined as…

Educator's perceptions and use of a state-mandated kindergarten entry assessment (KEA), the Alaska Developmental Profile (ADP), were investigated using a mixed-methods approach with 233 educators representing 23 districts in the state of Alaska. Educators reported inconsistencies in the administration, implementation, perceptions, and use of the…

This study aims to establish a model proposal for solving problems in the use of performance tasks at the high school level. The study which adopted qualitative research method was planned in two stages. First, the problems faced by high school teachers (n = 40) using performance tasks were determined, and for the second stage the opinions of…

This chapter will demonstrate how Achieving the Dream, a nonprofit leader of a national reform network of community colleges and open-access universities, uses assessment to guide institutions toward a culture of evidence, equity and continuous improvement to improve student success.

States often use summative assessments as a measure to determine students' readiness for college and career tracks. Some states administer the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (Smarter Balanced) or Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) assessments to measure high school student performance on college and…

Accountability pressures are substantial and growing in higher education. Regional accreditors have assimilated the language and purpose of assessment as part of the reviewing cycle for re-accreditation with the intention of making institutions more responsive in demonstrating improvement of student learning outcomes. Despite this, educational…

This dissertation consists of three connected studies. Each study reviews the impact of policies for practice. The policies highlight shifts that aim to foster innovation in their field of implementation. The policies analyzed are ones recently adopted by California and present implications for fiscal accountability and programmatic changes.…