This final report describes the outcomes of Project MAPS (Monitoring Authentic Problem Solving), a project that developed multimedia computer-managed assessment environments to overcome the barriers educators face in using problem-solving performance assessment (PSPA) with students with disabilities. MAPS software was developed for 6 alternate…

The urgent need for an effective performance-based assessment tool that can make the connection between effective teaching and student learning has spurred action by expert educators. The Teacher Work Sample Methodology (TWSM) is a quality assurance system that can assess what students learn, how well they learn it, progress they make in their…

This paper examines four aspects of current high stakes testing that impact minority students and others traditionally underserved by American education. Data from research conducted at Boston College over 30 years highlight 4 issues: high stakes, high standards tests do not have a markedly positive effect on teaching and learning; high stakes…

In this interview with New American Schools (NAS) editors, the author explains how design-based assistance to schools works and suggests reasons why it might help schools become more successful in teaching all students to high standards. Questions cover such areas as the features of the NAS effort that distinguish it from other well-known models;…

Long a controversial topic in the specialized world of reference librarianship, unobtrusive evaluation is a useful tool in gauging the degree to which reference librarians are effectively performing their jobs. Based on a nationwide survey of government documents reference service in Canada, This book examines the broad philosophical implications…

This study examined transitions into and out of poverty and welfare across 4-year time periods and their implications for math and reading skills and behavior among 10- and 11-year-olds. Analyses of data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth-Child Supplement indicate that even with controls for factors that select families into poverty,…

The purpose of this study was to describe the validation of a new instrument called the Teacher Communication Behavior Questionnaire (TCBQ). This instrument is meant for use in assessing students' perceptions of their interactions with their teacher by focusing on their teachers' communicating behaviors. The study described in this paper occurred…

Intended primarily for senior graduate students seriously considering a job in academia, this book begins with a discussion of available jobs in academia and how to get one. Chapter 1, "Employment Opportunities in Academia," explores the American higher educational system and the pros and cons of choosing an academic career. Chapter 2, "Getting an…

This action research project evaluated a program to improve student motivation. The targeted population consisted of sixth- and eleventh-grade students in grammar/literature, physical education, and social studies classes in suburban Chicago. Three interventions were selected: incorporation of multiple intelligence strategies, implementation of…

The literature on college faculty in 1996 has increased; however, two themes described in the practice literature--identifying and rewarding exemplary teaching and experimental pedagogies--are only minimally represented in the research literature. The Carnegie Foundation, the American Association for Higher Education, and the Council for the…

This paper describes an approach for expanding assessment opportunities for students to demonstrate their understanding of content. The targeted population consisted of elementary and junior high school students in two schools in a growing middle-class community in north central Illinois. The elementary school enrolled 467 students and the junior…

This booklet is designed to help parents and community members answer questions about assessment in the context of the Vermont Framework of Standards, the Equal Education Opportunity Act of 1997, and other statewide initiatives. Assessment is changing in Vermont in response to new legislative mandates that call for standards-based assessment…

A knowledge monitoring assessment (KMA) was developed and evaluated. The KMA, which evaluates how well students distinguish between what they know and do not know by comparing their knowledge estimates to test performance, is partially performance based and may be group or computer administered and objectively scored. Participants were 462…

Although research on the effects of K-12 single-sex education is inconclusive in general, some common themes emerge in the research literature. This Digest reviews that research with particular attention to effects on girls' attitudes and achievement. The Digest first discusses attitudinal variables (i.e., self-esteem and attitudes toward academic…

Tests are being used widely, and misused widely, to evaluate students, teachers, principals, and other educational administrators. This short primer on testing and assessment is organized into three parts. Part 1, "Essential Statistical Terms," introduces some statistics that are essential to understanding testing concepts and for…