A brief summary of standard setting knowledge is presented, derived from about 20 methods that utilize a judgmental review process, the approach most relevant to the standard-setting strategies proposed in this special issue. Criteria for judging effectiveness and critiques of the methods discussed in the issue are offered. (SLD)

Offers a summary view of the complex myriad of U.S. national, regional, and international standards bodies that are developing information technology standards. A classification of standards is suggested which breaks down the large spectrum of standards into functional areas of interoperability. (nine references) (LAE)

Describes the key features that distinguish standards development organizations (SDOs) and analyzes these features in light of recent work in political economy. It is concluded that many of the features that lead to a slower process may be interpreted as an efficient institutional response to problems posed by industry standardization. (24…

Standards are important within school improvement. Today's issue has moved beyond setting standards to knowing what to do with them. Measurement is the most useful part of the exercise. This paper describes standards and their measurement, explains constructive comparisons, presents an imperative for U.S. schools, and notes the importance of…

Discusses the roles played by participants and the processes involved in a provincial standards-setting exercise for a large-scale assessment of student skills. Offers perspectives of a policy maker outside the exercise and an insider participant. Describes alternate notions of representativeness, stakes, and significance. (SLD)

States that standard scores are the numerical universal language for reporting and comparisons. Discusses what standard scores are, specifically, and why they are used, along with how the conversion assessment of raw scores to standard scores is accomplished. Provides contact information for those who would like to further their knowledge on the…

Summarizes efforts by various groups in the National Communication Association, federal government agencies, and research centers to identify important core communication (speaking and listening) competencies that are necessary for undergraduates and graduates to be effective in the workplace and in society. Provides lists of competencies deemed…

Under the adequate yearly progress requirements of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act (2001), states are currently faced with the challenge of demonstrating continuous improvement in student performance in reading and mathematics. Beginning in 2007 to 2008, science will be required as a component of the NCLB Act. This article describes South…

Nationwide, public school spending in the United States has more than doubled in the past 30 years, while there has been no appreciable improvement in academic outcomes. The United States spends more of its gross national product on education than any industrialized country, yet languishes near the bottom of lists comparing those countries'…

The Bookmark standard-setting procedure was developed to address the perceived problems with the most popular method for setting cut-scores: the Angoff procedure (Angoff, 1971). The purposes of this article are to review the Bookmark procedure and evaluate it in terms of Berk's (1986) criteria for evaluating cut-score setting methods. The…

Classification "rules" in expert and everyday discourse are usually deficient by formal standards, lacking explicit decision procedures and precise terms. The authors argue that a central function of such weak rules is to focus on perceptual learning rather than to provide definitions. In 5 experiments, transfer following learning of family…

In 2001, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) began the process of redesigning the U.S. naturalization tests due to concerns that the current testing procedure may not be sufficiently uniform, and that the test content may not be appropriate. A National Research Council committee issued recommendations, based largely on the…

This paper represents an abridgement of a panel session that reported on the status of training for archivists in the use of Encoded Archival Description (EAD) in seven countries (France, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and United States). It touched on related archival descriptive standards and practices and…

Traditionally, "education through research" is understood to be a main characteristic of education at the university. In this article we will explore how "education through research" is argued to be of major importance for the European knowledge society, how there is still a reference to the idea of "Bildung" or…

The increase in litigation by students who are dissatisfied with their assessment, and to a lesser extent the time and monetary costs of student appeals makes it imperative that institutions adopt a robust assessment strategy. The concern of consumers with respect to professional services offered by students after graduation is also an issue. This…