The case study is an excellent method for teaching and assessing students' knowledge and skills. Using two examples, we present a step-by-step approach for analyzing cases and evaluating students. The advantages and disadvantages of using cases are discussed and methods for identifying cases are presented.

The practical training of contemporary popular musicians, that is, the preparation of performers, songwriters, and music production personnel for the global popular music industry, is still in its infancy. This article seeks to discuss the specific issue of what musicianship skills should be taught, by interrogating the perceptions of a cohort of…

Objective: In this article, the authors ask three questions. First, what will physicians need to know in order to be effective in the future? Second, what role will technology play in achieving that high level of effectiveness? Third, what specific skill sets will physicians need to master in order to become effective? Method: Through three case…

This qualitative study looked at how early childhood teachers talk about and interact with the most powerful children in their classrooms--the student leaders. Relying primarily on interviews with six teachers in early childhood classrooms (infants, toddlers, and preschoolers) within a University-affiliated center, this paper reconsidered…

The ability to handle proof is the focus of a number of well-documented complaints regarding students' difficulties in encountering degree-level mathematics. However, in addition to observing that proof is currently marginalised in the UK pre-university mathematics curriculum with a consequent skills deficit for the new undergraduate mathematics…

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is leading a national strategy to improve the United Kingdom's financial capability (FSA, 2006). The strategy recognises that there is a need for Financial Literacy education across all areas of society, from children in school to mature adults in all walks of life. In order to meet this need and to be…

This report describes educators' collaborative self-directed experiences in learning about and producing alternative forms of assessment for use in elementary-level classrooms. The report analyzes the Virginia Standards of Learning and local curricula in English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science/Health in grades 2-4, to…

Convergent validity and divergent validity were studied in several basic skill areas using the multitrait-multimethod procedure outlined by D. T. Campbell and D. W. Fiske (1959). The academic skill domains considered were: (1) reading; (2) mathematics; (3) writing and language arts; and (4) spelling. A total of 297 students in grades 1 through 5…

A cognitive process approach is applied to this discussion of the nature and relationship of skills, thinking, and social studies knowledge. To make understanding explicit, the paper addresses: (1) the meaning of cognitive skills and their role in thinking; (2) generic versus specific skills; and (3) implications for the National Assessment of…

Presented at a week-long conference on the importance of research in education, this paper focuses on four components of the educational system: the learner, the curriculum, the instructor, and the context. For each of these components, questions are raised and research is suggested. For the learner, these concern the value of research for learner…

A study examined student abilities to integrate semantically related propositions; and identified sources of comprehension difficulty for the unskilled reader. It also examined the influence of two types of relations (causal and adversative) and two types of connectives (conjunctions and verbs) on readers' comprehension, on-line integration of…

This journal issue addresses the issue of testing in the social studies classroom. The first article, "The Role of Testing" (Bragaw), focuses on the need for tests to reflect the objectives of the study completed. The varying functions of pop quizzes, weekly tests, and unit tests are explored. "Testing Thinking Processes" (Killoran, Zimmer, and…

The DACUM (Developing a Curriculum) process has helped Daytona Beach Community College (DBCC) resolve several important issues in competency-based instruction. DACUM involves expert workers in defining and describing their jobs. A panel of workers and supervisors identify general areas of competence required in their jobs; specify skills within…

Results are presented of the Nursing Delineation Pilot Study, which was conducted in 1981-1982 as part of a nursing project to develop a coordinated statewide system of nursing education in Kentucky. Gilpatrick's Health Services Mobility Study Method of Task Analysis and Curriculum Design (1977) was used to identify and describe tasks of different…

This manual provides the information needed to conduct a job analysis and to enter or update job analysis information in the Computerized Task Inventory (COMTASK) database. Chapter I presents the purpose and organization of the manual. The second chapter provides a brief background on the purpose and design of COMTASK, a definition of terms used…