Standardized testing plays an increasingly important role in the lives of today's students and educators. The U.S. No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) requires assessment in math and literacy in grades 3-8 and 10 and, as of 2007-08, in science once in grades 3-5, 6-9, and 10-12. Based on National Center for Education Statistics enrollment projections,…

In their constant groping toward achievement standards, the high schools of this country have developed what is known as "cooperative testing." This development is not recent. Cooperative testing dates back further than the standardized testing movement itself. For instance, it has been customary for about 50 years in New York and in…

Secondary education continues to grow and expand while the number of high-school graduates increases from year to year. The percentage of graduates who continue on to a higher institution is also on the rise. Thus, a list of those secondary schools that do a standard quantity and quality of work is imperative for those who wish to apply for…

The concurrence between preservice teachers' self-evaluations and the ratings of their supervisors was investigated, after both student teachers and supervisors completed training designed to facilitate self-assessment and collegiate relationships. Self-reports of the trained teachers were in moderate agreement with ratings of supervisors. (PP)

Comparison of costs and effectiveness of using student data for formative evaluation of instructional materials and of using instructional editing guidelines incorporating attributes of effective instruction indicate greater cost-effectiveness if guidelines are used, with no significant difference in instructional effectiveness. Subjects were 70…

A university English department's writing center uses peer tutors trained in questioning, explanation, and constructive criticism techniques. Among the issues raised are tutoring adult students and writing across the curriculum. The program has been an effective method of encouraging good writing. (MSE)

Task performance of 35 first graders was analyzed in relation to their third-grade reading and arithmetic test scores. The visual-auditory task, requiring the child to select the correct auditory representation of a visually presented consonant-vowel-consonant, accounted for 48 percent of the variance in third-grade reading scores. (Author/PN)

Some features of a British Columbia provincial evaluation of elementary core French programs are described and selected examples are used to illustrate the ways the results have been used in individual school districts for program improvements. (Author/MSE)

Laboratory exercises from five chemistry curricula were examined to determine organization (integration of laboratory work with other parts of a course) and tasks required of students (assessed in terms of inquiry skills and behaviors required for the laboratory work). Implications and suggestions for instruction are included. (Author/JN)

Surveyed student attitudes on modes of testing and evaluation. Data from 476 college students revealed that multiple-choice test items and short answer essays were most preferred. Found grade point average related to study habits and preparation for and determinant of student preferences regarding tests. (Author/JAC)

Replicated a study of boys with conduct problems using a parent-mediated treatment. Parents were trained to alter deviant behavior by following procedures derived from social learning theory. Child behavior showed significant change through termination as measured by parental reports. Follow-up data showed improvements were maintained through one…

In 10 articles presents a variety of guidance and counseling programs providing models for career education and community resources; support groups; work preparation for women; scheduling and computers; personalized tutoring; the counselor role and the adult student; career clubs; and program evaluation. (RC)

Discusses: (1) the nature of science; (2) Ausubel's learning theory and its application to introductory science; and (3) mathematics and physics instruction. Outlines a checklist approach to Certificate of Extended Education (CSE) practical assessment in biology. (JN)

Describes efforts to design a method of assessing community college students' entry-level writing skills, which compared the predictive validity of three methods of evaluating writing skills: writing samples, objective tests, and self-assessments. Results of these scores were correlated with students' success in writing courses. (CAM)

Describes the summative evaluation of a course, Career Planning and Decision Making for College (CPDM), developed to help students gain a greater understanding of themselves and to help them acquire career planning and decision-making skills. The evaluation indicated that the CPDM course was important, helpful, and useful to students. (Author/RC)