Institutions need to move from being reactive in meeting others' performance indicators towards taking a proactive approach and developing their own system of review. Personal construct theory was applied to present a deliberative evaluation process that involves staff and student perspectives in collaborative review. (Author/MLW)

Institutions must address the purpose and context of assessment, keeping in mind the dual complementary goals of an effective organization--individual growth and well-being, as well as the achievement of collective goals. Guidelines for planning and implementing assessment for improvement are presented. (MLW)

A study involving 34 Dutch eighth-grade teachers and their classes explored the accuracy, reliability, and predictive validity of a logbook procedure for assessing the opportunity to learn mathematics. Results suggest that the logbook approach is reliable and that the variables measured are good predictors of the learning progress. (SLD)

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics has proposed six assessment standards: (1) assessment should focus on the most important mathematics; (2) assessment should enhance mathematics learning; (3) assessment should promote equity; (4) assessment processes should be open to review; (5) assessment should yield valid inferences about…

Discusses the role of the high school principal in supervising teachers, arguing that principals should establish structures and processes that aid teachers' self-assessment. Suggests that principals function to provide a mirror to faculty to help them see their strengths and weaknesses. Provides five sample questions to aid in faculty…

Data from the California Learning Assessment System mathematics assessment were used to examine issues that arise when scores from different assessment modes are combined. Multiple-choice, open-ended, and investigation items were combined in a test across three test forms. Results illustrate the difficulties faced in evaluating combined…

A newly developed performance standard-setting procedure, termed iterative judgmental policy capturing (JPC), is applicable to assessments composed of distinct multidimensional exercises. The procedure is described, and results are reported from the application of JPC in a study involving a panel of 20 teachers and 6 performance exercises. (SLD)

Describes typical preschool literacy materials and experiences that have been demonstrated to relate to early literacy development. Explains why preschool teachers might want to assess the extent to which such materials and experiences are evident in their classrooms and presents an evaluation scale for testing emergent literacy materials and…

Explores the growing body of theory supporting the use of portfolios in student evaluations, including a review of the method's theoretical underpinnings and an account of additional supporting evidence. Suggests that portfolios provide students with a sense of ownership over their writing and creates an introspective classroom community. (18…

Results from 627 examinees taking a health sciences certification examination suggest that test items written purposefully to assess higher order cognitive skills do not provide evidence of assessing different levels of cognitive processing. Results do not support continuing use of a hierarchical cognitive classification dimension for the test…

An example application of portfolio assessment was developed and the model and estimates of reliability derived from the literature were then used to estimate the characteristics of an operational large-scale portfolio assessment program. Costs were estimated to put results in a realistic context. (SLD)

Several extensions to the Angoff method of standard setting are described that can accommodate characteristics of performance-based assessment. A study involving 12 panelists supported the effectiveness of the new approach but suggested that panelists preferred an approach that was at least partially conjunctive. (SLD)

A research-based positive evaluation methodology for professional development of teachers is presented, and its use in an Australian school is described. The principal is the evaluator and chair of an assessment committee that includes a peer nominated by the teacher, the teacher being evaluated, and the principal. (SLD)

A decision-making model is presented that captures the evaluation function of teaching and brings it into focus for teacher use. The model depicts teachers as decision makers in their various roles and identifies planning, implementation, and evaluation as three major functions of teaching. (SLD)

Arguing in favor of the Jeffersonian ideal, this article proposes raising the point at which universal education ends and discretionary education begins. A 13-plus-3-year configuration similar to the European model might replace the current 12-plus-4 American model, perhaps with some modification. It is proposed that substantial savings could be…