This study is part of continuing research into the meaning of future National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science scales. In this study, the test framework, as examined by NAEP's consensus process, and attributes of the items, identified by science experts, cognitive scientists, and measurement specialists, are examined. Preliminary…

This survey is a follow-up to a comprehensive survey of eighth- and tenth-grade public school students conducted in 1988. The 1990 sample includes over 3,400 students from rural, metropolitan, and mixed school districts. Data were collected using a 120-item questionnaire and compared to available information from the 1988 survey. The study…

The first (exploratory) phase of the Learning in Science Project focused on science teaching/learning in the Form 1 to 4 level (ages 10 to 14) and sought to identify problems and difficulties in several areas. Provided in this paper are comments obtained during structured/unstructured interviews (from students, ex-students, teachers, headmasters,…

In the spring of 1988, the Massachusetts Department of Education administered its second biennial assessment (the Massachusetts Educational Assessment Program), testing students in grades 4, 8, and 12 in reading, mathematics, science, and social studies. This report discusses the use of open-ended questions in one form of the science tests.…

A study conducted for the Tennessee State Department of Education by Memphis State University addressed two objectives with respect to the Professional School Service Personnel endorsements for initial licensure for non-teaching professional personnel: to determine the validity of the National Teacher Examination (NTE) Core Battery tests for…

The practice of interviewing individuals rather than groups has been based largely upon methodological concerns for preventing contamination of data. The assumptions that (1) the data provided by individuals can, in aggregate, yield social truth; (2) individuals are conscious of social phenomena; and (3) the whole of social reality is equal to the…

Comparative data and results of validation and standard-setting studies are presented for five subject-matter tests for teacher certification in two states. The five tests evaluated were available from the Educational Testing Service (ETS): one National Teacher Examination specialty area test (special education); and four tests from a consortium…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 12 titles deal with the following topics: (1) the knowledge and skills of elementary school principals relevant to the development of reading programs; (2) the effects of a communication skills training program for elementary…

Advances in computers and multimedia technology have changed traditional methods for learning and skills training. Online learning continues to play a major success of any academic program. Such learning can personalize learning needs for students, it can provide an environment where virtual reality techniques are used to create interactive…

The document presents a report of a national conference on education and citizenship which focused upon how to help students become responsible and effective citizens of a more responsive society. The document is presented in five chapters. Chapter I presents a historical review of civic education from colonial days to the present. Chapter II…

The development, administration, and evaluation of a national survey to determine college students' understanding of world affairs are described in 12 articles that focus on survey measures, procedures, and results. Stephen F. Klein and Sheila M. Ager describe the issues examined by an assessment committee, their choice of an issues framework for…

The use of an alternative methodology to study transfer of learning in clinical instruction during medical school was investigated. The environment in which clinical instruction takes place was examined, after which hypotheses were proposed and tested in a quasi-experimental design. The first phase of the study, an ethnographic analysis of the…

The skills, understandings, and special attributes that a competent college student should acquire are described. General skills in writing, reading, speaking, and calculating are primarily the responsibility of elementary and secondary education, and these skills must be mastered by every college student. In addition to a specification of these…

Information is presented from a study of achievement and interest among students in age groups nine, 13, and 17 in the area of art education. Major objectives of the study were to generate information on how much time students spend enjoying works of art, how important they perceive art to be, how they evaluate works of art, what types of art they…

An input output model for individualizing learning in computer-assisted instruction (CAI) is analyzed, specifying a stimulus array, cognitive processes, and response requirements. These three components are discussed as keys to both instructional and curricular development processes; the appropriate use and control of instructional strategies are…