A study examined: (1) first-year college students and their perceptions of writing; (2) teaching assistants and their discursive preferences; and (3) possible limitations in the program's approach toward portfolio assessment. The study began with the examination of narration, persuasion, and analysis papers from six freshman portfolios. These…

This research brief uses data collected by the Center for Policy Research on the Impact of General and Special Education Reform to highlight issues surrounding the inclusion and exclusion of students with disabilities in state accountability systems. The brief discusses the background of standards-based reform, traditional general education…

A survey concerning peer observations of non-tenured teachers was administered in the Clarkston Public School District (Michigan). The goal was to obtain opinions about retaining peers to observe non-tenured teachers in the tenure receiving process. Of the 150 principals, tenured teachers, and non-tenured teachers surveyed, 86 responded. The…

This book offers hands-on suggestions for administrators who want to assess their schools' health. The goal is to improve middle schools by making sure the culture is right for all groups--students, teachers, and staff. Chapter 1, "Climate, Culture, and Quality," distinguishes between the concepts of organizational culture and climate, formulates…

The evaluation of instruction via distance learning at the high school and college level offers special challenges, particularly the evaluation of one-way video--two-way audio instructional programs. The role of the teacher is radically changed and teaching strategies and course design are particularly important in a distance leaning environment.…

This is the fourth in a series of technical reports that have dealt with issues surrounding the possibility of national value-added systems for primary schools in England. The main focus has been on the relative progress made by students between the ends of Key Stage 1 (KS1) and Key Stage 2 (KS2). The analysis has indicated that the strength of…

An adaptation of a live workshop, this guide offers pertinent information and practical techniques for users to become proficient searchers and conscious evaluators of World Wide Web resources. The book does not provide comprehensive coverage of the Internet, rather it gives the exact amount and level of information needed to perform a successful…

This paper contains an instrument for evaluating college counselors as esteem-builders, using Borba's Analysis of Self-Esteem. The instrument is divided into five components, each of which should be fostered in a student by the counselor: (1) Security, a feeling of strong assuredness; (2) Selfhood, a feeling of individuality; (3) Affiliation, a…

This manual for child welfare staff and foster/adoptive parents is intended to provide guidelines for serving abused and neglected children who are in family foster care and adoption. The first section is on substitute care and permanency planning and offers an historical perspective on substitute care and definitions of family foster care and…

This paper describes steps by which Central Missouri State University's (CMSU) professional education unit integrated general education, major, and professional outcome into comprehensive performance assessment processes and materials for student teachers. In the early 1990's, CMSU redesigned its general education program using faculty from around…

This two-part report by the Commission on Evaluation of Quebec's Council of Colleges focuses on the progress of the province's colleges in developing and implementing legislatively mandated policies concerning the evaluation of learning. Chapter 1 identifies the 107 of 112 colleges with written policies meeting the criteria established by the…

This guide explores the multitude of purposes and types of student portfolios as well as practical ideas for implementing them in classrooms. Following an introductory chapter discussing a rationale for portfolio use and the concept of authentic assessment, the first chapter of the guide explores the different purposes portfolios may serve and…

This report discusses the outcomes of a study that investigated the relationship between student scores on the five sub-scales of the School Attitude Assessment Survey-Revised (SAAS-R) and the academic achievement of known groups of gifted achievers and gifted underachievers. The study examined whether gifted achievers and gifted underachievers…

This document is a comprehensive report of the student evaluations completed at Horry-Georgetown Technical College (SC) during the spring 1999 semester. As noted in the document, each degree and certificate program is subject to periodic review, which encompasses student surveys. For this survey, students were asked to respond to Likert-type…

The results from high-stakes assessments have often been used to merely grade and rank schools and students. But a new trend is emerging, according to this brief. Educators are beginning to see the power of using assessment data to improve instruction. This brief discusses ways to use data to improve instruction at the school, classroom, and…