Describes the key features of the Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) project, which assesses the "value added" of an institution. The project assesses the institutional contribution to student learning through a focus on general education skills and the assessment of student performance relative to other students and through a…

Discusses five aspects of higher education assessment: institutional and program accreditation, commercial rankings, the National Research Council's effort to assess research doctorate programs, the Association of American Universities' (AAU) revised membership policy and its evaluation component, and an AAU project seeking to develop better…

While rankings are a popular method for comparing the relative quality of higher education institutions, there is much confusion and debate over which indicators to use and how to present the information in ranked format. This article offers some guidelines in both areas as well as questions to consider at each stage of the ranking process.…

Describes the development of a mathematics profile to assess students in terms of intended outcomes. Ideas incorporated into the profile include determining what counts as progress; justifying the curriculum in terms of expected outcome rather than teaching specific curricula; and basing judgments about the success of the system, school, and…

Asserts that efforts to improve student learning must be tied to ongoing evaluation and assessment, and offers tips on conducting this evaluation. (EV)

Argues that standards, not testing, is the most important component of state educational accountability systems. Recommends that teachers and administrators engage in standards analysis and curriculum alignment. (PKP)

Demonstrates how the framework provided by S. Messick (1988) provides a set of lenses with which to explore issues in the validation of small-scale assessments in new technology-mediated environments. In technology-based distributed learning, the conception of validity will not change, but validation practice will be different. (SLD)

Considers ways to implement the International Guidelines for Test Use (International Test Commission, 2001) to maximize their intended impact . The process calls for customizing the guidelines for specific assessment contexts and needs and using the guidelines to generate competency standards. (SLD)

School personnel have long used individually administered assessments that contribute to high-stakes decisions about individual students. Recent years have seen increasing use of large-scale state assessments that have an important role in decisions about students. This article summarizes professional standards related to the appropriate…

Discusses results from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education's comparison of the states on measures including college affordability and student participation. (EV)

Explores how current concerns about quality assurance, standards, benchmarks, and performance indicators in higher education apply to the assessment of doctoral/research degrees in Britain, and in particular to the viva voce (oral) examination. (EV)

Examines the recommendations of the Task Group on Assessment and Testing (TGAT) report, particularly emphasizing the sections on teacher assessment. Reflects upon the actual recommendations contained in the report. Finds the report not to be as progressive as was previously thought. (KO)

Offers a collection and analysis of anecdotal records as a way to evaluate student progress, inform instructional planning, and generate new assessment questions. Provides information about techniques for collecting and analyzing anecdotal records. (MG)

Contends that post-Fordist theories are unable to offer a clear perspective on educational change because they collapse general and specific narratives, making them prone to overuse. Raises issues of identifying structures that link economic and educational realms. Concludes that educational theorizing needs to be chaperoned by a policy analysis…

Uses an analysis based on the work of M. Foucault to explore the nature and practice of disciplinary power in the context of higher education in the United Kingdom (U.K.), focusing on the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) undertaken by the U.K. Higher Education Funding Councils. The lack of impact of the RAE is examined. (SLD)