This compendium of narrative and statistical information is an overview of the Oregon University System (OUS) and is produced every two years. The introduction includes a mission and vision statement, a listing of OUS campuses and centers, a history of the institutions, OUS degree partnership programs, and distance education degree programs, OUS…

In this study, we investigated a variety of Reader effects that may influence the validity of ratings assigned to AP® English Literature and Composition essays. Specifically, we investigated whether Readers exhibit changes in their levels of severity and accuracy, and their use of individual scale categories over time. We refer to changes in these…

This paper presents the findings of the 2008 Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE). This year, CCSSE zeroes in on high expectations and high support as it presents the results of its 2008 survey. Both are critical to student success: Students do best when expectations are high "and" they receive support that helps them…

KIDS COUNT, a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, is a national and state-by-state effort to track the status of children in the United States. By providing policymakers and citizens with benchmarks of child well-being, KIDS COUNT seeks to enrich local, state, and national discussions concerning ways to secure better futures for all…

The nation's social and economic future depends on the ability to increase the percentage of students who leave high school ready for college and work. The workplace is changing and demanding a higher level of skills than ever before. Though more and more young adults realize the importance of higher education and aspire to continue their…

This document is intended to build on the advice given in the publication "How good is our school?" It is intended to be of use to staff in local authorities and schools who are involved in implementing the recommendations of "Hungry for Success." This guide can be used to support in evaluating effectiveness in implementing…

50 years after the "Brown v. Board of Education" decision, a high-stakes testing movement, significantly boosted by provisions contained in No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, has emerged with the potential of both positive and negative implications. This paper argues that assessment generally is not tied to the 3 positive outcomes of…

More school districts are being required to demonstrate that their students are reaching state standards and benchmarks. In order to demonstrate student learning and the achievement of the standards and benchmarks, physical education instructors need to determine what should be assessed and how to perform these assessments. Authentic assessments…

The IDT (Instructional Design and Technology) Program Information Tool is an online information sharing system which has been created to allow programs in the field of instructional design and technology to share their program policies and procedures with one another easily so as to help each program review those practices and perhaps adapt (or…

The Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) regularly evaluates the experience of international students in Canada through a benchmarking survey. Canada First 2009 represents the fourth time CBIE has conducted this research. Previous editions appeared in 1988, 1999 and 2004. This year's survey used a revised questionnaire similar to…

The purpose of this study was to establish guidelines for the instructional technology elements of preservice and inservice teacher preparation programs as well as standard technological competencies for their K-12 students. To establish benchmarks reflecting preservice and inservice training needs, four analysis approaches were conducted, and…

This report concerns the use of benchmarking as a strategy for assessing and improving efficiency and productivity of administrative processes and instructional models in colleges and universities. The introductory chapter addresses the need for new tools and strategies to meet the increased competition and the higher demand for accountability…

The Skills Standards Projects have provided further emphasis on the need for benchmarking U.S. vocational-technical education (VTE) against international competition. Benchmarking is an ongoing systematic process designed to identify, as quantitatively as possible, those practices that produce world class performance. Metrics are those things that…

This introductory-level presentation demonstrates how to evaluate the materials and teaching in online courses. Topics covered include similarities with evaluation of on-ground teaching, factors unique to online courses, technological considerations, helping administrators unfamiliar with online courses, and national standards, rubrics, and…

This guide to Delaware social studies standards for grades 6-8 is intended to help and support local school districts in their development of a standards-based curriculum. The guide cites four civics standards, providing end of cluster expectations (listing areas which will serve as the basis for student assessment) and performance indicators for…