This issue of "Assessment Update" presents the following articles: (1) Capstone Assessment as Faculty Development (Rowanna L. Carpenter, Seanna M. Kerrigan, and Vicki L. Reitenauer); (2) Using a Doctoral Program Entrance Assessment: Reflections on a Pilot Program and the Admissions Process (Robyne Elder); (3) Highlights of the 2018 HEDS…

Previously developed K12 Engineering Activity Modules were modified to include a literacy component and facilitated 2 days a week as part of an afterschool Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) program. The afterschool program started in October and ended in April, with a winter and aspring break. In this pilot, 2 K12 teachers…

This pilot study interviews three Business English language teachers before and after using EAQUALS' European profiling grid. The findings suggested that the EPG allowed the teachers to reflect on their profession as it helped develop a deeper consideration of the skills required to be a practitioner. It also found that perceptions about the ESL…

The purpose of this report is to provide formative and summative feedback to the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) regarding evidence of implementation and impact for the Interventions for Reading Difficulties Pilot Program. The report, while addressing the effects of the Interventions for Reading Difficulties Pilot Program, is also designed to…

Success in undergraduate biology courses relies upon a firm grounding in chemical principles. We sought to raise students' awareness of the connection between these two disciplines and to improve their understanding of each by carrying out a pilot project that integrated the curricula of Principles of Chemistry II (CHEM1212K) and Principles of…

Baltimore County Public Schools is in the midst of a transformation of teaching and learning; the goal being the creation of student-centered classrooms supported by a one-to-one computer for every student. This transformation, known as Students and Teachers Accessing Tomorrow, began in 2014 and is now in its third academic year. We present this…

Objective: Given the importance of developmental transitions on young adults' lives and the high rates of mental health issues among U.S. college students, first-year college students can be particularly vulnerable to stress and adversity. This pilot study evaluated the effectiveness and feasibility of mindfulness training aiming to promote…

The purpose of this study is to prepare a multiple-choice achievement test with high reliability and validity for the "Let's Solve the Puzzle of Our Body" unit. For this purpose, a multiple choice achievement test consisting of 46 items was applied to 178 fifth grade students in total. As a result of the test and material analysis…

The Balanced Energy Physical Activity Toolkit, or the BEPA-Toolkit, supports physical activity (PA) programming via Extension in elementary schools. In a pilot study, we evaluated the effectiveness of the BEPA-Toolkit as used by teachers through Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education partnerships. We surveyed teachers (n = 57)…

Information literacy instruction presents a difficult balance between quantity and quality, particularly for large-scale general education courses. This paper discusses the overhaul of the freshman composition instruction program at the University of Maryland Libraries, focusing on the transition from survey assessments to a student-centered and…

The concept of Learning Analytics, as we understand it today, is relatively new but the practice of evaluating user behavior is not innovative. For years, technological development, along with other educational aspects, have encouraged, developed and facilitated this practice as a way of providing a personalized quality experience to students. The…

As adults with Down syndrome (DS) age, their strength decreases resulting in difficulty performing activities of daily living. In the current study, we investigated the use of video modeling for teaching three adults with DS to perform weight lifting techniques. A multiple probe design across behaviors (i.e., lifts) was used to evaluate…

Preparing students for informed and active citizenship is a core goal of education and schooling in Australia. The ways schools educate and prepare young Australians for citizenship involves a range of processes and initiatives central to the work of schools, including school ethos, mission, extracurricular activities and community-based…

Potential benefits of simulations and virtual laboratory exercises in natural sciences have been both theorised and studied recently. This study reports findings from a pilot study on student attitude, motivation and self-efficacy when using the virtual laboratory programme Labster. The programme allows interactive learning about the workflows and…

The efficacy of a pilot version of an online parent intervention that combined Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA)-based automated language environment feedback technology with Internet capabilities was investigated. Seventy-two parents of typically developing children aged 9 to 21 months were assigned to immediate- or delayed-treatment (control)…