Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
- Keyword
-
- Assessment (15)
- Grading (13)
- Learning (8)
- Students (5)
- Academic achievement (4)
-
- Teachers (4)
- Educators (3)
- High school students (3)
- Mastery learning (3)
- Reliability (3)
- Academic grades (2)
- Classroom assessment (2)
- Education (2)
- Educational standards (2)
- Evaluation (2)
- Feedback (2)
- Grading policies (2)
- Grading practices (2)
- Grading reform (2)
- Instruction (2)
- Instructional leadership (2)
- Pre-assessment (2)
- Professional development (2)
- Professional learning (2)
- Student performance (2)
- Teacher attitudes (2)
- Teaching (2)
- Academic disciplines (1)
- Academic improvement (1)
- Academic performance (1)
Articles 1 - 30 of 37
Full-Text Articles in Education
The Past And Future Of Teacher Efficacy, Thomas R. Guskey
The Past And Future Of Teacher Efficacy, Thomas R. Guskey
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
Knowing how the concept of teacher efficacy has evolved in education research shows us good ways to raise teachers' confidence now.
The Impact Of Standards-Based Learning: Tracking High School Students’ Transition To The University, Thomas R. Guskey, Matt Townsley, Thomas M. Buckmiller
The Impact Of Standards-Based Learning: Tracking High School Students’ Transition To The University, Thomas R. Guskey, Matt Townsley, Thomas M. Buckmiller
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
This study sought to determine if the implementation of standards-based learning in high schools affects students’ transition to learning in university courses. Surveys and interviews with 13 students who had graduated from high schools implementing standards-based learning and who had completed their first academic semester at a midsize, private, Midwest university revealed no detrimental effects. The most frequently mentioned transition difficulties related to social issues and time management. Implications for implementing high school grading reforms are discussed.
Chart A Clear Course: Evaluation Is Key To Building Better, More Relevant Learning, Chase Nordengren, Thomas R. Guskey
Chart A Clear Course: Evaluation Is Key To Building Better, More Relevant Learning, Chase Nordengren, Thomas R. Guskey
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
When we engage in professional learning, we do it for one big reason: to get better at supporting students. Rigorous and thoughtful program evaluations can provide the critical connection between well-designed programs or initiatives and continuous improvement that builds essential knowledge and skills for educators. Evaluation helps us examine what has been accomplished in a professional learning initiative and identify course corrections that can help the initiative improve.
Eight Essential Principles For Improving Grading, Susan Brookhart, Thomas R. Guskey, Jay Mctighe, Dylan Wiliam
Eight Essential Principles For Improving Grading, Susan Brookhart, Thomas R. Guskey, Jay Mctighe, Dylan Wiliam
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
Done well, grading can play a key role in a balanced district assessment system.
Breaking Up The Grade, Thomas R. Guskey
Breaking Up The Grade, Thomas R. Guskey
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
To make grading more meaningful, course grades should reflect a range of distinct criteria that make up student learning.
What Do Grades Mean? Variation In Grading Criteria In American College And University Courses, Anastasiya A. Lipnevich, Thomas R. Guskey, Dana M. Murano, Jeffrey K. Smith
What Do Grades Mean? Variation In Grading Criteria In American College And University Courses, Anastasiya A. Lipnevich, Thomas R. Guskey, Dana M. Murano, Jeffrey K. Smith
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
This study examined differences in the criteria used by college and university instructors in the United States to assign course grades. Two hundred and fifty course syllabi (159 from universities and 91 from four-year colleges) developed by randomly selected instructors from five academic disciplines (education, maths, science, psychology, and English) were examined to determine the extent to which instructors employed different criteria in assigning course grades in introductory-level courses. Sources of variation in grade assignment included the use of product versus process criteria, the prevalence of using performance exams, and the framing criteria for grades. Differences between institution types and …
The Dark Side Of Assessment Literacy: Avoiding The Perils Of Accountability, Thomas R. Guskey
The Dark Side Of Assessment Literacy: Avoiding The Perils Of Accountability, Thomas R. Guskey
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
Educational measurement and evaluation experts generally agree that increasing stakeholders’ assessment literacy will yield a variety of positive benefits, especially broadening the range of assessment formats teachers use to measure students’ mastery of high level, more cognitively complex learning outcomes. But in the context of education accountability as currently structured in American schools, such efforts also may lead teachers to become more sophisticated in test preparation activities and to narrow both their instruction and classroom assessment practices specifically to enhance students’ performance on prescribed, annual high-stakes accountability assessments. This article explains why that is so, describes the process by which …
Interpreting Average Effect Sizes: Never A Center Without A Spread, Thomas R. Guskey
Interpreting Average Effect Sizes: Never A Center Without A Spread, Thomas R. Guskey
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
School leaders today are making important decisions regarding education innovations based on published average effect sizes, even though few understand exactly how effect sizes are calculated or what they mean. This article explains how average effect sizes are determined in meta-analyses and the importance of including measures of variability with any average effect size. By considering the variation in effect sizes among studies of the same innovation, education leaders can make better decisions about innovations and greatly increase the likelihood of achieving optimal results from implementation.
Grades Versus Comments: Research On Student Feedback, Thomas R. Guskey
Grades Versus Comments: Research On Student Feedback, Thomas R. Guskey
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
Are comments on student work superior to grades? It depends.
How Traditional Grading Contribute To Student Inequities And How To Fix It, Laura J. Link, Thomas R. Guskey
How Traditional Grading Contribute To Student Inequities And How To Fix It, Laura J. Link, Thomas R. Guskey
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
Grades have long been identified by those in the measurement community as prime examples of unreliable measurement (Brookhart, 1994; Stiggins, Frisbie, & Griswold, 1989). What one teacher considers in calculating students’ grades may differ greatly from another teacher (Guskey & Link, 2019; McMillan, 2001; McMillan, Myran, & Workman, 2002). A major factor contributing to the unreliability of grades is teachers’ inclusion of aspects of students’ behavior in the grades they assign. Despite the recommendation of experts to separate behavior from academic achievement in formulating students’ grades, teachers at all grade levels typically include student behavior as a contributing factor in …
The Forgotten Element Of Instructional Leadership: Grading, Thomas R. Guskey, Laura J. Link
The Forgotten Element Of Instructional Leadership: Grading, Thomas R. Guskey, Laura J. Link
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
Getting the school team coordinated on grading and reporting policies—and the purpose of grading—is too often overlooked in instructional leadership.
Exploring The Factors Teachers Consider In Determining Students’ Grades, Thomas R. Guskey, Laura J. Link
Exploring The Factors Teachers Consider In Determining Students’ Grades, Thomas R. Guskey, Laura J. Link
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
The purpose of this study was to investigate the specific factors teachers consider when assigning students’ report card grades. Data were gathered from 943 K-12 teachers from five school districts in a southeastern state in the United States who completed the Teachers’ Grading Practices Survey. Analyses focused on how teachers weigh different factors in determining report card grades, and if these factors and weights differ among teachers who teach at different grade levels and have different amounts of classroom experience. Results revealed statistically significant differences among teachers at different grade levels but no differences associated with teachers’ years of …
Does Pre-Assessment Work?, Thomas R. Guskey
Does Pre-Assessment Work?, Thomas R. Guskey
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
Educators must understand the purpose, form, and content of pre-assessments to reap their potential benefits.
A Century Of Grading Research: Meaning And Value In The Most Common Educational Measure, Susan M. Brookhart, Thomas R. Guskey, Alex J. Bowers, James H. Mcmillan, Jeffrey K. Smith, Lisa F. Smith, Michael T. Stevens, Megan E. Welsh
A Century Of Grading Research: Meaning And Value In The Most Common Educational Measure, Susan M. Brookhart, Thomas R. Guskey, Alex J. Bowers, James H. Mcmillan, Jeffrey K. Smith, Lisa F. Smith, Michael T. Stevens, Megan E. Welsh
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
Grading refers to the symbols assigned to individual pieces of student work or to composite measures of student performance on report cards. This review of over 100 years of research on grading considers five types of studies: (a) early studies of the reliability of grades, (b) quantitative studies of the composition of K–12 report card grades, (c) survey and interview studies of teachers’ perceptions of grades, (d) studies of standards-based grading, and (e) grading in higher education. Early 20th-century studies generally condemned teachers’ grades as unreliable. More recent studies of the relationships of grades to tested achievement and survey studies …
Grading: Why You Should Trust Your Judgment, Thomas R. Guskey, Lee Ann Jung
Grading: Why You Should Trust Your Judgment, Thomas R. Guskey, Lee Ann Jung
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
Although computerized grading programs have advantages, teachers’ judgment has been shown to be more reliable.
Pre-Assessment: Promises And Cautions, Thomas R. Guskey, Jay Mctighe
Pre-Assessment: Promises And Cautions, Thomas R. Guskey, Jay Mctighe
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
To ensure that pre-assessment is worth the time and effort, keep these principles in mind.
Planning Professional Learning, Thomas R. Guskey
Planning Professional Learning, Thomas R. Guskey
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
With backward planning, schools can ensure that they choose professional development activities aligned with their most important goals.
The Perils Of Prescribed Grade Distributions: What Every Medical Educator Should Know, Kenneth D. Royal, Thomas R. Guskey
The Perils Of Prescribed Grade Distributions: What Every Medical Educator Should Know, Kenneth D. Royal, Thomas R. Guskey
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
A common practice in medical education is to create a prescribed distribution of grades or ratings so that only a certain percentage of students receive the highest marks. This approach typically is employed to curb grade inflation and as a means to help faculty distinguish outstanding performers. Despite the well-intentioned reasoning for using prescribed grade distributions, a number of associated problems and probable consequences may result from this practice. Thus, the purpose of this article was to discuss the assumptions underlying this potentially unwise practice, the defensibility of this evaluation practice in the high-stakes arena of medical education, and the …
In Search Of A Useful Definition Of Mastery, Thomas R. Guskey, Eric M. Anderman
In Search Of A Useful Definition Of Mastery, Thomas R. Guskey, Eric M. Anderman
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
What way of thinking about mastery will most effectively guide curriculum and instruction?
The Case Against Percentage Grades, Thomas R. Guskey
The Case Against Percentage Grades, Thomas R. Guskey
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
It’s time to abandon grading scales that distort the accuracy, objectivity, and reliability of students’ grades.
Five Obstacles To Grading Reform, Thomas R. Guskey
Five Obstacles To Grading Reform, Thomas R. Guskey
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
Education leaders must recognize obstacles to grading reform that are rooted in tradition—and then meet them head on.
Lessons Of Mastery Learning, Thomas R. Guskey
Lessons Of Mastery Learning, Thomas R. Guskey
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
The core elements of mastery learning provide the foundation for other innovative models, including Response to Intervention.
Grading Exceptional Learners, Lee Ann Jung, Thomas R. Guskey
Grading Exceptional Learners, Lee Ann Jung, Thomas R. Guskey
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
This five-step model provides fair and accurate grades for students with disabilities and English language learners.
Literacy Assessment New Zealand Style, Thomas R. Guskey, Jeffrey K. Smith, Lisa F. Smith, Terry Crooks, Lester Flockton
Literacy Assessment New Zealand Style, Thomas R. Guskey, Jeffrey K. Smith, Lisa F. Smith, Terry Crooks, Lester Flockton
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
It's mostly performance based. It assesses students in teams as well as individually. What's more, students like it.
Making High School Grades Meaningful, Thomas R. Guskey
Making High School Grades Meaningful, Thomas R. Guskey
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
Most teachers base students' grades on more than one factor. The difficulty is figuring out how to weight and combine the different pieces that go into the final mark. Mr. Guskey suggests a system that not only avoids those problems but gives a better overall picture of a student's performance than the traditional single letter grade.
Mapping The Road To Proficiency, Thomas R. Guskey
Mapping The Road To Proficiency, Thomas R. Guskey
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
A table of specifications provides a travel guide to help teachers move students toward mastery of standards
The Communication Challenge Of Standards-Based Reporting, Thomas R. Guskey
The Communication Challenge Of Standards-Based Reporting, Thomas R. Guskey
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
As traditional reporting systems based on letter grades are replaced by standards-based reporting systems, parents are often left wondering how their child is doing in school. Mr. Guskey offers some suggestions for overcoming this communication challenge.
How Classroom Assessments Improve Learning, Thomas R. Guskey
How Classroom Assessments Improve Learning, Thomas R. Guskey
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
Teachers who develop useful assessments, provide corrective instruction, and give students second chances to demonstrate success can improve their instruction and help students learn.
Computerized Gradebooks And The Myth Of Objectivity, Thomas R. Guskey
Computerized Gradebooks And The Myth Of Objectivity, Thomas R. Guskey
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
Computerized grading programs and electronic gradebooks can be useful tools. But in the end, Mr. Guskey reminds us, teachers must still decide what grade offers the most accurate and fairest description of each student's achievement and level of performance.
Does It Make A Difference? Evaluating Professional Development, Thomas R. Guskey
Does It Make A Difference? Evaluating Professional Development, Thomas R. Guskey
Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications
Using five critical levels of evaluation, you can improve your school's professional development program. But be sure to start with the desired result--improved student outcomes.