Education Commons^™

The Teaching And Learning Cycle: Integrating Curriculum, Instruction, And Assessment, Donna L. Jones

Christian Perspectives in Education

The philosophies of educators and government entities guide the teaching and learning cycle of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. The educator’s worldview plays an important part in developing these concepts which is demonstrated throughout history. Studying the history of the educational philosophers reveals their beliefs about curriculum, instruction, and assessments and the effects on education today. It shows the importance of integrating all three concepts in the educational process creating the teaching and learning cycle.

Examining The Effects Of Linguistic Accommodations On The Colorado Student Assessment Program—Mathematics, Marisol Enriquez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act changed assessment for English Language Learners (ELLs). Under the law, states must validly assess ELLs' English Language Proficiency (ELP) and content knowledge. The law shed light on the achievement of ELLs while also creating challenges for states in validating state assessment and accountability systems. Test accommodations are used for ELLs to reduce threats to test score validity and measure academic achievement as accurately and fairly as possible. Since ELLs are working towards proficiency in English, they face linguistic and socio-cultural barriers under the confines of large scale assessment. A limited body of research …

Using A Longitudinal Data Mart To Examine The Effects Of Student Mobility On Test Performance Over Time, Richard F. Mooney, Barbara Q. Beaudin

NERA Conference Proceedings 2008

Our analysis shows how a longitudinal data mart can provide a simple and effective way to analyze student test performance over time. Our data mart in this case is a mega-table compiled from several years of archival student-level test data, where we have modified all of the fields so that they have a common meaning over time. Using this longitudinal data base we then compared the performance statistics and effect sizes of test results in math and reading on the Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) series for grades 4, 6 and 8 and on the Connecticut Academic Performance Test (CAPT) in …

A Case Study Examining The Implementation And Assessment Of The Profile Of The Graduate At Graduation In A Jesuit Secondary School, Daniel Joseph O'Connell

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

In 2000 Campion High School, a Catholic, Jesuit, single-sex secondary school created and adopted the Grad-at-Grad statement as the school‘s expected school-wide learning results (ESLRs) and has articulated a need for a comprehensive, reliable assessment of these graduation outcomes. This case study used interviews, a survey, and participant observation to understand how the school has implemented and assessed the ESLRs since their inception. The study also thematically compared Jesuit educational philosophy to current theories of educative assessment and outcomes-centered curriculum development. Findings reveal that the school relies on a random, individual approach to curricular incorporation and has not incorporated the …

Rethinking Mathematics Assessment: Some Reflections On Solution Dynamics As A Way To Enhance Quality Indicators, Elliott Ostler, Neal Grandgenett, Carol Mitchell

Teacher Education Faculty Publications

This paper is intended to offer some reflections on the difficulties associated with the appropriate use of rubric assessment in mathematics at the secondary level, and to provide an overview of an assessment technique, hereafter referred to as solution dynamics, as a way to enhance popular rubric assessment techniques. Two primary aspects of solution dynamics are presented in this manuscript. The first aspect considers how the tasks assigned in mathematics classrooms might be better organized and developed to demonstrate an evolving student understanding of the subject. The second aspect illustrates how revised scoring parameters reduce the potential for scoring inconsistencies …

Realising And Releasing Potential: Externally Moderated School-Based Assessment 40 Years On, Claire Wyatt-Smith, Gabrielle Matters

Dr Gabrielle Matters

No abstract provided.

Faculty Training In Developing An E-Portfolio System, Cindy J. Harvel

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In fall semester, 2007 research was performed at Mount Vernon Nazarene University (MVNU) to determine which means of training for the Chalk and Wire e-Portfolio system was most satisfying to faculty and cooperating teachers. A fifteen question survey was given to 171 assessors. Fourteen questions gathered quantitative data, one qualitative. Four cross tabulations completed with a chi square test for independence showed that faculty and cooperating teachers ratings of their success using Chalk and Wire was independent of: (a) comfort level with computers, (b) age of assessor, (c) assessors’ satisfaction with student assistant, and (d) assessors' rating of administrators' helpfulness. …

Implementing Assessment In An Outcome-Based Marketing Curriculum, Norm A. Borin, Lynn E. Metcalf, Brian C. Tietje

Marketing

This article describes the development and implementation of assessment in our new outcome-based marketing curriculum (described fully in Borin, Metcalf, and Tietje 2007). Outcomes for the marketing curriculum were specified at the program, department, course, and lesson levels. Direct embedded assessments as well as indirect assessment methods were used to gauge student achievement. Results indicate that, on both self-reported (indirect) and direct, as well as non-embedded and embedded assessments, significant value-added learning occurred. We chronicle the stages in developing and implementing an assessment plan, and reflect on our experiences in the process to provide a roadmap for other marketing departments …

Suffering In Silence: Girls With Asperger Syndrome, Lee Wilkinson

Lee A Wilkinson, PhD

No abstract provided.

Quality Indicators For Online Programs, Leo Hirner

SIDLIT Conference Proceedings

The presenter discusses methods, indicators, and tools for assessing the quality of online curriculum.

This We Believe, This We Do: Performance-Based Assessment In Middle Level Teacher Education, Laura Van Zandt Allen, K. K. Ruebel, M. W. Greene, J. E. Mcdaniel, V. Spencer

Education Faculty Research

To assist institutions in developing high quality middle level teacher preparation programs, five veteran members of the NCATE/NMSA Program Review Board have identified more than 75 performance-based assessments directly correlated with the seven NMSA Standards for Teacher Preparation. In this article, 14 of these assessments are described in detail along with a sampling of rubrics. In addition, authors reveal their own challenges writing program reports as well as gaining stakeholder’s buy-in to performance-based assessment systems at their own institutions.

Quantitative Literacy Across The Curriculum: A Case Study, Benjamin Steele, Semra Kiliç-Bahi

Numeracy

We describe a quantitative literacy (QL) program at Colby-Sawyer College, a small, residential, liberal arts college in New Hampshire. This program has grown rapidly from a traditional math curriculum to a college-wide understanding of quantitative literacy and voluntary participation by many faculty members in all departments. More than 80% of the faculty agreed that it would be useful for students to be able to use quantitative skills in their courses, but only 24 % thought students were capable of doing very well in mathematics. Twenty-three faculty members attended a summer workshop, funded by NSF, DUE # 0633133, in which they …

A Model For Using A Capstone Experience As One Method Of Assessment Of An Information Systems Degree Program, Meg C. Murray, Jorge Pérez, Mario Guimaraes

Faculty and Research Publications

Student attainment of educational outcomes is a core purpose of any institution of higher education and assessment provides a vehicle through which a program of study is able to ascertain how well it is achieving its stated learning outcomes and how program improvement might be achieved. Assessment of student learning begins with the clear definition and articulation of learning outcomes, followed by offering learning experiences, assessing student achievement of learning outcomes and using the results to improve teaching, learning, planning and allocation of resources (Middle States Accreditation Commission, 2005). A renewed emphasis on assessment is leading to the identification and …

Perceptions Of Primary School Teachers Regarding New Science And Technology Curriculum Of Turkey In Terms Of Teaching And Assessment Methods, Pinar Ozdemir, Sibel Guneysu

Essays in Education

The purpose of this study was to explore and investigate perceptions of the primary school teachers’ in 4th and 5th grade public schools on new science and technology curriculum in science and technology classes in Turkey. Whether primary school teachers familiar with the improvements in science and technology curriculum and whether they feel themselves adequate in terms of theoretical knowledge and application of the new approaches in science and technology lessons were also investigated.

The research type of this study includes survey and qualitative research in nature which are non-experimental research methods. The quantitative part of this study includes questionnaire …

Investigation Of The Association Between Attendance In Preschool Programs And Achievement Of Elementary School Students In Greeneville, Tennessee., Anita Marie Conner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if a difference in achievement test scores exists between students who attended preschool and those who did not as measured by standardized achievement test scores of students in the 3rd and 4th grades. The variables of grade level and gender were also considered. The population consisted of students who attended 4th and 5th grades during the 2007-2008 school year in the Greeneville City Schools. Data gathered were from Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program achievement test scores obtained from the 2006-2007 school year. Analysis of variance was used to identify any relationship between variables. …

Introduction To Assessment Principles And Practice, Sacha Develle

Dr Sacha DeVelle

No abstract provided.

Assessment As Quality Improvement, Christopher M. Davis

Christopher M Davis

No abstract provided.

Teacher Compensation And School Quality: New Findings From National And International Data., Zhijuan Zhang, Deborah A. Verstegen, Hoe Ryoung Kim

Educational Considerations

High quality education is critical to both the individual and the nation. At the country level, as Ireland’s minister for education and science, put it, “The never ending search for competitive advantage in the global knowledge economy has led all public policymakers to focus on education as a key factor in strengthening competitiveness, employment and social cohesion.”

Reading Rainbow: Assessing Effectiveness In Literacy Technology, Liz Russ, Erin Meehan

Leah A. Nillas

“Children’s Television Workshop and the University of Nebraska created a program, ‘Reading Rainbow’ to promote recreational reading in early readers” (Tarnauskas, 1995). Since its creation, this literacy technology has thrilled and delighted first and second grade audiences, but little to no research has been done on the effectiveness of this program. What is the outcome of the Reading Rainbow program on students’ literacy? This research study investigated the effect of the Reading Rainbow program on literacy of 21 diverse first grade students. Data was obtained through qualitative methods including observations and focus group interviews with students, as well as interviews …

Alternative Assessment: Effects On Students’ Perception And Achievement, Kristen Kopf, Andrew Parker

Leah A. Nillas

This research investigates the effect of alternative assessment on students’ perception and achievement in six, 9th grade biology classrooms. Students’ perception was determined through the use of a Likert scale questionnaire which compared confidence levels and preference for traditional verses alternative assessment. Achievement was measured according to academic grades from both types of assessment. Our findings indicate a significant student preference for multiple-choice exams as well as greater achievement in traditional assessment methods. The results suggest a further investigation of assessment practices is needed in order to more accurately describe the relationship between assessment strategies, student perception and student achievement.

Improving Course Assessments Through A Product Assessment Template, Catharine C. Verhaaren

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to develop an instructional packet designed to help instructors create effective product assessment projects for use in assessing students' understanding of course material. The specific audience for this packet was instructors of courses offered at Brigham Young University who rely on product assessment to evaluate students' understanding and skills in any content area. The packet I prepared explains the principles of effective product assessment as they are currently understood by assessment specialists and models how to implement these principles during the creation of a product assessment project. I assembled this packet based on the …

Analysis Of The Psychometric Properties Of Two Different Concept-Map Assessment Tasks, Kenneth James Plummer

Theses and Dissertations

The ability to make sense of a wide array of stimuli presupposes the human tendency to organize information in a meaningful way. Efforts to assess the degree to which students organize information meaningfully have been hampered by several factors including the idiosyncratic way in which individuals represent their knowledge either with words or visually. Concept maps have been used as tools by researchers and educators alike to assist students in understanding the conceptual interrelationships within a subject domain. One concept-map assessment in particular known as the construct-a-map task has shown great promise in facilitating reliable and valid inferences from student …

Analysis Of A Pilot Implementation Of Problem Based Learning Strategy For A Logistics Undergraduate Education Programme, Margaret Farrell

Conference Papers

Research findings suggest that a supply chain manager's job is complex and multidimensional, requiring both general management and logistics/supply chain specific knowledge, competencies and skills. The challenge for logistics educators is to design and develop curricula, teaching and assessment methodologies that can support wide-ranging and integrative learning objectives, which include team, people, project management and technological skills. Problem based learning (PBL) draws heavily on andragogical principles, requiring the student to be self directed and responsible for their own learning as they seek to solve a ‘real life’ problem, within a group. The paper presents the analysis of the teachers experience …

Service Quality In Academic Libraries: An Analysis Of Libqual+„¢ Scores And Institutional Characteristics, Kathleen Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory study considered the problem of assessing quality in academic libraries. The research question that framed the investigation asked whether service quality scores from the LibQUAL+ instrument were related to the following college or university characteristics: institutional type, enrollment level, or the level of investment made in libraries. Data regarding Carnegie classification, FTE enrollment, and library expenditures were collected for 159 college and university libraries that participated in LibQUAL+ during 2006. Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and regression analyses were calculated and the Bonferroni adjustment was applied to significance levels to compensate for errors caused by repeated calculations using the …

Authentic Assessments For Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Marty Boman, Sarah Mcmaine, Robyn Fine

Kentucky Teacher Educator

Individual student assessments, formal and informal, provide the essential framework of the exceptional education process. Mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) 2004, these laws determine the needs and programs that will be implemented for every child identified to receive exceptional education services. Collectively, norm-referenced, criterion-referenced, and authentic assessments complete a comprehensive portrayal of the student's academic, behavioral, and functional needs and skills. This paper outlines the various elements of authentic assessment and how they can be implemented with individuals identified with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) as well as other students. The main purpose of including authentic …

The Digest Edition 2008/2 : Using Data To Improve Student Learning, Marion Meiers

Research Digest

This Digest is focused on studies that have investigated how data can be used in schools to examine teaching practices in order to improve student learning. A selection of relevant websites is listed, and a full reference list is provided. Links to those references for which full-text online access is freely available are also included. School systems, principals and teachers have access to an extensive range of data that can be used for a variety of purposes. Accountability processes and data have come to play a significant place in policy development and reform efforts. There is a large body of …

The Relationship Between Classroom Assessment Practices And Student Motivation And Engagement, Kathleen M. Cauley, Lisa Abrams, Gina Pannozzo, James H. Mcmillan, Jessica Hearn

MERC Publications

Assessment is becoming increasingly important in classrooms as school systems respond to federal and state testing mandates. The increasing emphasis on assessment surely impacts student outcomes such as engagement and motivation, and ultimately achievement. While it is clear that classroom assessment is receiving more attention as a critical component of teaching that directly affects student learning, there is still a lack of systematic research that addresses many classroom assessment issues. There is some evidence that effective formative assessment enhances achievement (Black & Williams 1998), and that certain grading practices result in greater student motivation and achievement (Brookhart, 2004b). However, researchers …

Virtual Community Consultation? Using The Literature And Weblogs To Link Community Perspectives And Health Technology Assessment, Jackie M. Street, Annette J. Braunack-Mayer, Karen Facey, Richard E. Ashcroft, Janet E. Hiller

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background  Community views, expressed in social impact assessments and collected through community consultation, should play an important role in health technology assessment (HTA). Yet HTA methodologists have been slow to include outcomes of these forms of inquiry in analyses, in part because collecting community views is time‐consuming and resource intensive. Objective  To explore how community views sourced from published studies, grey literature and informal internet web pages can inform HTA. Methods  A technology reviewed by Adelaide HTA in 2004 was selected: retinal photography for detection of diabetic retinopathy. Published literature, 'grey' literature and informal web pages were searched to examine …

In Vitro Cytotoxicity Assessment Of Selected Nanoparticles Using Human Skin Fibroblasts, Finance Dechsakulthorn, Amanda Hayes, Shahnaz Bakand, Lucky Joeng, Chris Winder

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Zinc oxide (ZnO) and Titanium oxide (TiO₂) are two chemical compound with very wide industrial and commercial applications, particularly as pigments. Due to their physical properties, both compounds are also used as sunscreen ingredients for protect from UV radiation. At the nano-scale, ZnO and TiO₂ have proven to have a similar level of protection compared to normal-scale sunscreen particles. An advantage of the topical use of nano-scale ingredients in sunscreens is their transparency compared to the white residue left on skin with normal scale particles. However, the potential toxicity of these nanoparticles is not well understood. The aim of this …

Measuring Knowledge Of Natural Selection: A Comparison Of The C.I.N.S., An Open-Response Instrument, And An Oral Interview, Ross Nehm, Irvin Sam Schonfeld

Publications and Research

Growing recognition of the central importance of fostering an in-depth understanding of natural selection has, surprisingly, failed to stimulate work on the development and rigorous evaluation of instruments that measure knowledge of it. We used three different methodological tools, the Conceptual Inventory of Natural Selection (CINS), a modified version of Bishop and Anderson's (Bishop and Anderson [1990] Journal of Research in Science Teaching 27: 415-427) open-response test that we call the Open Response Instrument (ORI), and an oral interview derived from both instruments, to measure biology majors' understanding of and alternative conceptions about natural selection. We explored how these instruments …