Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Fair And Meaningful Measures? A Review Of Examination Procedures In The Nsw Higher School Certificate, Geoff N. Masters

Assessment and Reporting

In September 1997 the New South Wales government introduced a number of significant reforms to the Higher School Certificate (HSC). The broad objectives of the 'new' HSC, which was implemented for the first time in 2000-01, are to increase the rigour and quality of the HSC curriculum; ensure HSC marks fairly reflect the standards achieved by students; provide more informative reports of students' HSC achievements; and enhance the chances for more equitable educational outcomes. Although the new HSC incorporates reforms of both HSC curricula and methods of assessing and reporting student achievement, the focus of this review is on new …

The Globe Program And The Essential Academic Learning Requirements: Joining Together To Help Washington Students Achieve Higher Academic Standards, Travis Brian Peterson

Graduate Student Projects

The purpose of this project was to develop a guide that aligned the Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs) with the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program for teachers in Washington State. To accomplish this purpose, a review ofrelated current literature was conducted. Additionally, related information/materials from selected sources were obtained and analyzed.

Matching Effective Methods Of Teaching To Modes Of Learning: A Presentation For Educators Of American Indian Students, Lynn Marie Gellerson

All Graduate Projects

Reading is a skill necessary for social, academic, and economic achievement in our society. Research shows that minority children, such as American Indians, often struggle to become successful readers. It is necessary to understand causes that may contribute to the difficulties that American Indians have with effective acquisition of literacy skills. This presentation for educators of American Indian students will present information that will increase educators' knowledge of American Indian culture, and the culture of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation. In addition, the effect culture has on an individual, the classroom, and reading instruction will be …

Enhancing Education Through Research In The Environmental Science Laboratory: Integrating Gis And Project-Based Learning At Colby College, Philip J. Nyhus, F Russell Cole, David H. Firmage, P S. Lehmann

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

The Apc Summer Institute, 2002 : Reconfiguring Schooling For The 21st Century, Brian Caldwell, Bruce Wilson, Bert Van Halen, Gabrielle Leigh

APC Monographs

The APC Summer held in January 2001 aimed to provide: a two-day intensive program that linked theory and practice in a chosen area relevant to school leaders in their day to day work; an opportunity for practising school leaders to develop an operational framework to be applied to strategy planning or to the management of key projects in their school; a big picture framework in which school leaders can contextualise their work; and a series of exemplary practices whose underlying principles can be adapted for use in other settings.

Learning From International Studies Of Teaching : The Timss-R Video Study., James Hiebert, Hilary Hollingsworth

2002 - Providing World-Class School Education

This paper discusses the Third International Mathematics and Science Study - Repeat (TIMSS-R) Video Study. In addition to the broad goal of describing mathematics teaching in seven countries including a number of countries with records of high achievement, the study had the following research objectives: to develop objective, observational measures of classroom instruction to serve as appropriate quantitative indicators of teaching practice in each country; to compare teaching practice and identify similar or different lessons; and to describe patterns of teaching practice for each country.

Pisa From Australia's Perspective, Jan Lokan

2002 - Providing World-Class School Education

This paper discusses the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) survey and the Australian teenagers that took part with students from thirty-one other countries. The paper describes the background to PISA, an initiative of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) keen to have measures of outputs from compulsory level schooling to accompany regularly collected country-level data on educational context and investment in education of human and monetary resources. The author describes the goals and features of PISA, its scope, Australian representatives and, school and background factors.

Information And Communication Technologies In Classrooms : Perspectives From An International Study, John Ainley, Diana Banks, Marianne Fleming

2002 - Providing World-Class School Education

Many countries have envisaged a significant role for information and communications technologies (ICT) in their education systems. For example, in Australia one of the goals in the declaration of the Ministerial Council on Education, Training and Youth Affairs on national goals for schooling stated that students should be confident, creative and productive users of new technologies and understand the impact of those technologies on society. A national action plan, Learning in an Online World, has set three priority areas for development making available connections of sufficient bandwidth to allow schools to integrate online services into curriculum practice; providing effective pre-service …

Providing World-Class School Education (Conference Proceedings), Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

2002 - Providing World-Class School Education

International achievement studies are capable of identifying international best practice in school education and providing decision makers at all levels—from policy maker to system manager to school leader to classroom teacher—with information that may be useful in their own efforts to improve student learning outcomes. These studies assist us in answering such questions as: What is ‘world-class’ education? and What characterises outstanding educational provision?

Civic Knowledge And Engagement: An Iea Study Of Upper Secondary Students In Sixteen Countries, Jo-Ann Amadeo, Judith Torney-Purta, Rainer Lehmann, Vera Husfeldt, Roumiana Nikolova

Civics and Citizenship Assessment

No abstract provided.

Enabling Learning : The Crucial Work Of School Leaders, Jean Russell

Educational leadership

This paper addresses several fundamental questions. What are the most important, most highly valued and most powerful learning outcomes for students? What do students tell us about their experience of school, about the things that enhance or diminish their involvement in learning? What changes in teaching and learning approaches would enhance students' engagement in learning and help achieve the desired learning outcomes? Are school leaders seen by teachers to be important to the process of bringing about change in teaching practices? The paper argues that, amidst the complexity that constitutes school life, school leaders can enable learning through the maintenance …

Graduate Skills Assessment : Stage One Validity Study, Sam Hambur, Ken Rowe, Luc T. Le

Higher education research

The Graduate Skills Assessment (GSA) is a new test with complex aims and is in the first stages of development and application. Principally, the test aims to assess a set of valued and widely applicable generic skills that may be developed by the university experience and which are relevant to university achievement and graduate work.

This publication reports on the validity of the first stage of the Graduate Skills Assessment test (GSA Stage One Validity Study), which covers the first two tests, Exit 2000 and Entry 2001. These tests involved the participation of 3663 students drawn from nine broad fields …

Teachers And Scholars As Designers: The Art And Practice Of Instructional Design, Charles M. Spuches

Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education: Archives

Instructional design theory and practice can help us meet increasing challenges, employ new knowledge and resources, and create optimal learning environments.

Imperatives For Reforming Pedagogy And Curriculum, Hitendra Pillay, Bob Elliott

Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education: Archives

Traditional models of pedagogy and curriculum assume the world is stable and internally consistent and rational. A new pedagogy and curriculum model are proposed, which challenge these assumptions.

Review Of Computer-Supported Collaborative Work Systems, Deniz Eseryel, Radha Ganesan, Gerald S. Edmonds

Instructional Design, Development and Evaluation - All Scholarship

The advent of computer-supported collaborative work (CSCW) systems significantly impacts group collaboration. This paper reviews three CSCW systems: Lotus Notes, Xerox DocuShare, and SevenMountains Integrate. We focus on their different capabilities and uses in distributed group projects.

Leading And Managing For High Performance, John West-Burnham

APC Monographs

This paper explores some of the changing perceptions of leadership in education. It focuses in particular on the issue of 'performance', which is at the heart of much educational reform.

Mathematics And Science Achievement Of Junior Secondary School Students In Australia, Susan Zammit, Alla Routitsky, Lisa Greenwood

TIMSS Australia Monograph Series

The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 1998 assessed the mathematics and science achievement of students in their second year at high school. Testing for the study was carried out in 38 countries in 1998–99.1 Extensive information was collected from students, teachers and school principals about the context of mathematics and science teaching and learning. Among the countries participating in TIMSS 1998, 26 countries, including Australia, also participated in TIMSS 1994. It was therefore possible to report on any significant changes between the two studies. Two reports, TIMSS 1999 International Mathematics Report and International Science Report were released in …

Closing The Gap Between Research And Practice: Foundations For The Acquisition Of Literacy, Molly De Lemos

Literacy and numeracy

Over the years two main approaches have emerged in the teaching and learning of reading and writing. One is the 'whole language' approach; the other concentrates more on instruction in phonics. This paper focuses on the theoretical assumptions underlying these two approaches to the teaching of literacy, and the studies which have been undertaken, in the international arena, to find out how children progress, from their earliest educational years, in attaining both initial reading skills and lifelong literacy.

A Performance Based Assessment Model For The Evaluation Of Students In An English Composition Class, C. Wayne Butler

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to design and develop a performance-based assessment model for the evaluation of students in an English composition class in the Kittitas School District.

Bridgewater State College Factbook, Academic Year 2001-2002, Office Of Institutional Research And Assessment, Bridgewater State College

Factbook

No abstract provided.

Common Data Set, 2002-2003, Office Of Institutional Research And Assessment, Bridgewater State College

Common Data Sets

No abstract provided.

Acer 2001-2002 Annual Report, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

ACER Annual Reports

No abstract provided.

An Action Research Project To Explore Providing Improved Academic Support For Newly Appointed Staff In A Higher Education Institution In Ireland, Roisin Donnelly

Other resources

In my current professional role as an academic in a higher education institution in Ireland, I have only recently asked myself if I have been living in the direction of my educational values (Whitehead, 1989a). Educational values are ideas about what constitutes an educationally worthwhile process of teaching and learning: they define the relationship between knowledge, teachers and learners (Elliott, 1995). Action research begins with values (McNiff, 1995). In my attempts to become a more developed self-reflective practitioner, there are times when it helps me to take a time-out from my daily practice in work and instead put some time …

Teaching Postgraduate Research Methods Using A Novel Problem-Based Learning Approach, Roisin Donnelly

Other resources

This session describes both the reasons for and the process of designing and delivering a Research Methods Module using a Problem-based Learning (PBL) approach in a Postgraduate Diploma in Third Level Learning and Teaching at a higher education institute in Ireland. The students who undertake this part-time Module are cohorts of academic staff (Faculty Members) in Higher Education (HE). They are hitherto referred to as participants. This module is one of eight offered on the PG Diploma, all designed and delivered using Problem-based Learning. The entire PG Diploma is voluntary, and only Faculty who are keen to implement novel pedagogical …

Science, Technology And Society In Science Education, Debra Tedman

Shannon Research Press

This study had four major purposes. First, the study developed and used scales to measure the strength and coherence of students', teachers', and scientists' views, beliefs and attitudes in relation to science, technology and society (STS). Second, the factors which influenced the development of strong and coherent views on STS by students, were examined. Third, the study investigated whether male and female students differed in the strength and coherence of their views on STS. Fourth, structured group interviews with teachers provided information for the consideration of the problems encountered by teachers and students in the introduction of STS courses.

The National Honors Report, Volume Xxiii, Number 3, Fall 2002

The National Honors Report

Peaks & Valleys

Those Pesky Parents

1. "Parent to Parent" by P.K.Weston ... 1 Let those parents know what they need to know: inevitable changes in their sons and daughters; practical issues; the program's responsibilities in their children's education. Includes letter to parents & copy of the program outline with notes. Weston says to borrow freely.

2. "From Fred's Mother" ... 5 This letter has been reprinted several times to remind us what honors is all about. Fred's mother says "teach my son." Introduction by Freddye Davy, Hampton University. As always, thanks for sharing this letter, Freddye.

Those Irksome Issues …

The National Honors Report, Volume Xxiii, Number 1, Spring 2002

The National Honors Report

THE THREE R’S & MORE

RECRUITING

1. "Selling People on Honors Education" by Lydia Daniel & Joan Digby … l A challenge to honors folks to promote the value of honors education on the local level. With a generic press release that can be adapted to fit particular honors programs' or honors colleges' needs. How to promote honors as well as a specific program or college. How to buy the new third edition of Peterson's Honors Programs and Colleges. From the co-chairs of the NCHC's External Relations Committee.

1. A. PRE-COLLEGE PROGRAMS

2. "A Summer of Excellence" by Gerald T. Szymanski …

Gifted Education In The Middle, Debra Ann Carlson

All Graduate Projects

Educators have always been concerned with addressing the needs of gifted students within the regular classroom. It has become difficult to challenge all children when school populations are composed of diverse groups with special needs, interests, abilities, and learning styles. With an interest in the education of highly capable (gifted and talented) students, the author did extensive reading and research. This project encompasses a variety of strategies, grouping practices and programs that can be implemented into a regular classroom to accommodate the gifted population. With this comes a focus on meeting the unique affective and academic needs of the gifted …

Integrating Expeditionary Learning Philosophy And Principles Into The Middle School Social Studies Curriculum, Paul Andrew George

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to create a handbook of activities for eighth grade social studies teachers that are based on expeditionary principles, philosophy and pedagogical practices. A review of the literature focused on the academic and social implications of integrating expeditionary philosophy and practices into an academic enviornment. A model learning expedition was provided accompanied by various forms of assessment strategies and methods.

A Curricular Design For Integrating Writing With Science: A Benchmark Handbook Approach, Marci Jayne Gano

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of the project was to create an integrated science and writing benchmark handbook. Review of the literature, Washington State Academic Learning Requirements for science and writing, published scie.nce lessons, and teacher's guides were utilized. Classroom teachers, district and school science and writing goals were consulted in the creation of this project. The activities presented in all five units were designed to provide hands-on experience in both science and writing. Possible assessment options are also provided.