Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

What Do Freshmen Really Know About Research? Assess Before You Teach, Jean Caspers, Steven Mark Bernhisel

Faculty & Staff Publications

The article describes an effort to assess the information literacy skills of entering first-year college students. An instrument was developed and information was gathered on students' experience and comfort in conducting library research as well as their perceived competence with specific information literacy skills. In addition, students completed a skills test to assess specific knowledge and skills relating to information literacy. Entering first-year students generally self-reported their skills to be less than "excellent." This finding was supported by the results of the skills test. Strengths and weaknesses in information literacy skills are reported, as well as implications for librarians who …

Supervisor Perceptions Of The Quality Of Troops To Teachers Program Completers And Program Completer Perceptions Of Their Preparation To Teach: A National Survey, William A. Owings, Leslie S. Kaplan, John Nunnery, Robert Marzano, Steven Myran, David Blackburn

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

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During winter/spring, 2005, 2,103 Troops to Teachers (T3) program completers and their school administrators from 49 states and the District of Columbia were surveyed to determine whether T3s were more effective in the classroom than traditionally prepared teachers who had comparable years of teaching experience. Respondents also returned information about their schools’ demographics, views about their teacher certification preparation program, and information about themselves, their teaching behaviors, and future plans. Sixty-one percent of the respondents returned completed surveys.

Accountability In Public Administration Education: Assessing The Martin School, Natalie Schneider

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Accountability is required for programs to maintain accreditation and is essential to the overall success of graduate programs like the Martin School. To show that it is meeting the stated goals, the Martin School has put tracking measures in place to gauge the success of the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program. These measures include pre and post skills assessments and an alumni survey among others. Analysis of the results is used to determine where goals are being met as well as areas where improvement is possible, and make necessary and appropriate adjustments.

The pre-test is given at orientation and …

A Study Of General Education Assessment., Debra Leonard Scott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was a correlational investigation of the effect of student demographic characteristics, prior academic performance, college academic performance, and college status on general education achievement at a rural community college in Tennessee. The criterion variable in this study was student performance on the Academic Profile examination, a nationally normed standardized test published by the Educational Testing Service that is designed to measure academic skills in general education subject areas.

The population for this study included students at Walters State Community College located in Morristown, Tennessee, who had completed or were nearing completion of a minimum of 60 semester hours …

How Will No Child Left Behind Improve Student Achievement? The Necessity Of Classroom-Based Research In Accountability Reform., Stephanie W. Cawthon

Essays in Education

No Child Left Behind (2001) legislation emphasizes the use of large-scale assessments in evaluating student proficiency in core academic areas. Classroom-based measures of proficiency, such as research projects, classroom assessments, and homework assignments, also provide rich data regarding students’ academic progress. This article articulates three areas where classroom-based measures can complement the large-scale assessment data used in NCLB reports of school, district and state progress: 1) Alignment of curriculum to state standards, 2) Assessment of student achievement, and 3) Identifying strategies for teaching in a diverse classroom. Making links between classroom instruction, student work, and large-scale assessment will be critical …

Aligning Paper Tests With Multimedia Instruction, Scott L. Howell

Faculty Publications

Although the "click-and-point" virtual classrooms of today hardly resemble the brick-and-mortar classrooms of yesterday, one thing seems to not have changed: the prevalence of paper-based tests. Paper-based tests have been the staple of education for centuries and will most likely persist for many years to come. This article explores some of the issues surrounding the growing chasm between the way students are now taught and how they are still tested from three perspectives: researcher, student, and teacher.

Describing The Ball: Improve Teaching By Using Rubrics - Explicit Grading Criteria, Sophie M. Sparrow

Law Faculty Scholarship

Assessment is crucial to effective teaching and learning. Carnegie's Educating Lawyers and Roy Stuckey's Best Practices for Legal Education emphasize the importance of assessment. This article explains how detailed, written grading criteria describing what students should learn and how they will be evaluated should be a central part of law teachers' assessment plans. The article details how rubrics can improve law student learning, and contains both detailed, step-by-step directions on creating rubrics and examples of rubrics from many different law school courses.

Designing An Outcomes-Based Student Affairs Assessment Program, Lynn D. Akey, Rene Hersrud

Academic Affairs Publications

No abstract provided.

Connecticut Blueprint For A Nclb “Housse” In Educational Technology, Antoinette P. Bruciati

Education Faculty Publications

According to the United States Department of Education, teacher quality is one of the most critical aspects of the teaching and learning process. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) has required that state agencies assume the responsibility for increasing student achievement and ensuring teacher quality by the end of the 2005-2006 school year. The NCLB outlines minimum qualifications that are needed by teachers who work on any facet of classroom instruction and authorizes state administrators to establish the criteria through which an experienced teacher will meet the subject matter competencies in a specific content area. This paper …

Aku-Ied: A Leader In Education Change, Shahnaz Wazir Ali

Book Chapters / Conference Papers

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Preschool Attendance On The First Grade Readiness Skills Of Kindergarten Students, Mary Dell Fish

The Corinthian

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of attending preschool on the first grade readiness skills of kindergarten students at Jasper County Primary School (JCPS ). Preschool was defined as a structured education program that serves children under school age. The Georgia Kindergarten Assessment ProgramRevised ( GKAP-R)( 1996) was used to determine academic achievement.

An Analysis Of Functional Behavioral Assessments Used In Public Schools In Tennessee And Georgia., Dana Winningham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to survey special education supervisors in public school systems throughout Tennessee and Georgia to determine the types of Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) procedures used and training provided to assessment personnel in their school systems. The primary focus of the study was on who conducts assessments, differences between the amount of training and support provided by school districts, and the use of best practices in conducting these assessments.

Surveys were mailed to 317 supervisors, 108 in Tennessee, and 123 in Georgia. These supervisors were asked to respond to questions concerning assessments in their respective school …

The Evolution Of Portfolios In Teacher Education, Nancy D. Turner

Essays in Education

Portfolios have been used in many fields of study to highlight the best work of individuals. In teacher education, portfolios serve as an authentic assessment, in that they contain artifacts representative of the preservice teacher’s performance in the classroom. As teachers are accountable for an in-depth understanding and implementation of teaching standards, portfolios can become the avenue for documenting how these standards are being met. The teacher preparation program at Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana has utilized portfolios since 1994. Over the years, these portfolios have evolved from their inception to a performance-based evidence that indicates the attainment of …

Brief 13: The Critical Connection: Department Chairs' And Associate Deans' Strategies For Involving Faculty In Outcomes Assessment, New England Resource Center For Higher Education, University Of Massachusetts Boston

New England Resource Center for Higher Education Publications

Assessment, with a capital “A”, has become in the academy a politically loaded buzzword that closes many more doors than it opens. Assessment, with a small “a”, however, is a necessary part of any attempt to find the best path forward in environments that change. At meetings this spring, Members of NERCHE’s Departments Chairs Think Tank and Associate Academic Deans Think Tank discussed this controversial issue, focusing on ways to foster climates in which faculty and administrators are collaborative partners in assessment with the intention of strengthening teaching and learning.

An Evolving Assessment Model For Learning Communities, Lynn D. Akey

Academic Affairs Publications

No abstract provided.

Helping Standards Make The Grade, Thomas R. Guskey

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

When reporting on student work, educators need a clear, comprehensive grading system that shows how students are measuring up to standards.

Brief 3: Making Assessment Work, New England Resource Center For Higher Education, University Of Massachusetts Boston

New England Resource Center for Higher Education Publications

Assessment and accountability are embedded in the context in which most colleges and universities operate. In the current climate, one is deeply entwined with the other. Originally, assessment in higher education meant assessing students. The broader appeal of the concept quickly claimed the attention of a multitude of constituents within the academy, each with a different goal in mind – from program review to public relations. Those whose relationship to the academy was once or twice removed, such as trustees, accreditors, and legislators, saw assessment as a simple and cost effective means to report information about the effectiveness of complex …

Assessment Of Seventh Grade Students' Attitudes Towards Writing, Frances Downey Gregory

All Graduate Projects

Eleven students in seventh grade were pretested regarding their attitudes towards writing, using the Knudson Writing Attitude Survey for Children. A writing workshop based on the Nancie Atwell model was implemented for one month with the group. The students took the Knudson Survey again as a post test after the workshop. Results varied, with some of the students' attitudes remaining the same, some improving, and some declining. Suggestions for further research include studying the impact of specific teaching methodologies on writing self-efficacy beliefs, designing surveys to assess only self-efficacy beliefs, and studying the reasons for the drop in self-efficacy beliefs …

The Assessments We Need, Geoff N. Masters, Margaret Forster

Assessment and Reporting

Large-scale assessment programs have an important role to play in providing dependable information for educational decision making by policy makers, system managers, school leaders, teachers and parents. But these programs - which include international achievement studies, national surveys and system-wide tests - also convey powerful messages about the kinds of learning valued by educational authorities and can have a profound impact on teaching and learning, particularly if results are reported and compared publicly. For this reason it is essential that large-scale programs are designed to reflect and reinforce learning priorities. This paper argues that large- scale programs are most likely …

A Survey Instrument To Collect Student Perceptions Of Drama Class Benefits, Claudia Wiggins

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this study is to develop a student survey for a drama class. The focus of the research is to substantiate the need for teaching drama in schools and by using a student survey. Presented is a drama class student survey developed and administered in high school drama classes. Offered are interviews with two drama teachers regarding the use of a drama survey. The study concludes with suggestions for future drama class student surveys.

A Process Model For Teacher Evaluation Of Education Administrators, Marla Caviness

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to design and develop a process model for teacher evaluation of administrators. To accomplish this purpose, a review of current literature regarding evaluation of school administrators was conducted. Additional information from randomly selected school districts regarding evaluation of administrators was obtained and analyzed. Information from selected school districts regarding involvement of teachers in the process of administrator evaluation was also obtained.

Number Sense In School Mathematics: Student Performance In Four Countries, Alistair Mcintosh, Barbara Reys, Robert Reys, Jack Bana, Brian Farrell

Research outputs pre 2011

Since 1988 teams of researchers in the United States, Japan and Australia have been involved in a collaborative research project to assess the mental computation ability of their students. The results of this research have been reported elsewhere (Mcintosh, Bana & Farrell 1995; Mcintosh, Nohda, Reys & Reys 1995). The researchers involved were Professors Robert and Barbara Reys of the University of Missouri - Columbia, Professor Nobuhiko Nohda of the University of Tsukuba and Alistair Mcintosh, Jack Bana and Brian Farrell of Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia.

The United States and Australian researchers went on to assess the number …

Changing Practices In The Assessment Of Writing A Discipline Redefining Itself, Marie E. Schleiff

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

This thesis concerns how changes in the assessment of writing mirror the historical changes in the purposes and methodologies in education. We have witnessed a dramatic shift from the viewing and testing of writing as a series of sub-skills, with emphasis on error-avoidance and correctness of form, to viewing both the process of writing and its assessment as a means of discovery, reflection, and learning. New practices in the evaluation of writing reflect knowledge of how writing occurs and how it is taught. Results of a survey conducted over two years show high school students' responses to traditional and new …

A Model For Assessing The Quality Of Learning In Distance Education, George C. Lassetter Iii

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

The factors contributing to the quality of learning in distance education were investigated. These factors were used to develop an empirically based model for the assessment of the quality of learning in distance education. The affective, cognitive, and conative domains of learning and the ethical domain of distance education were defined and used as the theoretical foundation for a search of distance education studies and evaluations that identified over 150 variables that potentially affected quality of learning. A Delphi technique was used to validate the variables and construct a survey instrument. Surveys were distributed to 3 groups totaling 523 students …

Making The Grade: What Benefits Students?, Thomas R. Guskey

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

Although the debate over grading and reporting practices continues, today we know which practices benefit students and encourage learning.

What You Assess May Not Be What You Get, Thomas R. Guskey

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

Performance-based assessments may not bring significant change in instructional practice unless teachers are provided requisite time and training.

A Handbook For The Intervention Specialist At Meadows Elementary School: Four Program Components, Donald D. Garrick

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this study was to develop a handbook detailing four important components of the intervention specialist's program at Meadows Elementary School in the North Thurston School District, Lacey, Washington. The development of a handbook was useful due to the fact that since 1988, three different individuals had served as the intervention specialist. Such rapid turnover caused disruptions m services to Meadows students, especially those who were at-risk. The four components were Meadows' Hosts and Hostesses, Intramurals, Conflict Managers and Meadows' Helpers. Each program utilized students interacting positively with other students as a means to improve the whole school …

Achievement Gains And Losses Of Integrated 5th Grade Resource Room Students: Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School, Yakima School District, 1989-1990, Patricia F. Kincheloe

All Graduate Projects

The achievement gains and losses of integrated 5th grade resource room students at Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School in the Yakima School District were studied. Nine resource room students were pre and post tested for achievement in reading, spelling, and mathematics. Teaching methods included cooperative learning, small and large group instruction, and peer tutoring. The results showed support for the integration of learning disabled students into a whole language, cooperative learning, regular education environment.

The Identification Of Gifted Children At The Kindergarten And First-Grade Level In An Urban And Rural Population, Flora Carter Roberts

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

This study examined the nomination procedures and assessment instruments employed in the gifted programs in ten urban and four rural southeastern Virginia school divisions. The procedures and instruments were examined in relation to the proportionate number of black and white children nominated for and determined eligible for the gifted program at kindergarten and grade one. The odds-ratio, a measure of association, was the primary data analysis technique employed.

In urban divisions in which K-1 membership was reported as white, black, other, white children were four times as likely to be a member of the gifted program at the end of …

A Follow-Up Study To Determine Selected Characteristics And Perceptions Regarding The Academic Preparation Of Master Degree Graduates Who Majored In School Administration: Central Washington University 1976-1981, Richard P. Lynch

All Graduate Projects

The purposes of this study were (1) to determine selected demographic characteristics of master degree graduates, who majored in school administration, and who graduated from the Graduate Division of Education since the 1976 Summer quarter through the 1981 Summer quarter; (2) to ascertain the extent to which these graduates perceived the courses of instruction in their academic preparationas being relevant to subsequent educational administration functions; and (3) to determine additional courses of instruction, not in the present curriculum, that these selected graduates perceived would be professionally relevant to current educational administrative functions.