Elementary students (N=160, grades 2-3 and 5-6) were evaluated in a battery of four information-processing tasks, including: Inspection Time, Reaction Time, Coincidence Timing, and Mental Counters (Working Memory). Half of the children were certified as gifted in a case study analysis; the other half were selected from non-gifted programs of the…

This paper summarizes some of the issues involved in educational testing. First, it describes four of the fundamental characteristics of tests: whether they are measures of aptitude or achievement, whether they require students to produce or just recognize the best answer, whether they are interpreted in relationship to the scores of other…

This document provides an overview of the third edition of "A Counselor's Guide to Career Assessment Instruments" to be published in 1994 and a brief review of the nearly 300 instruments included in the guide. The history of the guide's development and its major components are outlined. Presented next are brief descriptions of 16 recently…

The primary purpose of this study was to determine if a model for identifying gifted and talented students could be developed which would provide equal access to gifted programs for children of all ethnic and economic backgrounds. The culturally and ethnically diverse San Diego City School District provided a pool of over 35,000 children referred…

Previous studies, while not suggesting that all preschool programs will bring lasting benefits, demonstrate that early education can change the course of children's lives, especially children from disadvantaged backgrounds. This study dealt with early childhood education and school success, evaluating the effect of preschool attendance on reading…

The efficacy of use of the Raven Progressive Matrices Test (RPM) in the selection of gifted children from traditionally underrepresented groups was investigated in a large-scale study with a diverse population. A total of 16,985 subjects were given the Raven Progressive Matrices Test. These included 22.7 percent Latinos, 37 percent Whites, 14…

This document outlines some resources that may be helpful to school guidance counselors and other educators. Five resources are described for the elementary school years when children's natural curiosity and openness can be channelled into understanding themselves and others as well as learning about the meaning of work and the types of work…

This summarizes a study designed to provide a basis for researchers who study measurable areas of human performance or attempt to conceptualize and develop a theory and structure of abilities. Specifically, this study was directed toward the identification of tests that can serve as markers for well established cognitive factors. (Author/CTM)

Studied whether there are trends in how college admission officers are using the Enhanced ACT Assessment (ACT) or the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT I), particularly when a student submits both. Found 93% of respondents were satisfied with either test. Methods of emphasizing or combining a test's scores varied significantly by state. (JBJ)

Reports on a study of 208 high school students on the relationship between interest in 4 subject areas and the quality of experience in class. Finds that interest was a significant predictor of the experience of potency, intrinsic motivation, self-esteem, and perception of skill. (CFR)

An ongoing series of experiments has extended Rose's information processing approach to job performance assessment. Each study investigated cognitive tasks from the literature on memory, psycholinquistics, and visual information processing, for potential inclusion in the test battery. Each task was then evaluated against three criterion areas: (1)…

The text focuses on identification criteria and characteristics of gifted and talented students in the context of educational programming. The section on characteristics discusses kinds of intelligence, indicators of giftedness, student characteristics that may pose difficulties for the classroom teacher (e.g., persistence, criticalness, and…

Although by traditional measures of test validity, the verbal section of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) is not culture biased, it, along with the English Composition Test and the Test of Standard Written English, reinforces a narrow view of academic excellence that excludes culturally different youths. Designed to prevent admission errors, the…

Two years of language study is a requirement in most colleges and universities for many degree programs and, at the high school level, an expectation for college-bound students. However, some very capable students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) have difficulty learning a second language. Recent research has identified characteristics of…

This review of research on Asian American performance on cognitive measures (especially in comparison with the performance of whites) covers studies of intelligence test performance, academic ability, aptitude and achievement, cognitive style, and career paths (as influenced by cognitive abilities) among young children, elementary and secondary…