Using Israeli biology matriculation examination results from 1983 and 1984, this article compares the achievement of Arab and Jewish students on the paper and pencil examinations and the practical laboratory examinations. Achievement differences between girls and boys are discussed, as well as the effects of a inquiry-oriented biology curriculum.…

Four problems related to how to best use testing and assessment to improve learning are discussed: (1) criterion- versus norm-referenced scores; (2) scaling; (3) communication and reporting of achievement; and (4) external versus school-based assessment. Comparisons of current practices in different countries, described in subsequent articles, are…

Conclusions drawn from results of the practical skills testing of the Second International Association of Evaluation in Educational Assessment Science Study are presented for the six countries participating. Data analyses have indicated that the practical skills tests measured performance that differed from that measured by the paper-and-pencil…

The results from the testing of practical skills in science in the six participating countries of the Second International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Improvement Science Study are presented. The emphasis is on descriptive reports without extensive statistical tests. Some clear patterns of findings are evident. (SLD)