Historically, colleges have used standardized testing to determine whether a student is ready for college-level work or requires developmental courses first, but this method has been criticized as inaccurate. To obtain more accurate placements, nearly three-quarters of colleges now use multiple measures assessment (MMA) systems. These systems…

The Striving Readers program aimed to raise the literacy levels of middle and high school students reading below grade level and to build a strong research base on effective adolescent literacy interventions. This report summarizes the results of a systematic review of evaluations of the ten different interventions funded by the Striving Readers…

The development of student thinking skills is a major goal of business education. As with other such goals, student outcomes assessment must be undertaken to measure goal achievement. Thinking is difficult to teach; it is also difficult to assess. The purpose of this article is to improve management educators' understanding of student thinking…

The responsibility for college success has historically rested with the student, but since the 1980s, educators have taken increasing ownership of this, designing structures that increase the likelihood of learning, success, and retention. These efforts have included a variety of initiatives--first year seminars, learning communities,…

Introduction: Evaluation plays an important role in users' information searching and retrieving processes. While previous research mainly focuses on applied criteria, less research is on other dimensions of evaluation. This study explores the dimensions of evaluation activities including criteria applied, elements examined, activity engaged in and…

In this article, the authors share some key results from discussions, research, reflective practices, and others' perspectives on assisting students to engage and demonstrate integrative and applied learning. First, they traverse the definitional territory of this complex construct, referring to the national literature and discussion as well as…

The principles of course redesign that were applied to a gateway Cell Biology course at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee are applicable to courses large and small, and to institutions of any size. The challenge was to design a content-rich science course that kept pace with present and future content and at the same time use principles of…

The "little blue book"--an affectionate title used by admirers of Student Assessment-as-Learning at Alverno College--is written (rather stunningly) "by the Alverno College Faculty." The story behind this paradigm-shifting work on assessment underscores the vital role faculty inquiry plays in institutional and system-wide…

Julie Foertsch and Morton Ann Gernsbacher present the results of an evaluation of an online undergraduate course in psychology that adheres to the seven widely accepted principles of effective online teaching and suggests an eighth principle: using the unique benefits and constraints of online communication to prompt critical thinking about…

A Wisconsin study reveals that most school counselors are evaluated at least annually but that inappropriate evaluation criteria are applied. Recommendations include developing a clear policy, establishing a task force (composed of administrators, counselors, and others) to review existing criteria and procedures, and implementing any new plan on…

This guide is designed as a resource for leaders and evaluators of K-12 online learning programs. In this guide, the term "online learning" is used to refer to a range of education programs and resources in the K-12 arena, including distance learning courses offered by universities, private providers, or teachers at other schools;…

This paper examines evidence on the "systemic effects" of expanding school choice in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Milwaukee is home to one of the nation's largest and longest-running school choice programs. If there are systemic effects from expanding school choice we should be able to see them in Milwaukee. This paper also introduces a novel…

The study under review is the second-year evaluation report of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP), a publicly funded voucher program that allows low-income students in Milwaukee to attend secular and religious private schools in that city. Its primary finding is that there were no overall statistically significant differences in…

Site visits to five correctional institutions in Wisconsin were conducted as part of the development of an evaluation model for the competency-based vocational education (CBVE) project for the Wisconsin Correctional System. The evaluators' perceptions of the CBVE system are presented with recommendations for improvement. Site visits were conducted…

This document describes the development of a Wisconsin state plan for career education. First, the profile of the proposal is presented. Next, the major activities are described, including formation of the advisory group; needs assessment of students, educational staff, and community groups; identification of resources; and the development of…