Problems in improving the reliability of essay marks are examined in this Australian study that considers the markings of 338 essays, each marked by one of 13 graders. It is concluded that improvement is needed but the changes necessary for the improvement are not feasible. (LC)

The development of spoken language is considered from three related aspects: symbolic function, auditory-vocal function and communicative function. Attention is drawn to the implications for education of developmental delay in any of these areas. Some of the danger signals presented in the classroom are mentioned. (Author/KC)

The grading orientation of college faculty who assign high grades focuses on the individual student rather than the comparative aspects of grading. (JD)

Presents the Source of Stress Inventory which was designed for use in schools and clinics as part of the intake/referral procedures for children with emotional adjustment problems. It provides a means of systematically examining the sources of psychological stress in the assessment process. (Author)

Simple measures of reading, spelling, and written expression were administered to 566 elementary students from the states of Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Washington. Each child was individually administered three reading word lists, three reading passages, two dictated spelling lists, and two story starters. Approximately 25 minutes was needed for…

Direct and repeated measurement of academic performance in the curriculum is an alternative to traditional referral and assessment models used in psychoeducational evaluation. This study (with 107 intermediate grade students at high risk for learning disability) contrasted a screening and referral procedure that used weekly measurement of…

An approach for systematically observing and recording behavioral difference in the classroom is described, and its use with 11 behavior problem elementary students is discussed. The author points out the importance of peer sampling and the use of multiple observations to avoid erroneous conclusions. A case study of a second grade child…

Teacher judgments of student need for compensatory education were found to agree moderately with student scores on the Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills (CTBS). Accuracy of teacher judgments was not influenced by student racial, ethnic, or economic characteristics, extent of individualization of instruction, or teacher training and experience.…

Reports on a case study designed to determine whether marking standards and reliability of assessments change significantly from one occasion to another. Finds a sex bias occurs with both men and women judges, leading to significant changes in the measures for girls, but not for boys. (KO)

Analysis of data on 1,404 young children with hearing losses indicated that 80% of the children were identified via informal hearing-screening procedures, such as parental suspicion and referral. Auditory brainstem response technology provided the lowest mean identification age. The study concludes that formal screening programs are not locating…

Presents anecdotal data from informal discussions with 12 secondary teachers about types of evidence of students' mathematics achievements that were used by the teachers. Discusses oral evidence, written work, observed actions, voluntary use of mathematics, knowledge of the child, teachers' views of mathematics, and behavior and body language.…

What does informal formative assessment look like in the context of scientific inquiry teaching? Is it possible to identify different levels of informal assessment practices? Can different levels of informal assessment practices be related to levels of student learning? This study addresses these issues by exploring how 4 middle school science…

This paper is an informal assessment of Alaska state spending during the lucrative "oil years" of the early 1980s. The huge Prudhoe Bay oil field began producing in 1977 and reached a daily output of about 1.5 million barrels in 1980. From 1980 to 1986, the field helped Alaska's government to have, in relation to its population, a…

Credential portfolios as a selection tool in the hiring of new teachers is not a new idea. Their importance has been stressed in the professional literature. For the purpose of this study, we developed a portfolio checklist of items to be included in the beginning teacher's professional portfolio. After a pilot study was conducted, 400 surveys…

Both criterion-referenced testing and behavioral assessment share the basic assumption that test behavior is a sample rather than a sign. In addition, both types of assessment focus on response capabilities and performance in specified content domains. Although content validity has been traditionally recognized as essential to criterion-referenced…