Judgements of the work of school principals may be formal through an appraisal process or informal from students, teachers, parents, and members of the community in which the school operates. This article focuses on New Zealand rural primary school principals' experiences of informal expectations--and judgements about whether they meet these…

In many science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) domains, instruction on foundational concepts heavily relies on visuals. Instructors often assume that students can mentally visualize concepts but students often struggle with internal visualization skills--the ability to mentally visualize information. In order to address this…

This study was conducted to determine the most common contemporary evaluation methods used by kindergarten teachers to assess kindergarten children. The study sample consisted of 527 kindergarten teachers. A scale was developed in order to achieve the study's purposes. The results indicated that the Teacher's Practices in the Evaluation Process…

This study investigated the nature of pre-service science teachers' (PSTs') situation-specific skills for informal formative assessment (FA) and their awareness of activating these skills in classroom-like situations. Video-based interviews were conducted to collect data from fifteen PSTs before they participated in a teacher education program.…

In recent years, numerous studies have been conducted on language teachers' beliefs about language assessment; however, teachers' collaborative discussion as a mediational tool has received scant attention. The present study aimed to investigate non-native language teachers' beliefs about classroom language assessment regarding features of…

Discursive formative assessment (FA) practices during instruction have grown in importance in the education literature as a way of improving teaching and learning. This study involves three years of design-based research as part of an educational project. We examine lower secondary school teachers' qualitative Informal Formative assessment (IFA)…

As many colleges and universities offer increasing numbers of online courses and degree programs, debates regarding teaching public speaking online continue. This research utilizes Kluger and DeNisi's (1996, The effects of feedback interventions on performance: A historical review, a meta-analysis, and a preliminary feedback intervention theory.…

This study documented the standardized tests and informal assessment techniques that school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) reported as most helpful for identifying vocabulary deficits and for monitoring progress. Speech-language pathologists (N = 142) working in U.S. public school settings completed an online survey that included…

Background: Aphasia assessment is traditionally divided into formal and informal approaches. Informal assessment is useful in developing a rich understanding of the person with aphasia's performance, e.g., describing performance in the context of real-world activities, and exploring the impact of environmental and/or partner supports upon…

This year-long, multiple case study followed a small group (N=6) of graduates from an initial licensure Education Preparation Program (EPP) into their classrooms to observe their first year as licensed teachers in United States public schools. The study's purpose was twofold: 1) to explore the extent to which this group used formative assessments…

This study (N=196) examined the extent to which the frequency of parent-child math activities in preschool was associated with children's developmental trajectories of math skills from preschool to primary school. Parents reported the frequency of their involvement in a variety of math activities with their preschool children. Children were tested…

Current literacy assessments are focused on a single mode of meaning-making (reading and writing, whether oral or written) and assume that literacy and language are 'fixed systems'-- comprised of discrete skills that can be taught and measured in isolation. This validation and privileging of a single mode of assessment are most culpable in…

This study focuses on teachers' use of informal formative assessments (IFAs) aimed at improving students' learning and teachers' recognition of students' learning processes. The study was designed as an explorative case study of four middle school teachers and their students at a charter school in the northeastern U.S.A. The data collected for the…

Educators have realized the importance of engaging students in learning. Teachers often see participatory behaviors like "hand raising" as evidence of students being engaged in an activity. These indications of engagement do not capture motivational factors behind true engagement. A research team developed a five item scale to easily…

In the past decade, educational environments have drastically changed over time and have become more diverse and complex. The rapid influx of pluralistic populations from a variety of different societies contribute to the diverse student population. Student diversity creates challenges to new teachers if they are not familiar with culturally…