This article provides an illustrative description of the pre-post difference index (PPDI), a simple, nontechnical yet robust tool for examining the instructional sensitivity of assessment items. Extension educators often design pretest-posttest instruments to assess the impact of their curricula on participants' knowledge and understanding of the…

In this study, we piloted a Tier 2 intervention designed to improve reading skills among struggling early readers using an intervention that included SRA Reading Mastery, listening-while-reading activities, strategies to increase motivation and engagement in reading, and parent involvement in reading homework. The study included 6 students in…

The objectives of this research were to develop innovation curriculum and study the effect of curriculum usage in science teachers' training in establishing the supplementary subject curriculum for action lesson. It focuses on science process skills with 10 teachers for 4 days, and 236 Grade 9 students from 10 schools during the first semester of…

Reading Improvement Through Art (RITA) program is an interdisciplinary approach to literacy that blends visual art with reading comprehension, evaluated in nine New York City urban high schools. 240 problem readers participating in the pilot program were pre- and post-tested in the Fall 1975 and Spring 1976 semesters. The testing showed the 9th…

This study explored how teacher variations in use of a web-technology of known effectiveness, affected growth in literacy. Teachers used ABRACADABRA (ABRA) (http://grover.concordia.ca/abra/version1/abracadabra.html), in Grade 1 Language Arts classes. Children (N = 60) across three classrooms were exposed to ABRA activities and a control class…

The need for information literacy continues to increase as colleges and universities begin to globalize their curricula and include global readiness in institutional missions. This article reports pretest and posttest data collected during a librarian-faculty collaboration to determine the effect of information literacy instruction on students…

The purpose of this study was to determine change in environmental education teaching efficacy beliefs of K-12 teachers who participated in two weeks of an intensive summer earth systems science institute using the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) curriculum as the conceptual framework. Thirty-eight teachers…

Assessing student performance is one of the most critical aspects of the job of a classroom teacher; however, many teachers in the United States do not feel adequately prepared to assess their students' performance. These feelings of inadequacy are exemplified when placed against the context of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, especially with…

Federal and state regulations mandating inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classes have made it essential to create pathways for pre-service teachers to develop skills to teach content to diverse groups of students. The study uses a framework suggested by the relationship between teacher attitude and teacher behavior…

Effective social work practice with diverse populations requires the successful incorporation of multicultural knowledge, awareness, and skills. As a result, there is a pressing need for innovative and evidence-based teaching strategies and methods that provide social work students with these key multicultural tools. This paper describes one such…

University researchers, teacher candidates, language and technology instructors, student learners, and families from diverse backgrounds partnered in an invitational teaching/learning experience--middle school student learners teaching their VIPs (very important persons) how to create stories and construct digital movies with reference to their…

According to recent demographic data, over 1.5 million English learners (EL) attend public and private schools in California. This number is expected to exceed two million by 2015, thus greatly increasing the number of students in need of language and literacy development in English. The situation is similar in many other states where changing…

Describes aspects of a team teaching approach to mathematics instruction at a career development center. The author discusses pretests, class profile sheets, teacher conferences, classroom visits, demonstration lessons, use of mathematics machines, the math league and league news release, math league playoffs, Mathematics Genius of the Week…

Describes the development of a history assessment test by Northeast Missouri State University (Kirksville) faculty. Discusses content, problems with design and cooperation, and theories of assessment testing. Includes sample questions demonstrating the cube plan, a technique that involves using a single question to measure three learning…

The Long Beach Fire Department (California), developed a program to foster and improve the development of future fire department managers who are promoted from within the department. A 10-day orientation program was developed. The competency-based program featured a mix of management-leadership training (the nature of leadership, personnel…