In higher education, there has been a return to the education of the student as the focal point instead of traditional research, with the emphasis on improving student learning by developing outcome goals and being able to assess them effectively. Some guidelines for a basic framework, such as those developed for a basic public speaking course at…

The variety of current University of Arizona (UA) faculty and administrative activities that can be thought of as assessment in the broadest sense of the term are reviewed, and the involvement of the Center for Research on Undergraduate Education is noted. UA is involved in assessing both programs and students in many areas in order to improve…

This book on competency-based instruction (CBI) is organized around three topics: (1) teachers deciding what their students should learn; (2) teachers teaching it well; and (3) teachers checking to see if students have learned it. Chapter 1, "A Matter of Accomplishment," gives an overview of competency-based instruction. Chapter 2, "Worthwhile…

Science education specialists from Asian and Pacific countries convened to explore issues related to the evaluation of pupil science learning. This document contains a synthesis of the discussions and findings of the meeting. Summaries of the study group's deliberations are provided in four sections. Chapter 1 describes the participating…

The Instructional Support System for Occupational Education (ISSOE) project, conducted in New York, focused on (1) review of individualized education systems, (2) selection of appropriate occupational clusters, and (3) development and field testing of a system and materials. A product of the Managing Student Progress series of the ISSOE program,…

The purpose of this study was to determine what kind of feedback would be most effective in helping students improve their writing and in what manner it should be provided. Feedback was provided on a specific writing task, the short autobiographical narrative. Improvement was measured by scales of the three variables: completeness, development,…

A model is given of the Comprehensive Assessment and Program Planning System (CAPPS) in Indiana. The purpose of diagnostic/prescriptive teaching is discussed within the context of this model. (SA)

Reports on a study of predictive judgments and evaluation methods among 33 elementary teachers. Finds that inaccuracy in teachers' judgments of students is due partly to inappropriate use of consensus or comparative performance data. (CFR)

The purpose of this yearlong study was to understand the complexities of the writing process and to specifically attend to progressions in textual development with first-grade writers. The inquiry focused for a macroview on all the children during writing workshop and for a microview on six case studies that displayed the range of literacy…

One method used by Alabama's Snead State Community College (SSCC) to measure student learning is to compare student scores on placement exams, taken before core course work, to results from evaluation exams, taken upon completion of core courses. All incoming freshmen are required to provide scores from American College Testing (ACT) assessment…

Early childhood educators recognize the importance and validity of observing children's activities in the classroom, documenting them in an organized format, and assessing them in relation to the range of expected outcomes for children in that grade. Experienced teachers, however, know that the process of observing, documenting, and assessing…

This report reviews some of the comprehensive changes made by Miami-Dade Community College (MDCC) in its general education curriculum and overall academic environment, focusing specifically on the implementation of standards of academic progress, designed to monitor student progress and provide appropriate support. The report begins by examining…

This paper describes a program implemented to improve student writing skills. Research data included teachers' observations and evaluations, student surveys, and student writing samples. Subjects were students in grades 1, 3, and 4 in 5 Illinois schools showing a need for writing improvement. Objectives were to increase writing abilities with…

This paper considers the viability and applicability of student learning outcomes used as a measure of professorial productivity. While student learning outcomes need to be assessed in order to evaluate faculty productivity, examination of student learning as a concept reveals the difficulty of finding consensus on how to define it. The issue is…

Since the approval of the No Child Left Behind Act, there have been new ways of evaluating student success. Evaluation is based on progress or improvement, not only on achievement. This report describes a study that examined student progress, or sustained improvement, in California over a 2-year period (1999-2000). In analyzing sustained…