Critical thinking, problem solving and communication are fundamental elements of undergraduate education, but methods for assessing these skills across an institution are susceptible to logistical, motivational and financial issues. Queen's University conducted two research studies investigating the use of standardised tests to assess cognitive…

Aggregated test results that identify the literacy problems of boys as the most salient gender issue in schools distort the reality that girls experience significant gender-based challenges as well, though their problems may not present as clearly on standardized tests. This emphasis on boys' difficulties has moved educational resources in that…

First the good news. There's a growing consensus that the quality of teachers and teaching is a major factor--some would say the most important school-based factor--in the quality of student learning. In sum (and this comes as no surprise to the teaching profession), good teaching matters. The bad news is that, in this highly charged climate of…

Large-scale assessment regularly takes place in most jurisdictions across Canada, a fact not lost on the Fraser Institute and other right wing think tanks such as AIMS (Atlantic Institute for Market Studies) which use the test results as the primary basis for compiling school rankings at both the elementary and secondary level (see Gutstein,…

Percentile scores for Vancouver students in grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 on the AAHPER Cooperative Physical Education Tests are presented. Two of the six forms of the tests were used in these administrations. Every form consists of 60 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 40 minutes. A single score, based on the number of questions answered…

The relationship between the Scholastic Aptitude Test of Ontario (S.A.T.O.) administered to twelfth grade students and the College Entrance Examination Board Scholastic Aptitude Test (C.E.E.B.), of which the S.A.T.O. is a modification, was studied. Data was collected through the co-operation of the schools. The S.A.T.O. data was recorded as raw…

An essential function of the school guidance worker is the translation of test results into plain language and/or concrete recommendations. To do so requires a thorough understanding of the various test scores publishers provide. (Author)

Focuses on objective techniques, a powerful and long-run force in educational assessment. But how successful have individual objective techniques been? This question must be answered for each test. Includes brief reference to an evaluation of one instrument. (Author)

Compares immersion and non-immersion students' results on provincial Grade 3 tests in Ottawa in 1998-99. Explores the results by immersion type--according to the grade at which English literacy instruction is introduced, and the proportion of instructional time in English. Results corroborate those of large-scale evaluation studies of French…

The Cooperative Primary Tests were administered to 4,966 pupils in grade 2 of Vancouver schools in 1972 and results were compared with those of students in grade 2 in 1969. The battery included six tests. Scores on the first, a practice test, were not recorded. The listening, word analysis, and reading tests were used for this survey. Use of the…

Teachers typically receive the brunt of the criticism for poor performance on large-scale standardized tests. In order to stave off this criticism, some teachers have begun to provide instruction that utilizes actual or cloned items from these high-stakes tests. Such teaching to the test rarely helps learning and has a detrimental effect on the…

Results of the Diploma Examinations Program conducted by Alberta Education during June 1989 are provided. This report is designed to assist policymakers and educators in reviewing the effectiveness of their programs and in reinforcing instructional successes previously achieved. The grade 12 program is intended to develop and maintain excellence…

The influence of test wiseness on the performance of 736 high school seniors in British Columbia on provincial school leaving examinations in English, algebra, geography, history, biology, and chemistry was studied. The performance of many students on the multiple-choice sections was spuriously enhanced by test wiseness. (TJH)

Information collected as part of the International Assessment of Educational Progress II (IAEP II) about learning in Alberta (Canada) is provided, including information on the educational and cultural factors associated with student achievement and information on student attitudes, backgrounds, and experiences. Results for all participating…

Annually in May and June, grade 3, 6, and 9 students in Alberta (Canada) take provincial achievement tests. This guide, in both English and French versions, explains the achievement tests. The tests are designed to indicate how well students meet the province's standards, to support teachers in planning instruction, and to inform the public about…