This volume explores the instructional use of creative writing in secondary and post-secondary contexts to enhance students' language proficiency and expression in English as a second or foreign language (ESL/EFL). Offering a diverse range of perspectives from scholars and practitioners involved in English language teaching (ELT) globally, International Perspectives on Creative Writing in Second Language Education tackles foundational questions around why fiction and creative writing have been traditionally omitted from ESL and EFL curricula. By drawing on empirical research and first-hand experience, contributors showcase a range of creative genres including autobiography, scriptwriting, poetry, and e-Portfolios, and provide new insight into the benefits of second language creative writing for learners' language proficiency, emotional expression, and identity development. The volume makes a unique contribution to the field of second language writing by highlighting the breadth of second language users throughout the world, and foregrounding links between identity, learning, and ESL/EFL writing. This insightful volume will be of particular interest to postgraduate students, researchers, and academics in the fields of ESL/EFL learning, composition studies, and second language acquisition (SLA). Those with a focus on the use of creative writing in classrooms more broadly, will also find the book of interest.

A high performing school is described as one where student achievement is high and student and teacher absenteeism is low. Student behavior is such that teachers seldom have to control them or tell them what to do. This results in greater time on task, higher teacher morale, low teacher absenteeism, and improved parental support. One other distinctive feature of a high performing school is that the student peer group is a positive force and not a negative force. The end result is a school culture where faculty and students trust and care about each other, and there is a cooperative attitude.

This book combines insights from language assessment literacy and critical language testing through critical analyses and research about challenges in language assessment around the world. It investigates problematic practices in language testing which are relevant to language test users such as language program directors, testing centers, and language teachers, as well as teachers-in-training in Graduate Diploma and Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics programs. These issues involve aspects of language testing such as test development, test administration, scoring, and interpretation/use of test results. Chapters in this volume discuss insights about language testing policy, testing world languages, developing program-level language tests and tests of specific language skills, and language assessment literacy. In addition, this book identifies two needs in language testing for further examination: the need for collaboration between language test developers, language test users, and language users, and the need to base language tests on real-world language use.

Perspectives on Language Assessment Literacy describes how the elements of language assessment literacy can help teachers gather information about when and how to assess learners, and about using the appropriate assessment tools to interpret results in a fair way. It provides highlights from past and current research, descriptions of assessment processes that enhance LAL, case studies from classrooms, and suggestions for professional dialogue and collaboration. This book will help to foster continuous learning, empower learners and teachers and make them more confident in their assessment tasks, and reassure decision makers that what is going on in assessment meets international benchmarks and standards. It addresses issues like concepts and challenges of assessment, the impacts of reflective feedback on assessment, the ontogenetic nature of assessment literacy, the reliability of classroom-based assessment, and interfaces between teaching and assessment. It fills this gap in the literature by addressing the current status and future challenges of language assessment literacy. This book will be of great interest for academics, researchers, and post-graduate students in the fields of language assessment literacy and English language teaching.

'An honest, down-to-earth story of one school's journey towards replacing the tyranny of teacher marking with conferencing and feedback.' - Dame Alison Peacock, Chief Executive, Chartered College of Teaching One day, a headteacher saw a new teacher wheeling a suitcase out of school. 'Going anywhere nice?' he asked her. 'Oh! No, unfortunately,' she replied with dismay. 'This is my marking for the weekend.' Sound familiar? Determined to make a change, Lavender Primary School in North London took on the challenge of abolishing written marking altogether by introducing the revolutionary approach of providing immediate verbal feedback. The outcome? Reduced teacher workload, improved staff retention and more effective learning for children. Backed up by educational theory and full of practical advice, this entertaining and informative book takes you through the highs and lows of Lavender Primary School's journey, so you can confidently follow the same steps to reform marking in your school. It features quick tips, reflective questions, fact files and chapter summaries for easy navigation. The topics covered include success criteria, effective questioning, mindset and resilience, reward and motivation and verbal feedback. Fast Feedback is written in an open, easy-to-read style and includes a foreword by Matthew Kleiner-Mann, leader of Ivy Learning Trust. It's perfect for senior leaders looking for a new whole-school approach to marking and feedback, as well as teachers searching for strategies to implement in their classroom.

Educators require constructive information that details their students' comprehension and can help them to advance the learners' education. Accurate evaluation of students at all educational levels and the implementation of comprehensive assessment strategies are essential for ensuring student equality and academic success. The Handbook of Research on Formative Assessment in Pre-K Through Elementary Classrooms is an essential research publication that addresses gaps in the understanding of formative assessment and offers educators meaningful and comprehensive examples of formative assessment in the Pre-K through elementary grade levels. Covering an array of topics such as literacy, professional development, and educational technologies, this book is relevant for instructors, administrators, education professionals, educational policymakers, pre-service teachers, academicians, researchers, and students.

- Written to help those collating student feedback understand their options in terms of available technology and allow them to gather data that can help improve the student experience. - Provides examples of best practice using case studies to help inform departmental and institutional strategic priorities or specific teaching and learning initiatives on various levels. - Global contributors ensure this book is relevant in a world where university student satisfaction rates highly.

- Written to help those collating student feedback understand their options in terms of available technology and allow them to gather data that can help improve the student experience. - Provides examples of best practice using case studies to help inform departmental and institutional strategic priorities or specific teaching and learning initiatives on various levels. - Global contributors ensure this book is relevant in a world where university student satisfaction rates highly.

Multimodal Signs of Learning proposes a methodology to uncover evidence of learning in students' multimodal compositions. Informed by social semiotic theory, the book tracks representation of subject content from physical and embodied teaching resources to students' handmade artefacts and physical presentations. Using materials from secondary school history and science classrooms, multimodal realizations of specific representational processes are tracked from the input of resources through to the students' multimodal compositions - their posters, models and physical presentations. Through tracking semiosis, the book exposes the epistemologies inherent in the representational choices articulated in the students' multimodal designs. These, it is argued, are to be valued as signs of learning. Learning is thus characterized as 'design' and the transformation of subject content through representation in different modes shown not only to promote learning, but also to contain evidence for its recognition. The book raises important questions about what constitutes multimodal learning and how it can be applied. It contributes to the growing body of research into the changing dynamics of classrooms and assessment practices and will be of great interest to researchers, and academics in the fields of education research, multimodality, semiotics and communication.

This book provides a critical analysis of the neoliberal reform agenda of the economic governance of schools. Focusing on the role of the United States in this process, it explores the transformation of schools in this agenda from educational establishments to enterprises in a competitive education market. The study uses Bourdieu to apply a field-theoretical framework to a detailed empirical analysis of the current changes of school government. Chapters explore education bureaucracy, reform and the effect of outside organizations on pedagogy and testing. The book reveals how far the promises of corporate education reform are from reality and concludes with a plea for a realistic view of school's capabilities. It goes beyond the state of the art with its focus on how the governance of education, school and instruction is changing with the replacement of educracy by an education-industrial complex. The book will be of great interest for academics, postgraduate students, administrators and politicians in the field of education policy, the governance of school systems and schools. The book also has an international appeal as it studies a global transformation of the field of education.

This insightful text offers a detailed account of the historical development of educational accountability in the US public education system. In doing so, it diagnoses the unforeseen consequences arising from a centralized, technocratic implementation of the concept, and calls for a radical re-thinking in how our democratic responsibilities translate into the provision, measurement, and conceptualization of education. Drawing from the works of scholars including Stanley Cavell, Linda Zerilli, Daniel Koretz, and James Scott, A Democratic Theory of Educational Accountability illustrates the way in which "educational accountability" has foregrounded centralized measures of "success" to the point of perversity. Through nuanced political theory and philosophical arguments, the text demonstrates how test-based measures have rendered the holistic aims of education futile, resulting in an education system of "box-checking" and "rule-following". Ultimately calling for a new imagination of how our democratic responsibilities are enacted in schools and communities, Gottlieb illustrates how accountability can be used for good, to ensure that our schools nurture talent, cultivate social mobility, and engage with local needs. This text will be of great interest to graduate and postgraduate students, researchers, academics, and libraries in the field of philosophy of education, educational policy, assessment & testing and democratic theory.

This book reports the results of a research project that investigated assessment methods aimed at supporting and improving inquiry-based approaches in European science, technology and mathematics (STM) education. The findings were used to influence policy makers with guidelines for ensuring that assessment enhances learning. The book provides insights about: - The concept of competence within the STM domains and its relevance for education - The conceptualisation and teaching of four key competences: scientific inquiry, mathematical problem-solving, design processes, and innovation. - Fundamental aspects of the two main purposes of assessment, formative and summative, the relations between the two purposes and ways of linking them. - The main challenges related to the uptake of formative assessment in daily teaching-learning practices in STM and specifically, the usability of formative on-the-fly dialogue, structured assessment dialogue, peer assessment and written teacher feedback. - The systemic support measures and tools teachers need in order to integrate formative assessment of student learning into their classroom practices and how it can conflict with summative assessment practices. - How research-based strategies for the formative use of assessment can be adapted to various European educational traditions to ensure their effective use and avoid undesirable consequences. - How relevant stakeholders can be invited to take co-ownership of research results and how a productive partnership between researchers, policy makers, and teachers can be established. - Concrete research vistas that are still needed in international assessment research.

In this book we respond to a higher education environment that is on the verge of profound changes by imagining an evolving and agile problem-based learning ecology for learning. The goal of doing so is to humanise university education by pursuing innovative approaches to student learning, teaching, curricula, assessment, and professional learning, and to employ interdisciplinary methods that go far beyond institutional walls and include student development and support, curriculum sustainability, research and the scholarship of teaching and learning, as well as administration and leadership. An agile problem-based learning (PBL) ecology for learning deliberately blurs the boundaries between disciplines, between students and teachers, between students and employers, between employers and teachers, between academics and professional staff, between formal and informal learning, and between teaching and research. It is based on the recognition that all of these elements are interconnected and constantly evolving, rather than being discrete and static. Throughout this book, our central argument is that there is no single person who is responsible for educating students. Rather, it is everyone's responsibility - teachers, students, employers, administrators, and wider social networks, inside and outside of the university. Agile PBL is about making connections, rather than erecting barriers. In summary, this book is not about maintaining comfort zones, but rather about becoming comfortable with discomfort. The actual implementation is beyond the scope of this book and we envisage that changing perceptions towards this vision will itself be a mammoth task. However, we believe that the alternative of leaving things as they are would ultimately prove untenable, and more distressingly, would leave a generation of students afraid to think, feel, and act for themselves, let alone being able to face the challenges of the 21st century.

Integrates the act of creating a measure with the act of using the measure for a specific purpose Emphasis on concrete examples drawn from simulated or empirical data. Engaging and accessible writing style. Provides a deep conceptual treatment of measurement in the context of education and psychology Inter-disciplinary appeal

Integrates the act of creating a measure with the act of using the measure for a specific purpose Emphasis on concrete examples drawn from simulated or empirical data. Engaging and accessible writing style. Provides a deep conceptual treatment of measurement in the context of education and psychology Inter-disciplinary appeal

* Full of takeaway tools, strategies, professional development plans, and case study examples * Many teachers are confused about how to apply what they know about in-person testing to virtual assessments--this book helps educators understand those differences and implement a successful virtual assessment plan for all types of intended learning objectives * This book helps teachers plan for and mitigate cheating or other issues arising when the student and the teacher are not in the same room * Draws from dozens of years of the authors' knowledge from working in educational technology at the K-12 and higher education levels, teaching both in-person with virtual elements, teaching fully online, and research into what "works" in teaching and assessing

Through expert analysis, this text proves that John Dewey's views on efficiency in education are as relevant as ever. By exploring Deweyan theories of teaching and learning, the volume illustrates how they can aid educators in navigating the theoretical and practical implications of accountability, standardization, and assessment. The Contemporary Relevance of John Dewey's Theories on Teaching and Learning deconstructs issues regarding accountability mechanisms, uniform assessment systems, and standardization processes through a Deweyan lens. Connecting the zeitgeist of the era from which Dewey's ideas emerged and current global political, social, and economic contexts, the book emphasizes the importance of resilient systems in reconciliating the tension between standardized assessments and individual student development. Contributors provide insights from a range of settings across Pre-K, primary, secondary, and higher education and address topics including teacher agency, voice, leadership, and democracy. The volume will be of interest to scholars, researchers, and academics with an interest in philosophy of education, education policy and the impact of neoliberal agendas, as well as teaching and learning more broadly.

Drawing on theoretical and empirical insights from art teachers in Canada and Europe, this edited volume explores the question of how learning in the arts can be effectively and fairly assessed in the context of higher education. The chapters consider a rich variety of assessment practices across music, visual and plastic arts, performing arts, design, fashion, dance and music and illustrate how knowledge, competencies, skills and progress can be viably and fairly assessed. Contextual challenges to assessment are also considered in depth, and particular attention is paid to the challenges of reconciling teaching in the arts, aimed at an intuitive transformation of the student, and assessing learning that takes on its meaning in subjectivity and sensitivity. This text will benefit researchers, academics and educators in higher education with an interest in assessment in the artistic disciplines and in the topic of creativity more broadly. Those specifically interested in educational assessment policy and the visual arts will also benefit from this book.

Have you ever found yourself saying, "I'm never going to pass the math pre-service exam!" This statement, and many others like it, led the authors to discover exactly how to crack the math pre-service exam test code and students are reaping all the benefits. How to Pass the Pre-Service Mathematics Test for Teachers is the result of years of researching and experimenting with what it takes to not only pass the test, but come away from it a better test-taker and a stronger mathematician. The authors offer tons of crystal-clear examples with detailed explanations, all supported by deep mathematical thinking. As an added bonus, there are three comprehensive practice tests carefully created to reflect the format of the test. This book will provide all that is needed to pass the math pre-service exam!

More and more educational scenarios and learning landscapes are developed using blogs, wikis, podcasts and e-portfolios. Web 2.0 tools give learners more control, by allowing them to easily create, share or reuse their own learning materials, and these tools also enable social learning networks that bridge the border between formal and informal learning. However, practices of strategic innovation of universities, faculty development, assessment, evaluation and quality assurance have not fully accommodated these changes in technology and teaching.

Ehlers and Schneckenberg present strategic approaches for innovation in universities. The contributions explore new models for developing and engaging faculty in technology-enhanced education, and they detail underlying reasons for why quality assessment and evaluation in new - and often informal - learning scenarios have to change. Their book is a practical guide for educators, aimed at answering these questions. It describes what E-learning 2.0 is, which basic elements of Web 2.0 it builds on, and how E-learning 2.0 differs from Learning 1.0. The book also details a number of quality methods and examples, such as self-assessment, peer-review, social recommendation, and peer-learning, using illustrative cases and giving practical recommendations. Overall, it offers a step-by-step guide for educators so that they can choose their own quality assurance or assessment methods, or develop their own evaluation methodology for specific learning scenarios.

The book addresses everyone involved in higher education - university leaders, chief information officers, change and quality assurance managers, and faculty developers. Pedagogical advisers and consultants will find new insights and practices for the integration and management of novel learning technologies in higher education. The volume fosters in lecturers and teachers a sound understanding of the need and strategy for change, and it provides them with practical recommendations on competence and quality methodologies.

Richly illustrates the practice of programme theory driven evaluation with contemporary examples alongside the most recent advances in theory. Contains self-reflective chapters to allow the reader/novice evaluator to engage with and critique their own work. An excellent introduction to the basic concepts and approaches of theory-driven evaluation.

Effective evaluation of a pupil's performance and of resources available is a vital part of successful teaching. Originally published in 1983, this non-statistical guide aims to help teachers organise their work so as to improve their assessment of their pupils and also to analyse their own management efforts. A model is developed showing how teachers can progressively structure their work to increase the objectivity of their assessment. The use of published tests and the production of tests by teachers is covered, but the focus throughout is on the part played by assessment in the organisation of learning. The steps recommended are arranged so that the first yield the largest return. But none requires any statistical expertise or a large investment of time. The second part of the book shows how schools can be evaluated by their staff - school organisation, staff development and the curriculum are given special attention in this step-by-step guide to effective and rewarding school assessment.

What students are deemed to have achieved when they are sixteen is the measure of how successful or otherwise their progress through the system of compulsory education has been. And yet despite the importance of the process there has been no clear consensus about how best to assess students at sixteen. The various formal examinations which have been tried have now largely been superseded by the GCSE: a common system of examining at sixteen. Originally published in 1988, the book discusses the development of this system, its application to the main subject areas of the curriculum and some of its innovative aspects from both a theoretical and a practical standpoint. In addition, it also looks at the broader aspects of assessment of pupils at the age of sixteen and how we can give a more rounded indication of their achievements and abilities by the use of profiles and records of achievement.