Despite feedback's demonstratively positive effects on student performance, research on the specific components of successful feedback practice is in short supply. In Using Feedback to Improve Learning, Ruiz-Primo and Brookhart offer critical characteristics of feedback strategies to affirm classroom feedback's positive effect on student learning. The book provides pre- and in-service teachers as well as educational researchers with empirically supported techniques for using feedback as a part of formative assessment in the classroom.

"As a new teacher, I am always looking for ideas that will make me feel more confident. Using a portfolio will help me show evidence that the students are making progress toward meeting state standards." -Stephanie Jones, Teacher Forrest City High School, AR "A good overview of the entire portfolio process, from its philosophical foundations to the celebration of student achievement." -Michael F. Dwyer, English Department Chair Otter Valley Union High School, Brandon, VT Encourage student creativity and academic growth through portfolios and authentic assessment! Research and practice show that portfolios are powerful tools for assessing students authentically, communicating with parents about the learning process, and helping learners across all grade levels and content areas record their successes and take ownership of their learning. The third edition of The Portfolio Connection offers practical advice and reader-friendly strategies for implementing student portfolios in the classroom. Through step-by-step procedures, the authors help teachers incorporate standards into the portfolio process by providing expanded checklists and rubrics to monitor student progress. The updated edition also includes: Additional information on e-portfolios and integrating technology Steps for conducting student-led conferences Portfolio examples for children with special needs Guidance on increasing parent involvement Information on the impact of NCLB on student assessment Discover how you can use portfolios to heighten students' self-reflection while expanding their critical and creative thinking skills.

This book on assessing writing is designed for teachers, school leaders, and evaluators. It begins with a collection of assessment practices that will increase teachers' efficiency and effectiveness as they guide students in learning how to think and write successfully. The second section includes step-by-step procedures, prompts, and rubrics for conducting on-demand, timed writing assessments, either for diagnosis of students' skills or for analysis of instruction. The final section explains how to develop and measure interrater reliability, the extent to which assessors agree on the quality of student writing-a critical component for any faculty that seeks to increase the efficacy of their teaching. Whether readers wish to assess the thinking and writing of students in one class, one school, or a whole district, this book will show them how.

How do school leaders build a collaborative, cohesive culture to ensure high quality learning for all students? This book provides a practical, succinct guide for educators on "how" the core elements of the accreditation process can unite a school in its transformative, continuous improvement journey. The authors explain "what is accreditation" and elaborate on using the core elements for schoolwide involvement and collaboration in determining the effectiveness of a school's program and systems and the impact on student learning through a perpetual cycle of assessing, planning, implementing, monitoring and reassessing. The authors clarify the "why" of accreditation and provide case studies of schools that have used accreditation as a coherent framework to build the capacity for change. The lessons learned from many educators embracing accreditation also provide further insights. Readers will deepen their understanding of how the accreditation process honors educators' desire to be self-directed in their passion for learning and well-being for all students. They will understand how accreditation builds and strengthens the trust, engagement, ownership and dialogue among all, viewing the school as a professional learning community. Educational leaders will value the book for its realistic approach to connecting the dots of leadership, coherence, continuous improvement through accreditation.

Reclaiming Education in the Age of PISA provides a critical analysis of the OECD's educational agenda and its main tool, namely, PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment). Based on an analysis of the OECD's public documents, including publications, webpages, and videos, d'Agnese argues that PISA is not just an assessment tool, but rather an all-encompassing framework that intends to govern education, schooling, living and society worldwide. This creation of what d'Agnese calls a life-brand raises concerns that education and learning are becoming wares and that, consequently, we run the risk of transforming schools into providers and teachers into agents of preconceived learning packages. In pursuing only one concept of education, and a very narrow one at that, d'Agnese argues that OECD not only narrows down education to a mere reproductive process, but that such an approach also erases the basic rules by which living develops and evolves. In this sense PISA is but another form of authoritarian teaching, authoritarian teaching being understood as any and every educational project which sets aims and purposes of education without giving the possibility to discuss and challenge such aims and purposes. Reclaiming Education in the Age of PISA suggests a different educational logic, emphasizing that schooling is not just a place to produce the correct skills, but is also a matter of experimentation, hesitation and wait, one in which teachers and students attempt to dwell in pure potentiality for growth. Providing a strong argument that a different way to conceive of schooling deserves our attention, this book will be essential reading for academics, researchers and postgraduates in the fields of educational philosophy and theory, inclusive education and social justice. It should also be of interest to policymakers and educational activists.

Learning strategies and academic performance have been extensively investigated but relatively few studies were conducted in East Asia. This volume presents a reflection on the current status of metacognition and academic performance in the East Asian region. It serves to provide a more complete picture of the global study of how students' learning and studying strategies affect their acdemic performance. This book will be of interest to researchers and educators in the area of education, education psychology, cross-cultural studies, education policy, curriculum and instruction and regional studies.

Originally published in 1935, Testing Children's Development from Birth to School Age highlighted the greatly increased interest in measuring the development of pre-school children by other means than the older, inadequate "intelligence tests". In the early part of the twentieth century the work done at the Psychological Institute of the University of Vienna under the general direction of Dr Karl Buehler had become favourably known throughout Europe and the United States. This was also especially true of the studies in child psychology directed by the authors Dr Charlotte Buehler and her one-time assistant, Dr Hildegard Hetzer. The book contains developmental tests for the first six years of life; techniques for testing small children; information on the construction of tests and the evaluation their results. Today it can be read and enjoyed in its historical context.

This book explores the construct of reading comprehension by means of two main test methods. Research methods like the think aloud protocol and eye tracking are employed to tap into test-takers' cognitive processes while engaged in input text meaning building, and in test tasks. The book is the first systematic attempt to explore test-takers' cognitive processes through the control of test methods, and presents findings in visualized form including processing route maps and eye fixation heat maps. It offers readers essential support with "digging into" and analyzing data that has to date remained difficult to access.

There is convincing evidence that carefully applied classroom assessments can promote student learning and academic self-regulation. These assessments include, but are not limited to, conversations with students, diagnostic test items, and co-created rubrics used to guide feedback for students themselves and their peers. Writing with the practical constraints of teaching in mind, Andrade and Heritage present a concise resource to help pre- and in-service teachers maximize the positive impacts of classroom assessment on teaching. Using Formative Assessment to Enhance Learning, Achievement, and Academic Self-Regulation translates work from leading specialists and explains how to use assessment to improve learning by linking learning theory to formative assessment processes. Sections on goal setting, progress monitoring, interpreting feedback, and revision of goal setting make this a timely addition to assessment courses.

Measurement and Statistics for Teachers deftly combines descriptive statistics and measurement in the classroom into a student-friendly, practical volume. Based on a course taught by the author for the past 25 years, this book offers to undergraduate education students a clear account of the basic issues in measurement and details best practices for administering performance assessments, interpreting test scores, and evaluating student writing. This second edition includes updated pedagogical features, timely discussions of student assessment, state standards (including NCLB), and an expanded focus that incorporates the needs of Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary teachers.

For the first time, school districts around the country are being required to adopt formal accountability measures to assess teacher effectiveness. In a radical shift, teacher quality will be based on outputs (student achievement; teacher observations) rather than inputs (years of service; degrees attained). This change in school culture and practice is an attempt to improve everything from individual student learning to national economic competitiveness. It also requires that administrators implement new and rigorous teacher evaluation programs that align with state and federal guidelines. Busy administrators lack the training and experience necessary to quickly and efficiently craft a teacher evaluation system that successfully meets the needs of their district. Questions like "What is the best program for my district?" or "How do I get the teachers on-board?" are being asked by school leaders across the country. This book provides real-world answers by highlighting 10 diverse model programs from around the country.

The College Instructor's Guide to Writing Test Items: Measuring Student Learning addresses the need for direct and clear guidance on item writing for assessing broad ranges of content in many fields. By focusing on multiple-choice response items, this book provides college instructors the tools to understand, develop, and use assessment activities in classrooms in a way that consistently supports learning. Including dozens of example items and additional resources to support the item development process, this volume is unique in its practical-focus, and is essential reading for instructors and soon-to-be educators, professional development specialists, and higher education researchers. As teaching, assessment, and learning are inherently intertwined, The College Instructor's Guide to Writing Test Items both facilitates the development of instructors' own practice and improves the learning outcomes and success of students.

The College Instructor's Guide to Writing Test Items: Measuring Student Learning addresses the need for direct and clear guidance on item writing for assessing broad ranges of content in many fields. By focusing on multiple-choice response items, this book provides college instructors the tools to understand, develop, and use assessment activities in classrooms in a way that consistently supports learning. Including dozens of example items and additional resources to support the item development process, this volume is unique in its practical-focus, and is essential reading for instructors and soon-to-be educators, professional development specialists, and higher education researchers. As teaching, assessment, and learning are inherently intertwined, The College Instructor's Guide to Writing Test Items both facilitates the development of instructors' own practice and improves the learning outcomes and success of students.

Assessing Student Learning is a standard reference for college faculty and administrators, and the third edition of this highly regarded book continues to offer comprehensive, practical, plainspoken guidance. The third edition adds a stronger emphasis on making assessment useful; greater attention to building a culture in which assessment is used to inform important decisions; an enhanced focus on the many settings of assessment, especially general education and co-curricula; a new emphasis on synthesizing evidence of student learning into an overall picture of an integrated learning experience; new chapters on curriculum design and assessing the hard-to-assess; more thorough information on organizing assessment processes; new frameworks for rubric design and setting standards and targets; and many new resources. Faculty, administrators, new and experienced assessment practitioners, and students in graduate courses on higher education assessment will all find this a valuable addition to their bookshelves.

The No Child Left Behind Act has standardized the proficiency requirements of students, thus challenging schools to teach, test, and be accountable for student mastery of the curriculum. Students no longer have the luxury of time to learn the mechanics of taking tests. As early as third grade, they not only must have acquired the knowledge of the material, they also have to perform on the tests that measure that knowledge. Dr. Guinevere Durham has spent 25 years researching, writing, and implementing a program that teaches test-taking skills to students. Teaching Test-Taking Skills is filled with strategies, techniques, and activities that have been proven successful in the classroom. It is practical, user-friendly, cost effective, and compatible with any curriculum. The test scores of students taught these skills are a true assessment of their potential.

This study examines the implications for evaluation and assessment when more responsibility for the learning process is given to the learner. The text includes sections on peer assessment, self-assessment, styles of evaluation, references, and the roles of teacher and learner.

Published with Kappa Delta Pi, Creativity and Education in China takes readers on a journey through research-supported ideas and practical examples of creative and innovative schooling within a changing regime. Analyzing the consequences of exam-centric accountability on the creative and critical capacities of Chinese students, author Carol A. Mullen's dynamic portrait of a country serves as both a cautionary tale and an inspiring example to emulate. Examining creative endeavors and breakthroughs within a competitive, globalized educational landscape, the chapters are organized around environmental and global issues impacting education, expressions of creativity within pre-K-12 schools in China, and creative innovation in higher education learning environments. Presenting captivating cases from the field, the book offers novel approaches to fostering creativity as a natural, integrated part of high-stakes education systems in Eastern and Western cultures alike.

Schools are drowning in test data, but many schools do little with test results other than sort students into various categories of proficiency or lack thereof. Some educators feel testing has taken the joy out of teaching. Others believe valuable instructional time has been lost as a result of testing. Yet, NCBL and other federal and state mandates have placed educators under increasing pressure to make certain all students meet standards on high-stakes tests. Now, more than ever, teachers and administrators need to embrace testing as a valuable classroom tool to guide instruction, use efficient technological resources available for test scoring and analysis, and profit from the benefits of test analysis to increase learning and achievement. Using Test Data for Student Achievement shows educators, step by step, how to use test data to facilitate student learning. The book combines research, technology and Sindelar's experience as a teacher and administrator to provide practical and efficient ways to use test data to increase learning, close achievement gaps and even raise test scores.

Examining and Facilitating Reflection to Improve Professional Practice is specifically designed and organized to be used throughout a teacher-education program from an introductory foundations course, continuing through content-specific methods classes to graduate-level theory seminars, and, ultimately onto professional development workshops. Harris and her co-authors provide a method for directly instructing students on the practice of reflection and the understanding and identification of the developmental phases of reflection, supported by theory drawn from research. By moving students beyond their commonly held belief that reflection is simply keeping a journal or summarizing the days' activities, Examining and Facilitating Reflection to Improve Professional Practice enables them to use increasingly sophisticated reflection practices that help them grow in their reflective process, ultimately improving their instructional practice. Closely aligned with the reflections standards set by INTASC, NCATE, and NBPST, this book is essential as universities and colleges seek to have reflection as a standard skill set for classroom teachers and educational administrators. Using this text as an easily accessible resource, a discussion and activities guide, and a support for professional development, Education Departments' reflection goals and objectives are met and students enter the classroom confidant in their ability to think in diverse ways, meet the challenges of the classroom, and respond to changing educational environments.

Parents had questions about the tests their children took at school. They considered them to be common sense questions. They posed them to the businesspeople, publishers, and politicians who championed tests. They also posed them to the school administrators, teachers, and union leaders who criticized them. This book examines the questions the parents posed, the answers they elicited, and the changes they prodded.

The No Child Left Behind Act has standardized the proficiency requirements of students, thus challenging schools to teach, test, and be accountable for student mastery of the curriculum. Students no longer have the luxury of time to learn the mechanics of taking tests. As early as third grade, they not only must have acquired the knowledge of the material, they also have to perform on the tests that measure that knowledge. Dr. Guinevere Durham has spent 25 years researching, writing, and implementing a program that teaches test-taking skills to students. Teaching Test-Taking Skills is filled with strategies, techniques, and activities that have been proven successful in the classroom. It is practical, user-friendly, cost effective, and compatible with any curriculum. The test scores of students taught these skills are a true assessment of their potential.

This collection of essays focuses on both how and why assessment serves as a key element in the teaching and practice of technical and professional communication. The collection is organized to form a dual approach: on the one hand, it offers a landscape view of the activities involved in assessment - examining how it works at institutional, program, and classroom levels; on the other, it surveys the implications of using assessment for formulating, maintaining, and extending the teaching and practice of technical communication. The book offers teachers, students, scholars, and practitioners alike evidence of the increasingly valuable role of assessment in the field, as it supports and enriches our thinking and practice. No other volume has addressed the demands of and the expectations for assessment in technical communication. Consequently, the book has two key goals. The first is to be as inclusive as is feasible for its size, demonstrating the global operation of assessment in the field. For this reason, descriptions of assessment practice lead to examinations of some key feature of the landscape captured by the term 'technical communication'. The second goal is to retain the public and cooperative approach that has characterized technical communication from the beginning. To achieve this, the book represents a 'conversation', with contributors chosen from among practicing, highly active technical communication teachers and scholars; and the chapters set up pairs of opening statement and following response. The overriding purpose of the volume, therefore, is to invite the whole community into the conversation about assessment in technical communication.

Learn how to assess students in a way that truly impacts learning. In Rigor and Assessment in the Classroom, bestselling author Barbara R. Blackburn provides a broad range of practical strategies for increasing the rigor and usefulness of your formative and summative assessments. You'll discover how to... Create an environment where students are expected to learn at high levels; Evaluate and check student learning in a way that ensures growth; Strengthen the validity and reliability of your assessments; Plan assessments in conjunction with planning the instruction; Differentiate assessments to increase the rigor for all students; Enhance the effectiveness of your grading system and feedback; Use performance-based assessment to enhance rigor; and Design clear, reader-friendly rubrics and scoring guides. Each chapter includes ready-to-use tools, examples across the subject areas, and "Think About It" questions to help you reflect on what you've read. Many of the tools are also offered as free eResources at www.routledge.com/9781138936140, so you can easily print and distribute them for classroom use.

First Published in 1998. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Here, Gunn and Singh take a good look at one of society's most perplexing problems_our cultural testing bias. We live in an open society where the key to opportunity is a good education, but what if some people can't get that good education because their test scores are too low? A quick look at the world of testing will reveal that African Americans and Hispanics are clustered at the bottom of the scoring range. Why? Educators recognized the testing bias many years ago and began searching for a culture-free form of testing, but most of these efforts have failed. Gunn and Singh have a different approach. They believe that test-taking is a skill like many other cognitive endeavors, and in this book provide guidance in teaching math, verbal reasoning, abstraction, and language skills to minority children. Features: Factual data on standardized tests fairness, Examples of unfair test questions. The authors describe how learning can be fun by showing: How problem solving can be made simple, How parents can teach verbal skills to their children Their experience is that as the learning takes place, minority children gain in self-pride and draw closer to their parents. It is likely to be the same for many others who read this book. Intended for students, parents, teachers, educators, education policymakers, test designers, and mental health professionals.