Download or read book Competence Assessment in Education written by Detlev Leutner and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-03-27 with total page 491 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book addresses challenges in the theoretically and empirically adequate assessment of competencies in educational settings. It presents the scientific projects of the priority program “Competence Models for Assessing Individual Learning Outcomes and Evaluating Educational Processes,” which focused on competence assessment across disciplines in Germany. The six-year program coordinated 30 research projects involving experts from the fields of psychology, educational science, and subject-specific didactics. The main reference point for all projects is the concept of “competencies,” which are defined as “context-specific cognitive dispositions that are acquired and needed to successfully cope with certain situations or tasks in specific domains” (Koeppen et al., 2008, p. 62). The projects investigate different aspects of competence assessment: The primary focus lies on the development of cognitive models of competencies, complemented by the construction of psychometric models based on these theoretical models. In turn, the psychometric models constitute the basis for the construction of instruments for effectively measuring competencies. The assessment of competencies plays a key role in optimizing educational processes and improving the effectiveness of educational systems. This book contributes to this challenging endeavor by meeting the need for more integrative, interdisciplinary research on the structure, levels, and development of competencies.
Download or read book The Assessment of Student Competence in the Public Schools written by Robert B. Ingle and published by . This book was released on 1978 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Testing Teaching and Learning written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 1999-10-06 with total page 136 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: State education departments and school districts face an important challenge in implementing a new law that requires disadvantaged students to be held to the same standards as other students. The new requirements come from provisions of the 1994 reauthorization of Title I, the largest federal effort in precollegiate education, which provides aid to "level the field" for disadvantaged students. Testing, Teaching, and Learning is written to help states and school districts comply with the new law, offering guidance for designing and implementing assessment and accountability systems. This book examines standards-based education reform and reviews the research on student assessment, focusing on the needs of disadvantaged students covered by Title I. With examples of states and districts that have track records in new systems, the committee develops a practical "decision framework" for education officials. The book explores how best to design assessment and accountability systems that support high levels of student learning and to work toward continuous improvement. Testing, Teaching, and Learning will be an important tool for all involved in educating disadvantaged studentsâ€"state and local administrators and classroom teachers.
Download or read book Knowing What Students Know written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2001-10-27 with total page 383 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Education is a hot topic. From the stage of presidential debates to tonight's dinner table, it is an issue that most Americans are deeply concerned about. While there are many strategies for improving the educational process, we need a way to find out what works and what doesn't work as well. Educational assessment seeks to determine just how well students are learning and is an integral part of our quest for improved education. The nation is pinning greater expectations on educational assessment than ever before. We look to these assessment tools when documenting whether students and institutions are truly meeting education goals. But we must stop and ask a crucial question: What kind of assessment is most effective? At a time when traditional testing is subject to increasing criticism, research suggests that new, exciting approaches to assessment may be on the horizon. Advances in the sciences of how people learn and how to measure such learning offer the hope of developing new kinds of assessments-assessments that help students succeed in school by making as clear as possible the nature of their accomplishments and the progress of their learning. Knowing What Students Know essentially explains how expanding knowledge in the scientific fields of human learning and educational measurement can form the foundations of an improved approach to assessment. These advances suggest ways that the targets of assessment-what students know and how well they know it-as well as the methods used to make inferences about student learning can be made more valid and instructionally useful. Principles for designing and using these new kinds of assessments are presented, and examples are used to illustrate the principles. Implications for policy, practice, and research are also explored. With the promise of a productive research-based approach to assessment of student learning, Knowing What Students Know will be important to education administrators, assessment designers, teachers and teacher educators, and education advocates.
Download or read book Measuring Student Progress and Teachers Assessment of Student Knowledge in a Competency Based Education System REL 2017 238 written by R. Marc Brodersen and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 39 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Competency-based education has received growing attention in recent years as a way to address preK-12 learning goals. In competency-based education, students are promoted to the next course of study or grade level in each subject area after demonstrating mastery of identified learning targets aligned to standards. Westminster Public Schools in Colorado began the transition to a competency-based education system in 2009. In the Westminster Public Schools system, courses of study are organized according to performance level rather than according to traditional grade levels. Westminster Public Schools, a member of the Regional Educational Laboratory Central College and Career Readiness Research Alliance, asked for assistance in examining how long it takes students in the district to progress through their performance levels, especially students who are below their traditional grade level. Westminster Public Schools also asked for assistance in examining how well teachers' ratings of student competency (learning target scores) align to external assessments of student academic achievement. Educators may use the approach described in this report to assess the degree to which teachers' judgments of student competency relate to student academic achievement measures in their own school or school district. Using data from the Westminster Public Schools learning management system, this study examined how long elementary and middle school students took to complete math and literacy performance levels 3-8 during the 2013/14 school year. To examine the relationship between students' learning target scores and Colorado's standardized achievement test scores, a student's learning target scores within a performance level were combined to create an overall performance-level competency score for each student. The performance-level competency scores represent an aggregate measure of student competency within their given performance levels based on teachers' judgments. These performance-level competency scores were then used to predict students' scores and proficiency levels on the Transitional Colorado Assessment Program. A majority of students completed their courses of study in math and literacy in approximately one academic year. Although a majority of students who were in a math or literacy performance level below their traditional grade level also completed their course of study in one academic year, a larger percentage of them (43-47 percent) completed their level in three or fewer quarters compared with students in a performance level at their traditional grade level (17-22 percent). These results suggest that competency-based education in Westminster Public Schools provides students who are behind academically an opportunity to complete performance levels in less time than in a traditional education system. Students' performance-level competency scores had statistically significant and positive relationships with Transitional Colorado Assessment Program scores, but the relationships were weak. The performance-level competency scores accounted for only a small proportion (3-4 percent) of the variance in students' scores on the state achievement test. Math performance-level competency scores accurately predicted math proficiency levels on the state achievement test for 40 percent of students, and literacy performance-level competency scores accurately predicted reading proficiency levels on the state achievement test for 59 percent of students. The performance-level competency scores of students who were in a performance level below their traditional grade level were more likely to predict that their state achievement test proficiency level would be higher than it actually was. In contrast, for students above grade level, performance-level competency scores were more likely to predict that their state achievement test proficiency level would be lower than their actual level. The relatively weak relationships between performance-level competency and state achievement test scores suggest that teachers' judgments of student competency under competency-based education in Westminster Public Schools are not good predictors of academic performance, as measured by the Transitional Colorado Assessment Program. The following are appended: (1) Westminster Public Schools learning target competency scale; (2) Data and methodology; and (3) Additional study findings.
Download or read book Computer Competence written by Michael E. Martinez and published by . This book was released on 1988 with total page 86 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report contains the results of a national survey conducted by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (naep) during the 1985-86 school year. The report, which attempts to capture the interacting forces influencing computer competence among students, is presented in six chapters: (1) Overview (major findings, significance of this assessment, and importance of computer competence); (2) Assessing Computer Competence (I.E., knowledge of computer technology, computer applications, and computer programming); (3) Attitudes, Instruction, and Access (student attitudes toward computers, experience with computers, computer use in the school, and computer use outside the school); (4) Computer Competence among Subgroups (E.G., gender, race/ethnicity, parental education, public/non-public education, and community and religion); (5) Computer Coordinators (their characteristics, teaching activities, professional experience and training, and professional confidence); and (6) Implications. The major findings of this survey indicate that access to a computer at home is positively related to computer competence; students like using computers; computers are seldom used in subject areas such as reading, math, or science; males demonstrate more competence than females; racial differences exist, favoring white students over black students; computer competence is increased for students whose parents went to college, who attend non-public schools, and who live in the northeast; and many computer coordinators have minimal training in computer studies. Sample survey questions are provided in each area and the results are reported in tables and graphs as well as in narrative form. A description of the methodology of the study is appended. Numerous charts and graphs are included, and a procedural appendix concludes the document. (Db).
Download or read book Policies for America s Public Schools written by Ron Haskins and published by Praeger. This book was released on 1988 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume discusses teacher training, pay and incentives, equity and diversity among the student population, and the use of indicators to assess educational progress and to inform decision making. Chapters in each section emphasize policies that schools should adopt to address the respective issues.
Download or read book Leaders of Their Own Learning written by Ron Berger and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2014-01-07 with total page 404 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From EL Education comes a proven approach to student assessment Leaders of Their Own Learning offers a new way of thinking about assessment based on the celebrated work of EL Education schools across the country. Student-Engaged Assessment is not a single practice but an approach to teaching and learning that equips and compels students to understand goals for their learning and growth, track their progress toward those goals, and take responsibility for reaching them. This requires a set of interrelated strategies and structures and a whole-school culture in which students are given the respect and responsibility to be meaningfully engaged in their own learning. Includes everything teachers and school leaders need to implement a successful Student-Engaged Assessment system in their schools Outlines the practices that will engage students in making academic progress, improve achievement, and involve families and communities in the life of the school Describes each of the book's eight key practices, gives advice on how to begin, and explains what teachers and school leaders need to put into practice in their own classrooms Ron Berger is Chief Program Officer for EL Education and a former public school teacher Leaders of Their Own Learning shows educators how to ignite the capacity of students to take responsibility for their own learning, meet Common Core and state standards, and reach higher levels of achievement. DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of the e-book file, but are available for download after purchase.
Download or read book Beyond Testing written by Deborah Meier and published by Teachers College Press. This book was released on 2017 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The authors of this timely book argue that a fundamentally complex problem—how to assess the knowledge of a child—cannot be reduced to a simple test score. Beyond Testing describes seven forms of assessment that are more effective than standardized test results: (1) student self-assessments, (2) direct teacher observations of students and their work, (3) descriptive reviews of the child, (4) reading and math interviews with children, (5) portfolios and public defense of student work, (6) school reviews and observations by outside professionals, and (7) school boards and town meetings. These assessments are more honest about what we can and cannot know about children’s knowledge, skills, and dispositions, and are more adaptable to varying educational missions. Readers can compare and contrast each approach and make informed decisions about what is most appropriate for their school. “Many people have wondered,‘If not standardized testing, then what?’ Here are the answers.” —Diane Ravitch, New York University “This is a terrific introduction to alternatives to current assessment practices. Highly recommended!” —David C. Berliner, Regent's Professor Emeritus at Arizona State University and bestselling author “All parents, educators, and politicians need to read this book.” —Wayne Au, editor, Rethinking Schools “Beyond Testing is an outstanding book that should be employed by teachers and administrators today.” —Carl A. Grant, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Download or read book Educational Assessment written by Robert J. Wright and published by SAGE Publications. This book was released on 2007-12-21 with total page 771 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Grounded in the real world of public schools and students, this engaging, insightful, and highly readable text introduces the inner-workings of K–12 educational assessment. There has never been a time when it is more important for educators to have an understanding of testing and assessments. Accountability is now a fact of life for all public school educators, and testing is at the core of all educational assessment programs. It is no longer prudent or even possible for educators to ignore this national zeitgeist. Educational Assessment: Tests and Measurements in the Age of Accountability addresses all of the constructs central to understanding the design, construction and evaluation of educational measures. It goes on to provide students with insight into the link between today′s high-stakes testing mandates and the traditions of the past 125 years of "scientific" measurement in the United States. It addresses the problem of understanding and correctly interpreting test scores on local, statewide, national, and international assessments. It also addresses how certain issues such as institutionalized cheating, test preparation, and individual differences among students and their families influence test score outcomes. Key Features Covers traditional topics in an approachable and understandable way: Reliability, validity, performance assessments, standardized achievement tests, and many more topics are included. Analyzes and interprets "hot-button" issues of today′s complex measurement concerns: The score-gap, high-stakes testing, grade retention, drop-out crises, "academic redshirting,", diversity, family influence, and educational technology, are examined. Relates theory to practice: Each chapter includes relevant real-life examples and case studies to demonstrate how the technical-measurement principles impact those involved. Addresses the needs of diverse students: Issues related to students with special needs and the testing of English Language Learners are discussed. Intended Audience: Educational Assessment: Tests and Measurements in the Age of Accountability has been written to meet the needs of students in graduate programs of special education, reading, school counseling, school social work, curriculum supervision, or administration. Providing grounding in all aspects of measurement, this book is perfect for undergraduate and graduate courses such as Educational Tests and Measurements, Assessment in Education, and Student Assessment.
Download or read book The Politics of Competence written by John Merrow and published by . This book was released on 1975 with total page 112 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The extent to which we are being shaped by the "competency-based" concept in the training and licensing of teachers is the topic of this volume. The central statement "The Politics of Competence: A Review of Competency-Based Teacher Education," provides a review and interpretation of activity nationally. (The importance of this activity can be underscored by the estimate that hundreds of thousands of educator-person years are being consumed by this movement.) This statement is followed by a series of perspectives by people who either helped shape the "competency-based" concept, or who are now responding to the concept's shaping force. The general purpose of the National Institute of Education in publishing a volume such as this one is to raise the level of public debate on contemporary issues in education. To this end, the format followed is to review and interpret a national activity, followed by perspectives from major interested parties.
Download or read book Educating One and All written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 1997-06-27 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the movement toward standards-based education, an important question stands out: How will this reform affect the 10% of school-aged children who have disabilities and thus qualify for special education? In Educating One and All, an expert committee addresses how to reconcile common learning for all students with individualized education for "one"â€"the unique student. The book makes recommendations to states and communities that have adopted standards-based reform and that seek policies and practices to make reform consistent with the requirements of special education. The committee explores the ideas, implementation issues, and legislative initiatives behind the tradition of special education for people with disabilities. It investigates the policy and practice implications of the current reform movement toward high educational standards for all students. Educating One and All examines the curricula and expected outcomes of standards-based education and the educational experience of students with disabilitiesâ€"and identifies points of alignment between the two areas. The volume documents the diverse population of students with disabilities and their school experiences. Because approaches to assessment and accountability are key to standards-based reforms, the committee analyzes how assessment systems currently address students with disabilities, including testing accommodations. The book addresses legal and resource implications, as well as parental participation in children's education.
Download or read book Pencils Down written by Wayne Au and published by Rethinking Schools. This book was released on 2012 with total page 324 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This powerful collection from the groundbreaking Rethinking Schools magazine takes high-stakes standardized tests to task. Despite overwhelming evidence that the tests are invalid ways to measure teaching and learning -- and continuing signs of their unjust effects on students and teachers -- "reformers" and policymakers continue to force high-stakes tests into the public schools. Through articles that provide thoughtful and emotional critiques from the frontlines of education, Pencils Down deconstructs the damage that standardized tests wreak on our education system and the human beings that populate it. Better yet, it offers visionary forms of assessment that are not only more authentic, but also more democratic, fair, and accurate.
Download or read book Seeing Students Learn Science written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2017-03-24 with total page 137 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Science educators in the United States are adapting to a new vision of how students learn science. Children are natural explorers and their observations and intuitions about the world around them are the foundation for science learning. Unfortunately, the way science has been taught in the United States has not always taken advantage of those attributes. Some students who successfully complete their Kâ€"12 science classes have not really had the chance to "do" science for themselves in ways that harness their natural curiosity and understanding of the world around them. The introduction of the Next Generation Science Standards led many states, schools, and districts to change curricula, instruction, and professional development to align with the standards. Therefore existing assessmentsâ€"whatever their purposeâ€"cannot be used to measure the full range of activities and interactions happening in science classrooms that have adapted to these ideas because they were not designed to do so. Seeing Students Learn Science is meant to help educators improve their understanding of how students learn science and guide the adaptation of their instruction and approach to assessment. It includes examples of innovative assessment formats, ways to embed assessments in engaging classroom activities, and ideas for interpreting and using novel kinds of assessment information. It provides ideas and questions educators can use to reflect on what they can adapt right away and what they can work toward more gradually.
Download or read book The Portfolio Approach to Assessment written by Emily Grady and published by . This book was released on 1992 with total page 36 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The shortcomings of standardized testing as the predominant form of student assessment in the United States are reviewed, and the use and potential benefits of portfolio assessment are explored. Children's educational experiences and their future job prospects and standards of living are being decided by test scores. Moreover, these test scores may be unfair or biased against some students. Instead of more tests, we need a new attitude toward assessment, one that encourages a variety of assessments. Portfolio assessment, through collections of student works, can be an encompassing format for this new philosophy. Before considering what a portfolio should contain, it is important to establish the purpose of the assessment. The experiences of Vermont illustrate the development of a portfolio assessment with consistent standards. Examples of guidelines for mathematics and language arts portfolios make it clear that it is possible to establish consistent practices. It is also necessary to reflect on the portfolio occasionally, using self-evaluations and direct questions or profiles. Educators also find portfolios useful tools for preservice teachers. Portfolio assessment can be the framework for a new curricular structure that integrates assessment into the learning loop. (SLD)
Download or read book Linking Teacher Evaluation and Student Learning written by Pamela D. Tucker and published by ASCD. This book was released on 2005 with total page 185 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Tucker and Stronge explore a variety of ways to include measures of student achievement in teacher evaluations, so that teachers can better focus efforts to improve their practice.
Download or read book Classroom Assessment and the National Science Education Standards written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2001-08-12 with total page 129 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The National Science Education Standards address not only what students should learn about science but also how their learning should be assessed. How do we know what they know? This accompanying volume to the Standards focuses on a key kind of assessment: the evaluation that occurs regularly in the classroom, by the teacher and his or her students as interacting participants. As students conduct experiments, for example, the teacher circulates around the room and asks individuals about their findings, using the feedback to adjust lessons plans and take other actions to boost learning. Focusing on the teacher as the primary player in assessment, the book offers assessment guidelines and explores how they can be adapted to the individual classroom. It features examples, definitions, illustrative vignettes, and practical suggestions to help teachers obtain the greatest benefit from this daily evaluation and tailoring process. The volume discusses how classroom assessment differs from conventional testing and grading-and how it fits into the larger, comprehensive assessment system.
