Download or read book Exam Schools written by Chester E. Finn, Jr. and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2012-09-16 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An in-depth look at academically selective public high schools in America What is the best education for exceptionally able and high-achieving youngsters? Can the United States strengthen its future intellectual leadership, economic vitality, and scientific prowess without sacrificing equal opportunity? There are no easy answers but, as Chester Finn and Jessica Hockett show, for more than 100,000 students each year, the solution is to enroll in an academically selective public high school. Exam Schools is the first-ever close-up look at this small, sometimes controversial, yet crucial segment of American public education. This groundbreaking book discusses how these schools work--and their critical role in nurturing the country's brightest students. The 165 schools identified by Finn and Hockett are located in thirty states, plus the District of Columbia. While some are world renowned, such as Boston Latin and Bronx Science, others are known only in their own communities. The authors survey the schools on issues ranging from admissions and student diversity to teacher selection. They probe sources of political support, curriculum, instructional styles, educational effectiveness, and institutional autonomy. Some of their findings are surprising: Los Angeles, for example, has no "exam schools" while New York City has dozens. Asian-American students are overrepresented—but so are African-American pupils. Culminating with in-depth profiles of eleven exam schools and thoughtful reflection on policy implications, Finn and Hockett ultimately consider whether the country would be better off with more such schools. At a time of keen attention to the faltering education system, Exam Schools sheds positive light on a group of schools that could well provide a transformative roadmap for many of America's children.
Download or read book Secondary School External Examination Systems written by Barend Vlaardingerbroek and published by Cambria Press. This book was released on 2009 with total page 382 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Summative assessment has been a contentious issue in educational circles for several decades, particularly high-stakes assessment events which arise at various junctures of the school cycle, especially those at the end of it. The French Baccalaureat and English A-Levels and their numerous clones throughout the francophone and anglophone worlds are household names and represent milestone events in people's lives, as their outcomes are principal determinants of young people's future prospects. These examinations are external--they are devised, conducted and processed by agencies outside the schools, usually ministerial examination units. As such, they act as 'blind' arbiters of student achievement, providing the proverbial 'level playing field' which ensures the comparability of outcomes. In the pyramidal school structures of yesteryear, examinations acted as filters, regulating the progression of pupils to subsequent tiers of formal education. Exit points occurred from primary school level up, from where unsuccessful candidates could enter the labour force and/or embark on occupationally specific further education and training. With the modernisation of the labour market and an ever-higher social demand for access to higher levels of formal education, the filtering function of examinations at lower levels of schooling has been gradually eroded, while burgeoning numbers of students at the upper secondary level have brought about reforms that include curricular diversification and sometimes radical overhauls of terminating assessment systems (including the modification and, in some instances, abandonment of external examinations). This edited volume brings together the experiences of twenty examination systems from around the world to show how these dynamic entities have adapted over time to the changing context of schooling. Following an introduction by Stephen P. Heyneman of World Bank repute, there are sixteen chapters presenting Country Case Studies, which have been written up under common subheadings, thereby highlighting the comparative nature of the work and facilitating cross-referencing. The subsequent four chapters elaborate on the theme of 'external examinations beyond national borders', including a contribution by the International Baccalaureate Organisation. A defining feature of the work is the attention it pays to what it calls the 'nuts and bolts' of external examinations, from question-setting to grading procedures. These are, it is argued, instrumental in nurturing and maintaining public confidence in external examinations. The book will be of immense value to people involved in educational policy studies, especially strategic educational planning, as well as those directly concerned with formal assessment. The work has been written to appeal to a wide audience of informed persons--it is accessible to teachers and interested laypeople, as well as to academics."
Download or read book The Official ACT Prep Guide 2018 written by ACT and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2017-06-09 with total page 724 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The only guide from the ACT organization, the makers of the exam, revised and updated for 2017 and beyond The Official ACT Prep Guide, 2018 Edition, Revised and Updated is the must-have resource for college bound students. The guide is the go-to handbook for ACT preparation and the only guide from the makers of the exam. The book and online content includes the actual ACT test forms (taken from real ACT exams). In addition, this comprehensive resource has everything students need to know about when they are preparing for and taking the ACT. The book contains information on how to register for the exam, proven test-taking strategies, ideas for preparing mentally and physically, gearing up for test day, and much more. This invaluable guide includes additional questions and material that contains articles on everything from preparing a standout college application and getting into your top-choice school to succeeding in college The bestselling prep guide from the makers of the ACT test Offers bonus online content to help boost college readiness Contains the real ACT test forms used in previous years This new edition offers students updated data on scoring your writing test, new reporting categories, as well as updated tips on how to do your best preparing for the test and on the actual test day from the team at ACT. It also offers additional 400 practice questions that are available online.
Download or read book Secondary School Examinations written by George J. Bruce and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2014-05-17 with total page 161 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Secondary School Examinations: Facts and Commentary presents the importance and development of the secondary school examinations. This book explains the pass/fail concept of the General Certificate Education (G.C.E.) wherein the candidates would be classified as either passing or failing with no sub-divisions within these two categories. Organized into eight chapters, this book begins with an overview of the underlying principles of the G.C.E. examination for teachers, students, and parents. This text then examines the development of Schools Council for Curriculum and Examinations, which signaled a fresh approach by the central authority to the problem of comparing standards by means of calibration tests. Other chapters consider the method of appointing small sub-committees to work on a syllabus whereby the subject advisory panels take care to guarantee a preponderance of teachers, not forgetting to ensure that boys' as well as girls' schools are represented. This book is a valuable resource for teachers, students, and parents.
Download or read book The Trouble with Higher Education written by Trevor Hussey and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2012-04-04 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Trouble with Higher Education is a powerful and topical critique of the Higher Education system in the UK, with relevance to countries with similar systems. Based on the authors’ experiences that span over 30+ years of fieldwork, the issues discussed focus on the problems facing the principle responsibilities of universities: teaching, learning and research. The first half of the book identifies a number of problems that have followed the growth of mass education. It examines their causes and explains their damaging effects. The second half of the book offers a broad vision and makes a number of practical suggestions for ameliorating the problems and improving higher education. Supported by research, the suggestions include: ways of managing universities; proper inspection; better ways of organising students’ learning; improving teaching and learning; better approaches to assessment, and the proper use of ideas such as learning outcomes. Topics discussed include: Chronic under-funding, the replacement of student grants with loans and the introduction of tuition fees. The growth of managerialism. The emphasis on accountability and decline of trust. The growth of a competitive, market ethos. Modular degrees, knowledge treated as a commodity and students seen as customers. The drift towards a two-tiered system, with teaching colleges and research universities. Casualisation of the academic profession. The Trouble with Higher Education is aimed primarily at a professional audience of academics, educationalists, managers, administrators and policy makers, but would interest anyone concerned about higher education. It is suited to professional development courses, and Master’s and doctoral level studies.
Download or read book Revise As A2 Biology written by Senior Lecturer in African History John Parker and published by Letts and Lonsdale. This book was released on 2008-10 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Level: A Level Subject: Biology Revise for AS & A2 Biology with confidence! Providing complete study support throughout the two A Level years, this Biology study guide matches the curriculum content and provides in-depth course coverage, plus invaluable advice on how to get the best results in the exams. Providing plenty of exam practice and frequent progress checks and questions to consolidate learning, this AS & A2 Biology study guide contains invaluable advice and preparation for the exam. Included in this book: * examiner's tips that reveal how to achieve higher marks * information presented in a clear and easy-to-use format * exam board labels that allow students to identify content relevant to their course * highlighted key points and examiner's hints to offer guidance * progress check questions to test recall and understanding * sample questions and model answers that reveal what examiners are looking for * exam-style questions and answers that provide crucial exam practice eal what examiners are looking for * exam-style questions and answers that provide crucial exam practiceeal what examiners are looking for * exam-style questions and answers that provide crucial exam practiceeal what examiners are looking for * exam-style questions and answers that provide crucial exam practice
Download or read book The Myth of Achievement Tests written by James J. Heckman and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2014-01-14 with total page 469 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Achievement tests play an important role in modern societies. They are used to evaluate schools, to assign students to tracks within schools, and to identify weaknesses in student knowledge. The GED is an achievement test used to grant the status of high school graduate to anyone who passes it. GED recipients currently account for 12 percent of all high school credentials issued each year in the United States. But do achievement tests predict success in life? The Myth of Achievement Tests shows that achievement tests like the GED fail to measure important life skills. James J. Heckman, John Eric Humphries, Tim Kautz, and a group of scholars offer an in-depth exploration of how the GED came to be used throughout the United States and why our reliance on it is dangerous. Drawing on decades of research, the authors show that, while GED recipients score as well on achievement tests as high school graduates who do not enroll in college, high school graduates vastly outperform GED recipients in terms of their earnings, employment opportunities, educational attainment, and health. The authors show that the differences in success between GED recipients and high school graduates are driven by character skills. Achievement tests like the GED do not adequately capture character skills like conscientiousness, perseverance, sociability, and curiosity. These skills are important in predicting a variety of life outcomes. They can be measured, and they can be taught. Using the GED as a case study, the authors explore what achievement tests miss and show the dangers of an educational system based on them. They call for a return to an emphasis on character in our schools, our systems of accountability, and our national dialogue. Contributors Eric Grodsky, University of Wisconsin–Madison Andrew Halpern-Manners, Indiana University Bloomington Paul A. LaFontaine, Federal Communications Commission Janice H. Laurence, Temple University Lois M. Quinn, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Pedro L. Rodríguez, Institute of Advanced Studies in Administration John Robert Warren, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Download or read book How to Study for Standardized Tests written by Donald Sefcik and published by Jones & Bartlett Publishers. This book was released on 2013 with total page 259 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How to Study for Standardized Tests Focuses on Three Key Variables: the Test, You, and Important Study Resources (Including Study Methods and Techniques). This Detailed Guide Describes and Explains How to Take Tests Effectively and Efficiently In A Timed Environment While Helping to Reduce the Impact of Test Anxiety. the Authors Include A Discussion of Techniques to Help You Select Answers When Guessing Is Your Only Option. by Learning As Much As You Can About What It Takes to Prepare for and Perform Well on Standardized Tests and by Following the Advice In This Book You Can Realize Your High-
Download or read book Examinations written by John C. Mathews and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2021-11-29 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First Published in 1985, Examinations presents a balanced overview and commentary on all the main aspects of public examinations. The key themes are examinations and their context (historical, political, social, and educational); functions of examination (how they work); equity and fairness of the process; and future of public examinations. Recurring issues in the book are the tension between the need for common national standards and the need for diverse individuality and the conflict between competitive functions of examinations as instruments of selection and their descriptive function as reports on standards of performance. The author argues that the main aspects of examinations are not given a prominent place in the training of teachers though public examinations have widespread impact on society. This book will be an essential read for scholars and researchers of education, higher education and also for administrators and policy makers.
Download or read book Oxfordshire written by Nikolaus Pevsner and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 1996-03-01 with total page 1040 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Oxford's unique collection of university and college buildings both old and new form a major part of this book. The city itself with its medieval walls and castle and ancient churches is also fully described. Among the county's distinguished houses are Vanbrugh's Blenheim and Kent's Rousham Park, each in magnificently landscaped grounds, while village churches range from notable Norman examples such as Iffley to G.E. Street's inventive Victorian creations such as St Simon & St Jude at Shipton-under-Wychwood. Other attractive towns in this still strongly rural county vary from stone-built Chipping Norton in the Cotswolds to brick-built Henley on the Thames.
Download or read book Civil Examinations and Meritocracy in Late Imperial China written by Benjamin A. Elman and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2013-11-01 with total page 418 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During China's late imperial period (roughly 1400-1900 CE), men would gather by the millions every two or three years outside official examination compounds sprinkled across China. Only one percent of candidates would complete the academic regimen that would earn them a post in the administrative bureaucracy. Civil Examinations assesses the role of education, examination, and China's civil service in fostering the world's first professional class based on demonstrated knowledge and skill. While millions of men dreamed of the worldly advancement an imperial education promised, many more wondered what went on inside the prestigious walled-off examination compounds. As Benjamin A. Elman reveals, what occurred was the weaving of a complex social web. Civil examinations had been instituted in China as early as the seventh century CE, but in the Ming and Qing eras they were the nexus linking the intellectual, political, and economic life of imperial China. Local elites and members of the court sought to influence how the government regulated the classical curriculum and selected civil officials. As a guarantor of educational merit, civil examinations served to tie the dynasty to the privileged gentry and literati classes--both ideologically and institutionally. China did away with its classical examination system in 1905. But this carefully balanced and constantly contested piece of social engineering, worked out over the course of centuries, was an early harbinger of the meritocratic regime of college boards and other entrance exams that undergirds higher education in much of the world today.
Download or read book The Power of Tests written by Elana Shohamy and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-09-25 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Language in Social Life is a major series which highlights the importance of language to an understanding of issues of social and professional concern. It will be of practical relevance to all those wanting to understand how the ways we communicate both influence and are influenced by the structures and forces of contemporary social institutions. In all modern societies individuals are subject to tests, whether to enter educational programs, to pass from one level to the next or to grant certificates to practice. Yet, tests are powerful tools which are often introduced in undemocratic and unethical ways as disciplinary tools for carrying out various policy agendas. Tests can be detrimental to people's lives as they are capable of affecting and defining the knowledge and behaviour of those who are being tested. The Power of Tests applies a critical perspective of language tests by examining their uses and consequences in education and society and by viewing tests not as isolated events but rather as embedded in social, educational and political contexts. The book is divided into four parts: the first part establishes the power of tests through echoing the voices of test takers, describing the features of the power of tests, and the temptations that tests offer to bureaucrats who use them for power and control. The second part reports on studies that provide empirical evidence about intentions and effects of a number of large scale language tests. The third part interprets the results by examining their consequences on education and society, arriving at a model of tests' use. The final section of the book offers strategies for controlling and minimising the misuses of tests by introducing the notion of Critical Language Testing which calls for the examination of the consequences and misuses of tests, monitoring of power and pointing to their unethical uses. It also provides a comprehensive discussion of the responsibilities of language testers, including a new Code of Ethics, as well as strategies for guarding and protecting the rights of test takers.
Download or read book Learning and Instruction written by Nelson Bollinger Henry and published by . This book was released on 1950 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Thinking University written by Søren S.E. Bengtsen and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-04-27 with total page 207 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book reinvigorates the philosophical treatment of the nature, purpose, and meaning of thought in today’s universities. The wider discussion about higher education has moved from a philosophical discourse to a discourse on social welfare and service, economics, and political agendas. This book reconnects philosophy with the central academic concepts of thought, reason, and critique and their associated academic practices of thinking and reasoning. Thought in this context should not be considered as a merely mental or cognitive construction, still less a cloistered college, but a fully developed individual and social engagement of critical reflection and discussion with the current pressing disciplinary, political, and philosophical issues. The editors hold that the element of thought, and the ability to think in a deep and groundbreaking way is, still, the essence of the university. But what does it mean to think in the university today? And in what ways is thought related not only to the epistemological and ontological issues of philosophical debate, but also to the social and political dimensions of our globalised age? In many countries, the state is imposing limitations on universities, dismissing or threatening academics who speak out critically. With this volume, the editors ask questions such as: What is the value of thought? What is the university’s proper relationship to thought? To give the notion of thought a thorough philosophical treatment, the book is divided into in three parts. The focus moves from an epistemological perspective in Part I, to a focus on existence and values in higher education in Part II, and then to a societal-oriented focus on the university in Part III. All three parts, in their own ways, debate the notion of thought in higher education and the university as a thinking form of being.
Download or read book The Encyclopaedia of Oxford written by Christopher Hibbert and published by Trans-Atlantic Publications. This book was released on 1988 with total page 584 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book McKeachie s Teaching Tips written by Wilbert McKeachie and published by Cengage Learning. This book was released on 2013-01-01 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This indispensable handbook provides helpful strategies for dealing with both the everyday challenges of university teaching and those that arise in efforts to maximize learning for every student. The suggested strategies are supported by research and adaptable to specific classroom situations. Rather than suggest a “set of recipes” to be followed mechanically, the book gives instructors the tools they need to deal with the ever-changing dynamics of teaching and learning. Available with InfoTrac Student Collections http://gocengage.com/infotrac. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.
Download or read book Effective Grading written by Barbara E. Walvoord and published by Jossey-Bass. This book was released on 1998-02-25 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The grading process can yield rich information about student learning. Effective Grading enables faculty to go beyond using grades as isolated artifacts and helps them make classroom grading processes more fair, time-efficient, and conducive to learning. Classroom assessment of student learning can then contribute to departmental and general-education assessment in ways that meet the needs of institutions and accrediting agencies. Tailored to specific needs of faculty members who seek to make grading a valuable part of student learning and motivation, Effective Grading balances assessment theory and hands-on advice. It offers an in-depth examination of the link between teaching and grading and provides concrete guidance on such critical steps as setting and communicating grading standards, developing assignments to grade, managing time spent on grading, and providing feedback for students.
