Authentic Assessment (1994)

Page Contents

A      B      C      D      E      F      G      H      I      J      K      L      M      N      O      P      R      S      T      V      W      Y      Z

A

Almasi, J. F., Ed. And Others. (1993). Literacy: Issues and Practices. 1993 Yearbook of the State of Maryland Reading Association Council. Volume 10. This Yearbook begins with a foreword by Janice F. Almasi that outlines some of the steps that the state of Maryland is taking as a leader in literacy education and literacy assessment, and the eight articles in this edition reflect many of these steps. The articles are: "Three Dialogues about Reading Engagement" (John T. Guthrie); "My Classroom Was Literacy Poor]" (Corinne Pritzlaff Weis): "Read to Somebody Everyday: A Shared Reading Program" (Steven P. Chasen and Gail W. Holt); "Blending Reader Response Theories and Reading Comprehension Instruction" (Sandra R. Wallis); "The 'Write' To Learn Mathematics" (Bob. M. Drake and Linda B. Amspaugh); "Intermediate Grade Students' Awareness of the Writing Process" (Natalie Felsher, Judy Ramoy Johnson, and Priscilla P. Waynant); "The Use of Retellings for Portfolio Assessment of Reading Comprehension" (Patricia S. Koskinen, Linda B. Gambrell, and Barbara A. Kapinus); and "The Signing for Reading Success Study Group" (Cynthia T. Bowen, Jean H. Mattheiss, and Robert M. Wilson). (NKA) ED356465

Archbald, D. A. (1991). Authentic Assessment: What It Means and How It Can Help Schools. Recent years have seen a new and serious commitment to improving methods of assessing academic performance. Schools, school districts, and states are experimenting with a wide range of assessment alternatives. This paper is about this new commitment to assessment and begins with some background on standardized tests because the rationale for authentic assessment requires understanding the purposes and limitations of standardized tests. It is argued that an authentic test is one that measures performance on authentic intellectual tasks in a way that reveals precisely what a student knows or can do. The second part of the paper discusses the potential of authentic assessment to improve curriculum and instruction. The following potentials are noted: (1) clarifying and legitimating high standards; (2) providing incentives for authentic instruction and tasks; and (3) providing more useful instructional and management information. It must be recognized that authentic assessment is costly and time-consuming, but its return is recognized in the fulfillment of the potentials described. Five figures illustrate the discussion. (Contains 41 references.) (SLD) ED366624

Archbald, D. A. N., Fred M. (1988). Beyond Standardized Testing: Assessing Authentic Academic Achievement in the Secondary School. This book was designed as an assessment of standardized testing and its alternatives at the secondary school level. More specifically, a framework for thinking systematically and creatively about assessment, a review of the uses and limitations of standardized tests of general achievement, and descriptions of several methods that may offer more helpful approaches to assessment are provided. All three specific components are grounded in a broad perspective that calls attention to the purposes of assessment, levels of assessment, and two critical issues (authenticity and multiple indicators). The nature of authentic academic achievement is discussed, and approaches to assessing authentic academic achievement are forwarded. Assessment of organizational academic quality is addressed, and implementation of assessment programs is reviewed. A discussion on the uses and limitations of standardized tests is appended. A 66-item list of references is included. (TJH) ED301587

B

Barrow, D. A. (1994). The Use of Portfolios to Assess Student Learning. Journal of College Science Teaching v22 n3 p148-53 Dec-Jan 1993-94. Describes how one teacher and 46 general chemistry students used portfolios as part of the evaluative process. Argues that any worthwhile assessment must address questions about the inevitable impact of testing on students and their learning. (PR) UMI Report/ISSN: ISSN-0047-231X EJ474977

Bateson, D. J., Ed. (1992). Classroom Testing in Canada. Proceedings of the Canadian Conference on Classroom Testing (2nd, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, June 1-2, 1990).: The SCRP (Systematic Cumulative Record of Performance) Principle" (L. McLean); (4) "The Assessment of Group Discussions and Complex Problem Solving: Potential Contributions of Schema Theory" (P. Nagy); (5) "Construction of Curriculum Relevant Tests by Teachers and Experts" (B. S. Randhawa); (6) "Considerations for the Implementation of an Ungraded Primary Program" (K. A. MacRury); (7) "What Should a Classroom Testing Program Look Like? The Functional Factors of an Assessment Program in Primary Classrooms" (J. O. Anderson and D. G. Bachor); (8) "Classroom Assessment: What Research Do Practitioners Need?" (I. McIntyre); (9) "Emerging Needs of the Practitioner in B.C. (British Columbia) Classrooms" (A. R. Taylor); (10) "Grounded Authentic Assessment and Teacher Education" (T. O. Maguire); (11) "What Skills Do Teachers Need in Educational Testing?" (R. K. Hambleton); (12) "Making Assessment Training Relevant for Teachers" (R. J. Stiggins); and (13) "A Call for Measurement Standards in Canada" (W. T. Rogers). (RLC). This document provides the following 13 conference papers: (1) "Introduction: Where Do We Go From Here?" (D. J. Bateson); (2) "The Context of Classroom Procedures in Evaluating Students" (R. J. Wilson); (3) "Student Evaluation in the Ungraded Primary ED348402

Bauer, N. J. (1993). Instructional Designs, Portfolios and the Pursuit of Authentic Assessment. Educational assessment is discussed, describing three images of instructional design that can be used to construct classroom learning environments, and focusing on the nature and uses of portfolios and authentic assessment. The following three designs for schooling are considered: (1) discipline-centered schooling, the most familiar vision of teaching; (2) empirical-naturalistic schooling, in which students assist students in shaping their uncertainties into problems that can lead to significant and integrated learning; and (3) Great Works schooling, in which students develop interpretive powers through shared inquiry into works of literature or art. Portfolio construction and assessment are reviewed and discussed in the context of authentic assessment. A continuum of authentic assessment is proposed, and problems in its development are explored. Portfolio assessment can be a means toward a more authentic evaluation of learning. Use of portfolios can make teaching a far more participative process. (Contains 10 references.) (SLD) ED363638

Bergen, D. (1994). Authentic Performance Assessments. Childhood Education v70 n2 p99-102 Win 1993-94. Examines the trend toward outcome-based assessment that demonstrates what children have really learned by evaluating what they can do in actual or simulated applied situations. Discusses theories of performance assessment, the qualities of good authentic performance assessment, and ways of integrating authentic assessment with traditional assessment procedures. (TJQ) UMI Report/ISSN: ISSN-0009-4056 EJ476419

Bossone, R. M., Ed. Polishook, Irwin H., Ed. (1992). Educational Assessment. Proceedings: Conference of the University/Urban Schools National Task Force (13th, Atlanta, Georgia, November 8-9, 1991). At this conference on educational assessment, there was consensus among participants on the importance of the use of assessment to improve instruction, enhance the curriculum, and allow policy makers to measure achievement. There was less consensus about the best forms of assessment to use. The following conference papers are provided in this document: (1) "The National Education Goals Report" (P. D. Forgione, Jr.); (2) "Assessing the Business Roundtable's 1990s Education Initiatives" (M. T. Nettles); (3) "National Assessment for Educational Progress" (A. E. Lapointe); (4) "Georgia State Assessment Program" (S. Bernknopf); (5) "Los Angeles City School Assessment Program" (F. I. Stevens); (6) "Philadelphia School District Assessment Program" (R. C. Altman); (7) "Assessment in Mathematics Instruction" (T. J. Cooney); (8) "Assessment in Science Instruction" (A. B. Champagne); (9) "Assessment in Reading and Writing Instruction" (S. W. Valencia); and (10) "Summation" (R. Rothman). (SLD) ED342782

Bracey, G. W. (1993). Assessing the New Assessments. Principal v72 n3 p34-36 Jan 1993. Describes recent efforts of the Center for Research in Evaluation, Standards and Student Testing (CRESST) to evaluate authentic assessment methods, such as portfolios and performance tests. When comparing the merits of authentic versus multiple-choice testing, it is wise to consider validity, reliability, consequences, fairness, generalization, efficiency, and cost effectiveness. (MLH) UMI Report/ISSN: ISSN-0271-6062 EJ457307

Bracey, G. W. (1993). Testing the Tests. School Administrator v50 n11 p8-11 Dec 1993. A recent RAND study questions the reliability of judgments used in portfolio evaluation in Vermont Schools. Researchers at the Center for Research in Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing are developing guidelines to determine whether the new performance-based assessments are valid and reliable. Emerging CRESST criteria concerning testing consequences, predictive validity, fairness, generalizability, context, and quality should prove helpful. (MLH) Report/ISSN: ISSN-0036-6439 EJ475770

Bracey, G. W. (1993). What Is Authentic Assessment? High School Magazine v1 n2 p30-31 Dec 1993. Describes four criteria that can be used to evaluate methods of assessment: (1) "What are the consequences of using the test?" (2) "Is this assessment fair?" (3) "Do the skills and knowledge of this assessment transfer or generalize?" and (4) "Does this assessment cover cognitively complex task?" (KDP) Report/ISSN: ISSN-1070-9533 EJ477443

Buchanan, N. K. A. O. (1993). Performance-Based Identification of Culturally Diverse Gifted Students: A Pilot Study. The Center for Gifted and Talented Native Hawaiian Children has been developing identification methods congruent with Hawaiian values and traditional talent areas and has increased the number of native Hawaiian students identified and provided with enrichment services. This report describes efforts to combine self-report data and performance-based assessment to identify students. The Center offers a Saturday enrichment program open to all native Hawaiians. To identify students for participation in other Center programs, especially the summer program, performance-based assessment is conducted during the Saturday enrichment program. The assessment process involves guided observation using worksheets and assessment summaries, training college students in observation techniques, and encouraging instructors to design enrichment activities that allow students to demonstrate their abilities. Initial findings indicate a relationship between students' self-reported interests and abilities but unacceptably low reliabilities of observers and failure to predict student achievement in the summer program. (Contains 15 references.) (DB) ED369249

C

Chapman, C. (1990). Authentic Writing Assessment. ERIC Digest. Some of the ways authentic writing assessment can be used in education are discussed. Using the Illinois Writing Program (IWP) as an example, this digest also looks at some of the goals, solutions, and experiences of a program that is implementing authentic writing assessment. New directions in authentic assessment are aimed at going beyond writing as an isolated subject unto itself by integrating writing into the teaching of all subject areas, including science and mathematics. An authentic writing assignment should reflect various types of writing as well as levels of complexity related to the task assigned in the assignment's prompt. An increasingly popular format is portfolio assessment, in which students complete a body of writing over a prolonged period of time. The IWP was designed to represent defined writing skills as well as status and growth; verify that the methods used to construct, conduct, and verify the assessment meet technical standards; and implement an informational network to allow classroom and district personnel to use test results to improve instruction. Criteria for the rating system concentrate on the paper's maintenance of a compositional focus, the use of supportive arguments, organization, and use of conventional English. The assessment also produces a focused holistic score on integration, which reflects how well the composition as a whole accomplishes the assignment. Teacher involvement in the program is fostered via workshops, provided to over 1,000 teachers during the program's 5-year history. A five-item list of additional reading materials is included. (TJH) ED328606

Cheung, K. C. (1991). On Meaningful Measurement: Concepts, Technology and Examples. This paper discusses how concepts and procedural skills in problem-solving tasks, as well as affects and emotions, can be subjected to meaningful measurement (MM), based on a multisource model of learning and a constructivist information-processing theory of knowing. MM refers to the quantitative measurement of conceptual and procedural knowledge with qualitative interpretations that should be rooted in a theory of knowing, model of difficult learning, classroom realities, and educational objectives as intended in the programs of study. Knowledge of the problem and search spaces of learning tasks, cognitive and affective schemes, alternative conceptions, and cognitive and procedural barriers contribute to an informed understanding of measurement of the process of development of pertinent cognitive and affective structures and their linkages. Metaphors of pigtails, bamboo stems, and competence ladders are heuristics used to describe these structures and linkages. Quantitative requirements of measurement are elaborated, and associated methodology is described, including focus group interviews, network and latent trait analyses, and dual scaling. Examples based on empirical data are presented. The progression of competence and affective schemes, affordability of problem tasks, conformity of test responses with conceptual and measurement models, simultaneity of conceptualization of a measure, and requirements of specific objectivity are hallmarks of MM. An agenda for a research program is also presented. Six figures and four tables illustrate the discussion. A 54-item list of references is included. (SLD) ED338649

Choate, J. S. E., Susan S. (1992). Authentic Assessment of Special Learners: Problem or Promise? Preventing School Failure v37 n1 p6-9 Fall 1992. This article outlines differences between traditional assessment and authentic assessment procedures, discusses problems with each type of assessment in relation to special learners, and offers certain cautions that must be observed when implementing authentic assessment. (JDD) UMI Report/ISSN: ISSN-1045-988X EJ457527

Cohen, M. L. (1993). Listening to Students' Voices: What University Students Tell Us about How They Learn. The strategic learning of college and university students begins with their acquisition of knowledge about their academic context and its learning opportunities and demands. However, traditional assessment measures isolate the student outside of the authentic learning context, which limits the information available from these tests. In contrast, this study explores and describes the insights that university students can contribute to an assessment of their study problems and strategies within the authentic context of the Assessment Interview Process. Utilizing a problem-solving perspective to analyze the students' retrospective verbal reports, this ethnographic study organizes the students' insights regarding the development of strategies to solve study problems into the Strategic Learning Model. Twenty sessions between nine students and five interviewers/tutors were reported. The dimensions of this heuristic, described in this study, provide the structure needed to better understand the processes used by students as they encounter study and learning difficulties and develop appropriate study strategies. (Author/SLD) ED359237

Collins, A. (1992). Portfolios for Science Education: Issues in Purpose, Structure, and Authenticity. Science Education v76 n4 p451-63 Jul 1992. Explores the potential of portfolios for science education by examining issues related to purpose, structure, and authenticity. Illustrates portfolio applications in student assessment, prospective science teacher education programs, and the assessment of practicing science teachers. (MDH) UMI Report/ISSN: ISSN-0036-8326 EJ473469

Collins, A. (1993). Performance-Based Assessment of Biology Teachers: Promises and Pitfalls. Journal of Research in Science Teaching v30 n9 p1103-20 Nov 1993. Explored three modes of performance-based assessment: portfolios, portfolio-based simulations, and simulation exercises. Fifteen high school biology teachers completed 11 assessment activities. The primary finding is that performance-based assessments can be designed and administered, teachers can complete them, the assessment can be rated, and they do discriminate. (PR) UMI Report/ISSN: ISSN-0022-4308 EJ478365

Craft, D. D. (1993). Improving Learning by Using a Symposium as an Authentic Assessment Technique. During the academic year, psychology students at Wytheville Community College are exposed to many aspects of psychology and psychological research. After students complete several minor research projects, they undertake a psychology symposium. Students are divided into small groups, and each group presents a research idea to the instructor. When the idea is approved, a formal proposal for a research project, which must have a minimum of 100 subjects, is submitted. After the research is completed and a written report is prepared, a public symposium is held at which each group presents its project and fields questions from the audience. The specific objectives of the symposium are for students to demonstrate their knowledge of various aspects of psychology, to provide students with the opportunity to conduct psychological research with an emphasis on quality and ethics, and to teach students to obtain scientific evidence with an open mind and analyze resulting data and draw appropriate conclusions. In addition, students learn lifetime skills by analyzing group situations, solving problems cooperatively, thinking critically and objectively, organizing their work, seeking help when needed, communicating through writing and public speaking, applying knowledge, and making responsible decisions. A timeline for the psychology symposium is included. (AC) ED365401

Craig, E. (1993). Performance Assessment and Social Studies: Making the Connection. Social Studies Review v32 n2 p63-67 Win 1993. Contends that performance assessment, or authentic assessment, is changing the way teachers evaluate and grade students. Describes the differences between traditional assessment and performance assessment. Argues that performance assessment is particularly suited for the social studies curriculum. (CFR) UMI Report/ISSN: ISSN-1056-6325 EJ467885

D

Dancy, L. C. (1993). Fostering Student and Teacher Competence: Exposing the Lies. Conventional approaches to teaching and learning perpetrate lies about the nature of knowledge, self-worth, and growth. Working with Foxfire and authentic assessment can offer teachers an opportunity to discover emancipating truths. These approaches demonstrate the value of students' growth in their own competence and in their self-direction. The practice of presenting information in an organized pattern and testing for comprehension tells the learner the lie that knowledge is the acquisition of another person's thinking and work. As teachers grow in their comprehension of the vastness of knowledge available, it is only natural that they shrink in their sense of self-worth. Teachers need to be trusted to construct knowledge from their experiences and from new concepts offered to them, rather than having educational changes dictated to them. (JDD) ED362479

Darling-Hammond, L. (1993). Setting Standards for Students: The Case for Authentic Assessment. NASSP Bulletin v77 n556 p18-26 Nov 1993. Students at 1 East Harlem high school bypass Regents exams and Carnegie units, working intensively to prepare portfolios revealing their competence in 14 curricular areas. European assessment strategies differ from traditional U.S. tests by being truly representative of performance in the field, employing well-articulated performance standards, stressing self-assessment, and expecting students to present and defend their work publicly. (MLH) UMI Report/ISSN: ISSN-0192-6365 EJ472577

de Caprariis, P. (1994). A Revisionist View of Scientific Literacy. Journal of College Science Teaching v23 n1 p141-42 Dec-Jan 1993-94. Asserts that the scientific literacy of the average person can be evaluated adequately only with a definition that involves thinking processes and ignores test-taking skills. (PR) UMI Report/ISSN: ISSN-0047-231X EJ475002

Denny, M. (1991). Moving toward a Primary Program: A Self-Study. The attributes of Kentucky's Primary Program are developmentally appropriate practices; multi-age classrooms; continuous progress; authentic assessment; qualitative reporting; professional teamwork; and parent involvement. This document serves as a guide for teachers who wish to make changes concerning these attributes as they relate to four specific areas of education. These areas are considered in four sections of the document, each of which provides a checklist of attitudes and activities relating to the area. The sections are: (1) The Learning Environment, containing statements on program philosophy and organization, learning tools, and scheduling; (2) Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum, including statements on philosophy, integrated curriculum, varied instructional strategies, and multi-age groupings; (3) Educational Partnerships, including partnerships between teachers and other teachers, assistants, specialists, principals, parents, and the community; and (4) Assessment, containing statements on student assessment and recording methods, assessment of teachers, and program assessment. A score sheet and school practices profile are included for measuring the results of the checklists. Appendixes include worksheets for teachers to use to document practices and curriculum approaches, a list of materials and supplies, descriptions of learning centers, and a delineation of the theory of multiple intelligences. (BC) ED341463

Development, N. C. f. E. S. R. a. (1991). Authentic Writing & Literature Instruction. Reflecting some of the emerging issues sustaining debate in secondary school literature instruction and writing instruction, this newsletter presents articles that discuss the impact of E. D. Hirsch's book "Cultural Literacy," "authentic discourse," and collaborative classroom research. Articles in the newsletter are: "Rethinking Literature" (Anne Turnbaugh Lockwood); "Beyond Filling in the Blanks" (Martin Nystrand); and "Two Teachers Talk" (Anne Trunbaugh Lockwood). A one-page commentary called "Reconsidering the Classroom's Role," by Kent D. Peterson, institutional director, is also included. A list of current literature titles that may be used as supplementary texts in classes comprised of youth from diverse backgrounds and achievement patterns, and a selected bibliography for educators interested in writing instruction and literature instruction are attached. (RS) ED366976

Doran, R. L. A. O. (1992). Successful Laboratory Assessment. Science Teacher v59 n4 p22-27 Apr 1992. Describes the selection and implementation of an authentic assessment model for evaluating students' science laboratory knowledge and skills. Provides sample problems and a scoring form for the performance-based science laboratory test. (MDH) UMI Report/ISSN: ISSN-0036-8555 EJ471598

Doran, R. L. A. O. (1993). Alternative Assessment of High School Laboratory Skills. Journal of Research in Science Teaching v30 n9 p1121-31 Nov 1993. Tests in each science area were developed around six laboratory tasks. Students had to plan an investigation, collect and organize data, and formulate conclusions based on calculations and graphs. Over 1,000 students from 32 Ohio schools formed the sample for this study. Data are presented by skill and by task. An analysis for gender and school effects is included. (PR) UMI Report/ISSN: ISSN-0022-4308 EJ478366

Doye, P. (1991). Authenticity in Foreign Language Testing. In foreign language testing, as in all testing, validity is the primary criterion for test quality. However plausible the concept of validity, in practice it is not always easy to arrive at congruence between the test situation and the real-life situation the learner is expected to master. Some language educators make authenticity a major criterion of test quality. However, complete congruence of test and real-life situation is impossible, and there are other considerations than authenticity in testing. A language test as a social event essentially different from any other social event in which the learner will need to use the language. The solution is to find a reasonable balance between authenticity and abstraction in tests. Pragmatics, with its analyses of speech acts and their characteristics, can be helpful in finding the right degree of abstraction for testing. Examples of such test items include a series of sentences of which portions are illegible and the learner must supply appropriate words, or a paired or group activity in which students must elicit information from each other to complete a common task such as a survey or map completion. (MSE) ED350819

E

Edelsky, C., Ed. (1992). Language Arts Topics and Educational Issues: Information Sheets. This collection of 29 succinct information articles discusses issues relating to language arts, including whole language, phonics, student evaluation, spelling, and censorship. Some of the authors contributing to the collection are Ken Goodman, Yetta Goodman, Jerome Harste, Patrick Shannon, and Constance Weaver. Titles of articles are: "Learning to Talk, Learning to Read, Learning to Write"; "What Is Whole Language"; "What Whole Language Is Not: Common Myths and Misunderstandings"; "Some Key Principles of a Whole Language Perspective on Learning and Teaching"; "How Whole Language Teachers Develop Phonics 'Know How'"; "Research in Support of Whole Language"; "Whole Language Is as American as Apple Pie"; "Reading in Whole Language Classrooms: Focus on Comprehension"; "What about Skills in Whole Language Classrooms?"; "Whole Language and the Theological Concerns and Beliefs of Parents"; "Phonics Phacts"; "Phonics and Dialects of English"; "Phonics Is a Flawed System"; "Why We Should Not Teach Intensive, Systematic Phonics"; "Phonics versus Whole Language: Why Whole Language Teachers Don't Think It Is Much of a Debate"; "Why a Whole Language Classroom May Be the Best Place for Your Attention Deficit Disorder Hyperactive (ADHD) Student"; "Basal Reading Programs, Literature-Based Reading Programs, and Literature Programs"; "How to Teach Literacy Learners Who Challenge Teachers"; "What Does It Mean to Be Literate?"; "Adult Illiteracy: Cause? Effect?"; "Questions and Answers about Spelling"; "What Are Some Tools Teachers Use to Evaluate That Also Help Children Learn?"; "Some Aspects of Assessment That We Often Forget"; "Who Should Evaluate? What Should Be Evaluated?"; "The Mixed Age Primary: What and Why"; "Bilingual Learners: Principles That Help; False Assumptions That Harm"; "Why Thoughtful Teachers Abhor Censorship"; "Statement of the International Reading Association: The Dangers of Censoring Textbooks and Reading Program Materials"; and "How Teachers Can Productively Respond to Political Conflicts about Education in Their Communities." (RS) ED359486

Ediger, M. (1994). Evaluation, the Language Arts, and the Student. A quality evaluation program is needed to determine student progress in the language arts. Evaluation procedures emphasized should appraise in terms of stated objectives. A variety of procedures should be used since no approach is perfect. Approaches include: instructor observation of student progress; completion of checklists or rating scales; journal entries written periodically on each learner; and instructor-developed tests. True-false tests are not recommended due to the possibility of a student's guessing many correct responses. Standards used to evaluate student progress should possess clarity and meaning for the learner. An observation made or test given should also possess the length necessary to determine what students have learned that is relevant and salient. (RS) ED366970

Education, K. S. D. o. (1991). Kentucky's Primary School. The Wonder Years: Program Description I. This report describes Kentucky's Primary School Program, which was developed after the signing of the Kentucky Education Reform Act in 1990. An overview of the report explains the philosophy of the program and lists its critical attributes. These are: (1) developmentally appropriate practices; (2) multi-age classrooms; (3) continuous progress; (4) authentic assessment; (5) qualitative reporting methods; (6) professional teamwork; and (7) parent involvement. A section on program guidelines provides background information on the program, discusses the program's rationale and operational framework, and considers several policy issues. These include: (1) program implementation; (2) entry into the program; (3) school and class organization; (4) inclusion of special needs learners; (5) teacher collaboration; (6) funds for textbooks; (7) administrative regulations; (8) students' completion of the program; (9) teacher training; (10) teacher certification; (11) potential conflicts between teacher training programs; and (12) public awareness. A final section on technical assistance discusses program implementation; provides lists and charts of educational resources; and presents a testimonial to the primary school program. Appended materials include a glossary of terms, reprints of selected articles on primary education, and a copy of the primary school program logo. (BC) ED341464

Elmore, R. (1991). Improving the Assessment of Georgia Students. Shortcomings in the current student assessment program in Georgia are identified, proposed revisions are described, and additional changes are recommended. Georgia educators have complained that curricula place too much emphasis on basic skills, to the detriment of subjects like science and social studies. Reform legislation in Georgia has increased the stakes in testing, putting teachers and administrators under great pressure to demonstrate high student scores. The Georgia Assessment Program will be changed to give fewer, but more difficult, tests; to test four grades instead of nine; and to measure science, social studies, health, and writing in addition to reading and mathematics. Advanced problem-solving tasks will be measured along with fundamental tasks. The largest problem with the assessment program is its use as a method to hold local educators accountable, a circumstance that can result in teaching to the test. If student assessment in Georgia is to improve, state leadership must encourage the development of authentic assessments to use along with standardized measures. Professional development is also needed to increase teachers' understanding of measurement techniques. Both educators and citizens need to understand more effective ways to evaluate student performance in Georgia schools. A 10-item list of references is included. (SLD) ED342811

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Falk, B. (1993). The Primary Language Record at P.S. 261: How Assessment Practices Transform Teaching & Learning. How the use of the Primary Language Record (PLR), an authentic assessment of young children's literacy development, has influenced teaching and learning in one New York City public elementary school was studied. The study looked at classroom practices; professional development; student work; and the thoughts of teachers, administrators, students, and families at Public School (P.S.) 261 in Brooklyn's Community School District 15 over several months in the 1992-93 school year. The PLR is a vehicle for systematically observing children in aspects of literacy development using classroom events and work samples. It includes a parent interview and the record of a parent conference early in the year, as well as a narrative report on the child as a language user, comments from the child and family, information for the teacher in the following year, and results of reading scales. A description of one first grade classroom illustrates use of the PLR. The PLR can recognize the diverse strengths and knowledge children bring to the school experience as it supports the professionalism and integrity of teachers and involves parents in the educational process. Experience at this school provides some insights into problems and questions in implementing the PLR. (Contains 18 references.) (SLD) ED362546

Falk, B. D.-H., Linda. (1993). The Primary Language Record at P.S. 261: How Assessment Transforms Teaching and Learning. A Series on Authentic Assessment and Accountability. This report examines outcomes of the Primary Language Record (PLR), a program for systematically observing students in various aspects of their literacy development. The PLR uses classroom events and samples of student work to record students' progress and interests, recommend strategies for addressing needs and building on talents, and discuss ideas and perceptions with students, their parents, and faculty. This report examines the PLR in New York City's Public School 261, which has participated in this project since its inception in 1991. The following topics are covered: (1) concerns about standardized testing; (2) a general overview of the PLR; (3) a description of the PLR as implemented in P.S. 261; (4) the influence of PLR on teaching, learning, and assessment; and (5) lessons for implementing the PLR. Appendices include suggested parent interview questions; suggested student interview questions; PLR forms for observations; and work samples. (MN) ED358964

Farr, R. G., Beth. (1993). Indiana Performance Assessments '92. Final Report. In 1991 the Center for Reading and Language Studies at Indiana University (Bloomington) assembled educational experts to investigate the validity of performance-based assessments for determining the achievement of high school students in reading, writing, and mathematics. The Indiana Performance Assessments that materialized from this project were subsequently used with over 5,000 students. This report describes the development of the assessments, their field trials, scoring, reliability, findings and test results, and how teachers and students responded. Of the 10 holistic assessments developed, 6 integrated reading and writing, and 4 integrated mathematics and communications skills. Given pilot testing constraints, student performance on these assessments was acceptable, and reliable increases in performance were seen from grade 9 through grade 11, with a significant increase beyond high school. The project successfully assessed over 5,000 students while conducting a survey and demonstrated that performance assessment is feasible on a large scale. The generally positive reception of the assessments indicates that both students and educators understand, or at least sense, the limited perspectives of much standardized testing, and welcome assessment in an integrated and authentic way. Results also indicate that reliability of scoring by a carefully-trained cadre is acceptable and the process quite feasible. Thirty-nine charts illustrate the discussion. (SLD) ED364576

Farr, R. T., Bruce. (1994). Portfolio and Performance Assessment: Helping Students Evaluate Their Progress as Readers and Writers. Responding to the increasing demand for the assessment of authentic language use, this book emphasizes that portfolios must first be useful and successful as part of instruction before they can be used effectively for assessment. Portfolios are presented in the book as working (not "show" portfolios) to promote the student's involvement in analyzing portfolio contents. The book aids in developing and training students as self-assessors so that they can monitor for themselves the effectiveness of their use of language. Chapters in the book are: (1) Thinking about It? Why Portfolios?; (2) Getting Started: Decisions, Decisions; (3) Building the Portfolio: What Goes in It?; (4) Using the Portfolio: Student and Teacher Assessment; (5) Portfolio Conferences: The Key to Success]; (6) Pulling It All Together: How to Solve the Assessment Puzzle; (7) Constructing Performance Assessments: Integrating Reading and Writing; and (8) Evaluating Performance Assessment Results: Developing Rubrics and Anchor Papers. Answers to 37 often asked questions about portfolio and performance assessment; an annotated sampling of 107 sources available on language arts portfolio assessment and performance assessment; and blackline masters/models of records, forms, note sheets, letters to parents, and announcements for use by students and teachers assessing with portfolios are attached. (RS) ED363864

Farr, R. T., Bruce. (1994). Theory Meets Practice in Language Arts Assessment. ERIC Digest. Pressed by the vise created by the "era of accountability" and evolving theory which emphasizes constructing meaning and problem solving, educators have become more articulate about defending the classroom impact of new theory. Assessment in the classroom is following contemporary descriptions of learning, thinking, and language use as "processes"--or even one inseparable process. At the same time, the public's concern with academic achievement may have slowed real improvement in education. The result of the use of short-answer or selected-answer assessments has been a narrowing of the curriculum, exacerbated by textbook authors and publishers pressured to structure materials to reflect the content of achievement tests. In the language arts, there is a spreading emphasis on using portfolios as an alternative assessment. In this approach, assessment becomes instruction because students are learning to assess themselves. Many state and local school districts across the country are also experimenting with "performance" or "authentic" tests. Authors and publishers of assessment materials have begun to produce textbooks and instructional materials which cut across content areas. Educators now have a wider, richer selection of materials and ideas to match to the theories to which they subscribe. (RS) ED369075

Finch, F. F., Mary. (1993). Varieties of Performance Assessments. Performance assessment is reviewed as an emerging form of alternative assessment, focusing on how it has been defined in the research literature, the criteria for evaluating its authenticity, the measurement of process and product, and the link between assessment and instruction. Three important dimensions that must be considered in describing performance tests are the extent to which test is authentic (simulating real life), what is actually being evaluated, and the basic response format of the task. In evaluating authenticity, it is necessary to consider structure and design, grading and scoring, and fairness and equity. Performance tests can focus primarily on the product or on the process, and it is important to recognize where the focus lies. The basic types of response situations include oral, written, and graphic representation tasks. Good instructional activities may inform the design of good assessment tasks, but it cannot be assumed that authentic assessment will automatically result in classroom activities that are more conducive to learning. In practice, a compromise between multiple-choice tests and full-blown simulations of actual situations can be found, even though this may not be the highest form of performance assessment. (SLD) ED357032

Flesher, J. W. (1993). Occupational Competencies and Authentic Research. Journal of Industrial Teacher Education v30 n4 p86-89 Sum 1993. Accuracy and effectiveness of job performance standards and competencies can be increased through authentic worksite research and applications of advancements in cognitive science. (SK) UMI Report/ISSN: ISSN-0022-1864 EJ472147

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Gordon, E. W. (1992). Implications of Diversity in Human Characteristics for Authentic Assessment. The question of the appropriateness of a set of national standards for educational achievement in the United States is extremely complex. One source of the complexities is the diversity of human characteristics, and the distortions that come from racism, sexism, and other forms of chauvinism. The current practice in testing seems to treat validity through an assumptive bias. Commonalty or heterogeneity is simply assumed, without determining how these assumptions are influenced by racism, sexism, classism, or, in the case of language, nationalism. A concern for population diversity and pluralistic outcomes is a necessity in the adequate assessment of achievement. The challenge to authentic assessment is to understand and agree that the concern with diversity, pluralism, and equity rests on commitment to universal standards of competence. Assessment probes should provide: (1) diversity in task content, contexts, demands, and referents; (2) flexibility in timing; (3) multiplicity of perspectives; (4) critical sampling; (5) hypertext, requiring supplying absent elements for embedded knowledge; (6) choice of self-selected and teacher-selected options; (7) opportunities to identify examples of canonical knowledge and technique; (8) individual and cooperative performance opportunities; and (9) self-designated tasks from examinee generated inventories of knowledge, skill, and understanding. (SLD) ED348381

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Haber, F. B. (1993). Alternative Assessment in Accounting. Business Education Forum v48 n2 p23-25 Dec 1993. Successful accounting graduates will need to possess a broad range of relevant competencies; therefore, teachers must be sure that each graduate possesses the competencies business wants. Using alternative performance assessment techniques will help meet that goal. (Author) UMI Report/ISSN: ISSN-0007-6678 EJ472201

Hacker, J. H., Walter. (1991). Toward Extended Assessment: The Big Picture. Testing and assessment that are "more authentic" (performance-based or alternative) represent the most pressing issue in education today. Some of the major criticisms leveled at standardized testing are examined, and the advantages and disadvantages of more authentic assessment are reviewed. A general direction for integrating traditional and innovative forms of assessment is proposed. Among criticisms of current tests that have been identified by the National Commission on Testing and Public Policy, two of the biggest criticisms are that standardized objective testing fails to assess real mastery and is of limited validity. Advantages claimed for more authentic assessment include: (1) direct measurement of what children should know; (2) emphasis on higher order thinking skills, judgment, and collaboration; (3) encouragement of active participation in the learning process by children; and (4) allowing educators to teach to the test without destroying validity. Disadvantages of authentic assessment include high cost; difficulty in making results consistent and usable; and undemonstrated validity, reliability, and comparability. Three examples of authentic assessment are provided. A compromise between traditional and authentic assessments could begin with encouraging use of multiple measures and promoting more authentic measures when possible and cost effective. A 52-item list of references is included. (SLD) ED337494

Hambleton, R. K. M., Edward. (1991). A Psychometric Perspective on Authentic Measurement. Authentic measurement has become an important topic recently in educational testing. Advocates of authentic measurement feel that objective tests, multiple-choice tests in particular, cannot meet the demands required of today's tests and should be replaced by tests that can be closely matched to instruction and can assess higher-order cognitive skills. This paper addresses the validity of several criticisms of objective tests and, where appropriate, considers the viability of some alternatives. The four criticisms of objective tests that are considered contain arguments that such tests foster a one-right answer mentality, narrow the curriculum, focus on discrete skills, and under-represent the performance of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. It is contended that the evidence against multiple-choice tests is not nearly as strong as has been claimed. It is not clear whether authentic measurements are always better. Substantially more research into the strengths and weaknesses of various item formats for meeting particular measurement needs should be conducted. A 49-item list of references is included. (Author/TJH) ED334265

Hambleton, R. K. M., Edward. (1992). A Psychometric Perspective on Authentic Measurement. Applied Measurement in Education v5 n1 p1-16 1992. The validity of several criticisms of objective tests is addressed, and the viability of some alternatives to objective testing is discussed. Evidence against multiple-choice tests is not as strong as has been claimed. Authentic assessments may not always be better, and research about new forms of assessment is necessary. (SLD) Report/ISSN: ISSN-0895-7347 EJ447994

Hansen, J. B. H., Walter E. (1991). A Survey of More Authentic Assessment Practices. Information was gathered to determine the extent to which more authentic education assessments, including whole language assessments, are being implemented, and to identify which organizations conduct authentic education assessments. Materials used by the surveyed organizations were collected and catalogued into a compendium of authentic assessment techniques. A conceptual framework was developed for characterizing the stage of development an organization attained with respect to authentic assessment; this framework ranged from the initial policy decision through making the assessment operational. A questionnaire was mailed to individuals representing 433 educational organizations and businesses in the United States, Canada, and several other countries. Representatives were asked what they were doing to answer the call for more authentic assessment and, more specifically, how they were addressing the call for more whole language assessment. A total of 110 organizations responded positively to either of the two questions administered, a response rate of 25.4%. Of these, 106 respondents indicated that they were attempting more authentic assessment, with 75 attempting whole language assessment. Forty-one organizations submitted materials to be catalogued. In general, assessments were in the developmental stage, with relatively little full implementation. Seven tables contain study data. Appendix A presents the survey questionnaire, and Appendix B lists 55 abstracts of the materials submitted. (SLD) ED333039

Harlen, W. (1994). Concepts of Quality in Student Assessment. This paper gives an overview of the methods of moderation, or quality assurance and quality control, as they may be more widely known, that are used to enhance the quality of student assessment. The discussion is based on the educational systems of the United Kingdom but is applicable to assessment in other countries. Quality in assessment is seen as the provision of information of the highest validity and optimum reliability suited to a particular purpose and context. Moderation procedures fall broadly into those concerned with adjustment of the outcome of the assessment to improve fairness (quality control) and those concerned with arriving at fair assessments (quality assurance). Approaches to quality control are: (1) the use of reference or scaling tests for statistical moderation; (2) the inspection of samples by post (e.g., sending a sample of work to an outside organization for an award); (3) the inspection by visiting moderators; (4) external examination; (5) teacher-requested moderation; and (6) group and consensus moderation of internal assessment. Approaches to quality assurance, which are usually made before the assessment, include definition of criteria, providing examples, approving entities carrying out assessment, visits of moderators, and group moderation. The quality of teacher assessments can be enhanced through moderation procedures that support professional development. (Contains 18 references.) (SLD) ED367712

Harman, S. (1992). Snow White and the Seven Warnings: Threats to Authentic Evaluation (Assessment). Reading Teacher v46 n3 p250-52 Nov 1992. Identifies and analyzes seven threats to authentic evaluation, and predicts implications. Warns educators to beware of the term "standards"; norm-referencing; aggregation; credibility, comparability, and calibration; multiple measures; schemes that rule out varieties of excellence; and "untests." (SR) UMI Report/ISSN: ISSN-0034-0561 EJ452696

Helgeson, S. L. K., David D. (1993). A Review of Educational Technology in Science Assessment. Monograph Series Number 7. Emerging applications of microcomputers and hypermedia to assessment in science education are reviewed. Although the current use of technology consists mainly of computerized administration of multiple choice tests drawn from item banks, the potential advantages are much greater. Among these advantages are immediate feedback to students, formative evaluation with remediation possibilities, adaptive testing in which the test is adjusted to match the students' level of performance, monitoring of homework, and laboratory activities. (Contains 42 references.) (Author/AA) ED366507

Hewitt, C. B. A. O. (1993). Assessment of Student Learning in Fine Arts. This document, part of a series of papers which describe the assessment of student learning in various school curriculum areas from prekindergarten through grade 12, focuses on the assessment of student learning in fine arts education. After an overview of current curriculum goals in fine arts education, subsequent sections describe performance-based and self-assessment as they relate to the fine arts disciplines of dance, music, theater/drama, and the visual arts. State activities and guidelines and a brief summary of issues in fine arts education are also provided. Portfolio and performance-based assessment methods are well-established in the fine arts, where they have been field tested and documented. In contrast, in many fields authentic assessments of this sort are just emerging. The assessment strategies used in fine arts provide well-developed models that can be useful in other fields and disciplines. (SLD) ED358166

Hewitt, C. B. A. O. (1993). Assessment of Student Learning in Foreign Language. As part of a series of documents on assessment of student learning in various school curriculum areas, this report describes assessment of student learning in the foreign language classroom in South Carolina. The report begins with an overview of current curriculum goals in foreign language education and the status of assessment practices in this area. Subsequent sections describe methods of assessing foreign language learning in the following five areas: (1) listening; (2) speaking; (3) reading; (4) writing; and (5) culture. The manner in which curriculum, instruction, and assessment are combined and the relative interest in each differ by grade level. In elementary school foreign language programs, class time is devoted to the development of listening, speaking, and culture skills, with few tests being given. Many current developments in foreign language assessment are taking place at the secondary school level or higher. Performance assessment approaches have already been established in foreign language education, while they are only beginning to have an impact in other fields. Educators with an interest in performance-based authentic assessment have much to gain from a careful study of foreign language assessment. Contains 48 references. (SLD) ED358162

Hill, B. C. R., Cynthia. (1994). Practical Aspects of Authentic Assessment: Putting the Pieces Together. Focusing on specific and practical aspects of assessment and evaluation in elementary classrooms, this book is not only about portfolios, but about collecting and recording information from multiple sources on an ongoing basis. Noting that making forms, especially on the computer, is very time consuming, the book includes over 120 reproducible forms. Chapters in the book are: (1) Framing the Puzzle; (2) Getting the Whole Picture; (3) Putting the Pieces Together; (4) Organizing Portfolios and Assessment Information; (5) Observing Students; (6) Observing Emergent Writers and Readers; (7) Observing Writing Growth; (8) Observing Reading Growth; (9) Assessment in Content Areas; (10) Involving Students in Assessment; (11) Involving Parents in Assessment; (12) Involving Special Students in Assessment; (13) Reporting Student Growth; and (14) Missing Pieces. In addition to a 101-item reference list, checklists of assessment tools and techniques for the student portfolio and for the teacher notebook are attached. (RS) ED364874

Hill, C. L., Eric. (1992). Testing and Assessment in Secondary Education: A Critical Review of Emerging Practices. A study of assessment practices focused on vocational schools, especially those concerned with developing generic workplace skills, as well as comprehensive secondary schools that are developing closer relations with the workplace. The major reasons for educational testing in secondary schools are managing student learning, monitoring educational systems, and evaluating students for institutional purposes. Principles that are frequently used in discussions of testing and assessment policy are excellence, equity, and efficiency. These three qualities are better accomplished with authentic assessment, which does the following: (1) requires students to construct responses rather than select among preexisting options; (2) elicits higher order thinking in addition to basic skills; (3) uses direct assessment of holistic projects; (4) is integrated with classroom instruction; (5) uses samples of student work collected over an extended period of time; (6) is based on clear criteria of which students are made aware; (7) allows for the possibility of multiple human judgments; and (8) is more closely related to classroom learning. Three fundamental goals of education that authentic assessment can help to achieve are reforming curriculum and instruction, improving teacher morale and performance, and strengthening student commitment and capacity for self-monitoring. Compared to conventional testing, authentic assessment that teaches students how to monitor their own work makes far greater demands on both students and teachers. However, given the demands of the future workplace, internal evaluation and self-monitoring are increasingly critical skills. (Contains 126 references.) (CML) ED353445

Horvath, F. G. (1991). Assessment in Alberta: Dimensions of Authenticity. The assessment programs of Alberta Education (Canada) are described, and the principles that guide these programs are reviewed. Alberta is committed to authentic assessment in its three major assessment programs: (1) the Diploma Examinations Program for certification in specific courses at the end of high school; (2) the Achievement Testing Program for monitoring student achievement in grades 3, 6, and 9; and (3) the diagnostic evaluation programs. Three key principles in assessment in Alberta include: assessment is based on clear expectations for student performance; assessment recognizes the central role of language in learning; and assessment provides models for good teaching. To extend the range of student performance being assessed by the Achievement Testing Program, several types of performance-based assessment are being piloted in addition to written-response activities. A pilot project on the use of portfolios to systematically gather information on student achievement conducted in four classrooms (120 students) illustrates the continuing efforts of Alberta Education to provide authentic assessment of student achievement. Fourteen appendices contain individual descriptions of components of the testing programs, with some samples and scoring instructions. (SLD) ED331893

Hughes, S. (1993). What Is Alternative/Authentic Assessment and How Does It Impact Special Education? Educational Horizons v72 n1 p28-35 Fall 1993. Authentic assessment reflects the subject's content and process and the conditions for achievement, emphasizing whether students' progress is reasonable for their age and experience. Alternative assessments are having an effect on special education intervention, formative and summative evaluation, screening, referral, classification, and placement. (SK) UMI Report/ISSN: ISSN-0013-175X EJ482751

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Improvement, O. o. E. R. a. (1993). Field Initiated Studies Program. Abstracts of Funded Projects 1992. The Field-Initiated Studies program is open to institutions of higher education, public and private organizations, institutions, and agencies, as well as individuals. Applicants may propose projects that last up to 18 months, and proposals are reviewed and evaluated based on their technical quality and national importance judged by scholars and practitioners outside the federal government. This booklet contains descriptions (including the title, research objectives, project design, principal investigator, award amount, and availability information) of 13 projects funded in 1992. Topics and research methodologies are diverse. In fiscal year 1992, funded projects included work in the following areas: (1) academic achievement of minority students; (2) portfolio assessment; (3) communication strategies for children with hearing loss; (4) reflective thinking; (5) classroom reorganization; (6) identifying academically gifted elementary school students; (7) adult basic education; (8) racial differences in college retention; (9) sexual abuse in schools; (10) teacher preparation; (11) special education and at-risk students; (12) authentic assessment in middle school science; and (13) assessing mathematical thinking for high-risk students. (SLD) ED358835

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Johnson, N. J. (1993). Celebrating Growth over Time: Classroom-Based Assessment in Language Arts. Literacy Improvement Series for Elementary Educators. Predicated on a belief that assessment and evaluation should be vital, planned aspects of the curriculum, this booklet describes classroom-based assessment that serves to inform teachers, students, and parents of the learner's growth as well as to suggest next-step instructional goals. Procedures developed by classroom teachers which integrate assessment within the instructional process include a photo album project, writing journals/folders, reading logs, and anecdotal records. The approach in the booklet was developed around beliefs that assessment and evaluation are most valuable when they are: (1) reflective of what is known about language and learning; (2) centered in the classroom; (3) compatible with curricular and instructional goals; (4) qualitative as well as quantitative; (5) multidimensional and leading to a profile of growth and progress over time; (6) focused on and developed alongside the child, parent, and teacher; and (7) informative in guiding decisions for next-step instruction. The booklet presents assessment checklists as a means of demonstrating the growth of the readers and writers in their classrooms. Fifteen references, six additional resources, and five resources for checklists are attached. (RS) ED358436

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Kanis, I. B. (1992). Task-Oriented Evaluation. Science Activities v29 n3 p26-30 Fall 1992. In 1985, participants in the Second International Science Study developed and evaluated hands-on problem-solving activities and gave students the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of science process skills. Six evaluation stations for fifth and sixth graders are presented: Blowing in a Liquid, Compare and Contrast, Electrical Circuit, Hot and Cold Water, Diffusion, and Oil from Nuts, Beans, and Seeds. (PR) UMI Report/ISSN: ISSN-0036-8121 EJ467728

Karweit, N. (1993). Driving School Improvement with Assessments: Some Implications from Chapter 1. NASSP Bulletin v77 n555 p1-11 Oct 1993. Accountability systems are designed to heighten probability of student exposure to good instructional practice, reduce the likelihood of harmful practices, and provide internal self-correctives. The Chapter 1 accountability system fails to meet these objectives, as it lacks timely self-correction information, credible tests, and linkages among staff development, classroom practices, and assessment. (Contains 10 references.) (MLH) UMI Report/ISSN: ISSN-0192-6365 EJ470529

Kelley, C. (1994). Determining Curricula and Exam Content in the Advanced Placement Program: Implications for National Standards. Education and Urban Society v26 n2 p172-84 Feb 1994. Examines the approach of the College Board's Advanced Placement (AP) Program to curricular development and assessment using the framework of D. Massell for agenda setting for content standards. Opportunities and constraints applicable to the current national standards movement are discussed. The AP program clearly meets capacity building and implementation criteria. (SLD) UMI Report/ISSN: ISSN-0013-1245 EJ480484

Kornhaber, M., & Gardner, H. (1993). Varieties of Excellence: Identifying and Assessing Children's Talents. A Series on Authentic Assessment and Accountability. The current wave of school reform, with its emphasis on the learner, affords the opportunity to create environments that can foster excellence. The ability to support the development of excellence is threatened by commonly held beliefs that excellence depends on innate ability and that anyone who works hard enough will succeed, irrespective of the support they receive. This paper, one of a series of essays written for New York State's "Standards of Excellence" project, challenges common beliefs and asserts that: (1) human beings possess a varied array of mental competences, strengths, or "intelligences" that they can combine and call on in different ways to achieve excellence in diverse disciplines; and (2) those who are deemed excellent have developed their competences in meaningful contexts over an extended period of time. Topics discussed include the varieties of potential excellence, broad and narrow views of excellence, conditions for the achievement of excellence, community involvement in the creation of meaningful contexts, teacher involvement in the nurturing of domains of excellence, and forms of curriculum and assessment that engender understanding. Recommendations for schools seeking to support excellence include encouraging and supporting teachers to develop diverse competences through cooperative learning; providing forms of assessment that are fair to those with diverse strengths; and aligning school, family, and community to support the long-term development of individuals' competences. Contains 113 references. (SM) ED363396

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Leder, G. C., Ed. (1992). Assessment and Learning of Mathematics. This book addresses the link between student learning of mathematics, the teaching method adopted in the mathematics classroom, and the assessment procedures used to determine and measure student knowledge. Fifteen chapters address issues that include a review of different models of mathematics learning and assessment practices, three contrasting views of learning, the effects of teachers' perceptions of their roles on teaching, concerns with the social context in mathematics classrooms, the national curriculum in the United Kingdom, developments in mathematics education in the Netherlands, and a comparison of major curriculum initiatives in United States, England, and Australia. Chapters are as follows: (1) "Perspectives on learning, teaching and assessment" (G. C. Leder and H. J. Forgasz); (2) "Curriculum and assessment: A basic cognitive model" (K. F. Collis); (3) "Cognitive theories and their implications for mathematics education" (J. Sweller); (4) "Instructional development and assessment from a socioconstructivist perspective" (E. Yackel, P. Cobb, and T. Wood); (5) "Teaching and assessment relationships in mathematics instruction" (D. A. Grouws and S. L. Meier); (6) "Teachers' interpretations of their roles in mathematics classrooms" (J. A. Mousley, M. A. Clements, and N. F. Ellerton); (7) "The role of assessment in determining mathematics performance" (D. Clarke); (8) "Cultural issues in the intended, implemented and attained mathematics curriculum" (A. J. Bishop); (9) "The English experience of a national curriculum and assessments" (L. S. Joffe); (10) "Early years mathematics: Children, teachers and assessment" (L. Rogers); (11) "Understanding children's mathematics: Some assessment tools" (G. N. Masters and B. A. Doig); (12) "Through children's eyes: A constructivist approach to assessing mathematics learning" (B. A. Doig and G. N. Masters); (13) "Curriculum planning, assessment and student learning in mathematics: A top-down approach" (D. Blane); (14) "Critical factors for real changes in mathematics learning" (J. de Lange); and (15) "Curriculum planning + assessment = learning?" (G. C. Leder). A list of the authors and an index are included. (MDH) ED362413

Lesh, R., Ed. Lamon, Susan J., Ed. (1992). Assessment of Authentic Performance in School Mathematics. AAAS Press Series on Assessment and Evaluation. This book grew out of a conference sponsored by the Educational Testing Service and the University of Wisconsin's National Center for Research in Mathematical Science Education that focused on assessment issues in mathematics education. The book's 16 chapters focus on clarifying and articulating the goals of assessment and instruction. They are divided into five parts. Part I Assessment Objectives, contains the following chapters: (1) Trends, Goals, and Priorities in Mathematics Assessment (Richard Lesh and Susan Lamon); (2) Assessing Authentic Mathematical Performance (Richard Lesh and Susan Lamon); (3) Toward an Assessment Framework for School Mathematics (Gerald Goldin); and (4) Research and Classroom Assessment of Students' Verifying, Conjecturing, and Generalizing in Geometry (Daniel Chazan and Michal Yerushalmy). Chapters in part II, New Items and Assessment Procedures, are: (5) Balanced Assessment of Mathematical Performance (Alan Bell, Hugh Burkhardt, and Malcolm Swan); (6) Assessment of Extended Tasks (Alan Bell, Hugh Burkhardt, and Malcolm Swan); (7) Moving the System: The Contributions of Assessment (Alan Bell, Hugh Burkhardt, and Malcolm Swan); (8) Assessing Mathematical Skills, Understanding, and Thinking (Jan de Lange); and (9) Thinking Strategies in Mathematics Instruction: How Is It Possible? (Leen Streefland). Part III, New Perspectives on Classroom-based Assessment, contains chapters (10), A Teacher's Struggle to Assess Student Cognitive Growth (Carolyn Maher, Robert Davis, and Alice Alston), and (11), Assessing Understanding of Arithmetic (Herbert Ginsburg, Luz Lopez, Swapna Mukhopadhyay, Takashi Yamamoto, Megan Willis, and Mary Kelly). Chapters in part IV, New Types of Scoring and Reporting, are: (12) Toward a Test Theory for Assessing Student Understanding (Robert Mislevy, Kentaro Yamamoto, and Steven Anacker); (13) Interpreting Responses to Problems with Several Levels and Types of Correct Answers (Susan Lamon and Richard Lesh); and (14) Using Learning Progress Maps to Improve Educational Decision Making (Richard Lesh, Susan Lamon, Brian Gong, and Thomas Post). Part V on difficulties, opportunities, and future directions in assessment contains chapters (15), Future Directions for Mathematics Assessment (Richard Lesh, Susan Lamon, Frank Lester, and Merlyn Behr), and (16), The Intellectual Prices of Secrecy in Mathematics Assessment (Judah Schwartz). (MDH) ED352262

Lippitt, L. B., Doreen. (1993). The Hupobi Heritage Project: Multimedia and Authentic Assessment. Writing Notebook: Visions for Learning v10 n4 p28-29,46 Apr-May 1993. Narrates how the Hupobi Heritage Project involved Pueblo Indian youth in the interpretation of their cultural heritage for non-Native Americans. Explains how the information was presented through multimedia. (HB) EJ463680

Lockwood, A. T. (1991). Authentic Assessment. Authentic performance assessments--when used simultaneously with matching curricular practices--are a promising development for practitioners and students alike. A major benefit for practitioners appears to be the opportunity to redefine the curriculum and guide instruction. Benefits for students include the opportunity to engage in authentic work and receive feedback that speaks directly to their capabilities. This newsletter presents stories of practitioners at two suburban schools who decided to change their curricular and assessment practices to encompass authentic assessment and authentic instruction. Instruction in both schools had to be shifted from curricular practices that emphasized coverage of large amounts of material within a prescribed time frame, to in-depth situations in which students are encouraged to develop problem-solving and higher-order thinking abilities. An example of revised assessment criteria is included: "Scoring System for Fifth Grade Performance Assessment at Mark Twain Elementary School, Littleton, Colorado." Selected criteria which guide school staff planning of authentic curriculum units at Urbandale High School in Urbandale, Iowa, are also included. (IAH) ED332958

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MacGregor, R. N. (1992). A Short Guide to Alternative Assessment Practices. Art Education v45 n6 p34-38 Nov 1992. Reviews alternative assessment practices in several nations and questions whether these techniques should be used in the United States. Focuses on moderation, a technique in which trained evaluators adjust grades to ensure equitable distribution among participating schools. Concludes that evaluation in art education presents special problems and that methods used by other nations may provide useful models. (CFR) UMI Report/ISSN: ISSN-0004-3125 EJ467897

Madaus, G. F. (1992). A Technological and Historical Consideration of Equity Issues Associated with Proposals To Change Our Nation's Testing Policy. The equity of a national examination system using authentic assessments is discussed from technological and historical perspectives. Testing is, in fact, a technology embedded in sociotechnical systems such as education, government, and business. The historical perspective is important because it provides lessons for present policy. The first section of the paper offers reasons from the history of technology for proceeding with national testing with caution from an equity point of view. In the second section, the historical evolution of technology is described, and how that evolution brought about the present revolution in testing is traced. Section 3 describes the historical paradox associated with testing policy aimed at assisting the underprivileged. The final section lists the following characteristics of a high-stakes examination system that will be necessary for ensuring equity: (1) a level playing field of social and educational conditions; (2) a clear definition of purpose; (3) the need to recruit more minorities into testing; and (4) the need for an independent monitoring agency. The technical and equity considerations of a national examination system require that we proceed with the utmost caution. (Contains 115 references.) (SLD) ED363618

Madaus, G. F. K., Thomas. (1993). The British Experience with "Authentic" Testing. Phi Delta Kappan v74 n6 p458-59,462-63,466-69 Feb 1993. Authentic testing, consisting mainly of the three P's (performance, portfolios, and products) must be evaluated in light of practicalities and usage context. This article reviews British experience with standard assessment tasks (SATs), concentrating on issues pertaining to technical adequacy, efficiency, manageability, standardization, comparability, and costs. Authentic testing may be short lived. (49 references) (MLH) UMI Report/ISSN: ISSN-0031-7217 EJ457279

Mann, D. (1991). Performance Assessment and Records of Accomplishment for Employability. This paper describes uses for one component of an authentic assessment--visual records of achievement. Focus is on the uses of instant photography in visual literacy, multicultural education, and administrative applications. Using instant photography, students and their teachers can create a collection of the students' best work. That visual documentation is part of the commonly used jury evaluation of the student's portfolio. However, the same authentic assessment materials can be used to assist job-seeking students or graduates with employment interviews. While these applications are as yet undeveloped in the United States, the school-business partnership of Sheffield (England) has a comprehensive program linking school-based assessment with subsequent job placement. Under the Sheffield program, the visual records of transitory events bridge the conversation between the job seeker's most important experience to date (school) and the employer's need to know something real about the graduate's accomplishments/interests. Visual records are an important extension of the movement for reforms in student progress measurement and represent a chance for school officials to increase efficiency by re-cycling work done for school purposes to yet other goals. The larger political context of authentic assessment in the United States, the relationship between visual literacy and text understanding, and how instant photography is currently being used in the schools to build multicultural awareness and to acknowledge high-achieving students and teachers are discussed. (RLC) ED335415

Marchesani, R. J. (1992). Using Portfolios for More Authentic Assessment of Writing Ability. A practicum sought to improve student writing and student attitude towards writing through a performance-based assessment which featured peer and teacher conferencing, holistic grading, and publication of material written by students. The practicum involved seventh and eighth graders and five teachers who instituted all aspects of the writing process from prewriting to evaluation. The 12-week writing program encompassed all four types of writing, provided folders for all students, outlined procedures for peer and teacher conferencing, conducted summative evaluations among teachers, enacted a letter-writing project among students, arranged for the collection and sealing of student folders for teacher assessment in the next academic year, and conducted summative evaluation surveys at the conclusion of the program. Analysis of the survey and evaluation of teacher discussions revealed a substantial increase in student participation in writing as well as an improved attitude by the students about writing. Use of holistic grading procedures brought about a greater awareness by teachers of this type of evaluation and provided a greater spectrum of positive grades from the students participating. Overall teachers and students generated a more positive outlook about writing in general and of portfolio assessment in particular. (Two tables of data are included; four appendixes--the Teacher and Student Surveys on Writing, the Teacher Summative Evaluation of Program, and the Post Project Student Survey--are attached.) (Author/PRA) ED347555

McMurtry, J. (1993). Evaluating Teaching by Evaluating Learning. Canadian Social Studies v27 n2 p55-56 Win 1993. Contends that evaluating teaching is just as important as evaluating students. Argues that most teacher evaluation does not examine what students actually learn from the teacher. Recommends the use of written entry performance tests and subsequent written tests to evaluate teaching effectiveness. (CFR) UMI Report/ISSN: ISSN-1191-162X EJ464754

Mehler, A. H. (1992). Integration of Examinations and Education. Biochemical Education v20 n1 p10-14 Jan 1992. Discusses examinations as the major determinant of student behavior and suggests that no improvement in the effectiveness of biochemistry courses will occur until examinations are so integrated into the educational process that they reinforce educational objectives. Includes discussions on self-education, cooperation between students, and problem solving with three sample problems appended. (Author/KR) UMI Report/ISSN: ISSN-0307-4412 EJ449134

Meyer, C. A. (1992). What's the Difference between "Authentic" and "Performance" Assessment? Educational Leadership v49 n8 p39-40 May 1992. Uses two direct writing assignments to show that performance assessment denotes the kind of student response to be examined, whereas authentic assessment denotes assessment context. Although not all performance assessments are authentic, it is difficult to imagine an authentic assessment that would not also be a performance assessment. Educators should beware using these terms interchangeably. (MLH) UMI Report/ISSN: ISSN-0013-1784 EJ444312

Midkiff, R. B. T., Rebecca Davis. (1993). A Practical Approach to Using Learning Styles in Math Instruction. Instruction based on learning styles has received little attention in the recent reform efforts in mathematics education. The purpose of this book is to address the improvement of mathematics instruction through sensitivity to learning styles. The introduction discusses the scope and rationale of the book. Chapter 2 documents the need for improvement in mathematics education and addresses how both curriculum and instruction must change to prepare students to function in the 21st century. Chapter 3 provides a comprehensive overview of learning styles. Chapter 4 discusses the effective use of manipulatives and provides a sample lesson to serve as a model for future use. Chapter 5 addresses the use of spatial reasoning as a way to reduce gender differences in mathematics achievement. Chapter 6 presents activities that aid retention of mathematical concepts and skills. Chapter 7 introduces the use of portfolios as a method to implement authentic assessment. Chapter 8 summarizes the key ideas presented in the book. (Contains 128 references and an index.) (MDH) ED367542

Mitchell, R. S., Amy. (1991). Six Case-Studies of Performance Assessment. Six cases are studied to give some idea of the range of performance assessments in use in the United States. Contrast and comparison are made possible through the study of the following: (1) the South Brunswick (New Jersey) Public Schools Observational Portfolio for kindergarten through grade 12; (2) the Arizona Student Assessment Program (not yet operational); (3) the California Assessment Program as it relates to the San Diego City Schools; (4) the College Board's Advanced Placement (AP) Studio Art Portfolio Assessment; (5) the Longfellow Elementary School Art Assessment in Bozeman (Montana); and (6) the "We the People..." Competition, a national social studies-history and oral discourse performance assessment organized by the Center for Civic Education (CCE) in Calabasas (California). Each study contains: (1) an introduction; (2) a statement of purpose and rationale; (3) the experience of program implementation; (4) a description of the impacts on teachers; (5) comments on scoring; (6) cost issues; (7) a discussion of impacts on minorities; and (8) a discussion of the lessons from each case study. Two general lessons are that the purpose of the assessment must be clear before decisions are made about form, and that the variety of performance assessments causes many psychometric complications. A 57-item bibliography is included. (SLD) ED340777

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Negin, G. A. (1993). In Vino, Veritas. Educational Leadership v50 n6 p32-33 Mar 1993. While reminiscing over wine and granola bars, some elementary teacher-survivors from the sixties pondered timeless teaching truths newly "discovered" by education reformers, including authentic assessment, cooperative learning, a national curriculum, and brain-compatible learning. Reformers are insensitive to realistic classroom contexts when describing their magic, mystical silver bullets. All teachers ask is that others respect their contributions. (MLH) UMI Report/ISSN: ISSN-0013-1784 EJ459424