This annotated bibliography is reformatted and customized by the Center for Positive Practices. Some of the authors featured on this page include Jeffrey Glanz, William Allan Kritsonis, Paris S. Strom, David James Eitle, James V. Hoffman, Elizabeth DeBray, Peggy F. Hopper, Christina Puentes, Robyn M. Gillies, and Sean W. Mulvenon.
(2002). High-Stakes Testing: An Examination of Elementary Counselors' Views and Their Academic Preparation To Meet This Challenge, Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development. School counselors are responsible for addressing social and personal issues, educational issues, and the career needs of students. Recent emphasis on high-stakes testing and school accountability has resulted in counselors focusing more of their time on schoolwide testing programs. A statewide survey provided information on counselors' attitudes of, involvement in, and activities associated with the testing process. (Contains 46 references and 3 tables.) Descriptors: Accountability, Counselor Attitudes, Counselor Role, Educational Assessment
(2001). Assessing Achievement versus High-Stakes Testing: A Crucial Contrast, Educational Assessment. Discusses the contrast between assessing achievement for samples of students and the high-stakes testing of all students. High stakes tests can entail harmful direct effects for some individuals and harmful side effects for others. Discusses student engagement in school as a key element of effective schooling. Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Educational Assessment, Elementary Secondary Education, High Stakes Tests
(2007). School Commitment and Alcohol Use: The Moderating Role of Race and Ethnicity, Education Policy Analysis Archives. Research indicates that lower levels of school commitment may be one potential outcome of policy initiatives such as high-stakes testing and exit exams. Such outcomes may lead these policy initiatives to have unintended consequences for students, particularly racial or ethnic minority students. This study examines whether race or ethnicity moderate the relationship between school commitment and alcohol use or binge drinking among a sample of Florida public middle and high-school students who were surveyed as part of the 2002 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey. Low school commitment was found to be associated with a greater likelihood of alcohol use in the past 30 days and a greater likelihood of binge drinking during the past two weeks for Black, Hispanic, and White students. Both the higher average levels of school commitment among Black and Hispanic than among white students and the greater association between low school commitment and the two alcohol use outcomes for Black and Hispanic students compared to White students account for some of the difference in alcohol use and binge drinking among the different groups. [More] Descriptors: Ethnicity, Racial Factors, Racial Differences, Drinking
(2007). Corporate Testing: Standards, Profits, and the Demise of the Public Sphere, Teacher Education Quarterly. This article examines the standardized high-stakes testing in the wake of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) movement. It focuses on the political economy of the testing industry; that is, a look into the ownership, intent, and regulation of the private forces that produce, provide materials, prep sessions, and tutorials for and evaluate, report on, and profit from these tests. The author states that, by looking at and analyzing this powerful sector and the networks therein, it is much easier to understand the synergy that exists among government, corporations, and the media and how this force has been controlling public education in the U.S. to the detriment of its people. It is from this position of awareness that activists can better mobilize against these forces, and teacher education programs can be restructured, if they are really intent on democratizing schools, in order to better meet the needs of educators and students alike. The author offers suggestions on what teacher education programs and practitioners can do to work towards redemocratizing public schools and creating civic-minded students and a vibrant public sphere. [More] [More] Descriptors: Ownership, Testing, Industry, Corporations
(2007). Teaching to Multiple Intelligence by Following a "Slime Trail", Middle School Journal (J3). In this age of teacher accountability and high-stakes testing, practicing middle school teachers face many complex issues. Because adolescents must deal with the challenges of physical, social, emotional, and intellectual change, they are considered the most diverse population in the public school system. One way to increase achievement and address the needs of young adolescents is to employ an assortment of innovative teaching methods. At the same time, teachers' assessments should allow for a wider range of evaluation of student performance that expand traditional assessments. Gardner's theory of Multiple Intelligence (MI) accounts for a broader range of potential among individuals because it recognizes eight forms of human intelligence: visual spatial, verbal linguistic, logical mathematical, bodily kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, musical rhythmic, and naturalistic intelligences. His theory is based on the premise that individuals possess all eight intelligences but demonstrate different levels of functioning in these various intelligences. To develop this range of intelligences, instructional methods need to be varied so that students may use their intellectual strengths to better understand a topic. In this article, the authors describe how they had their students experience the value of classroom practice based on MI theory by modeling instruction wherein students participate in classroom activities that address the various intelligences. To demonstrate that the theory can be applied to any subject, they chose to teach a set of little known facts about slugs, which are slimy creatures that are "cousins" to the snail. [More] Descriptors: Middle Schools, Teaching Methods, Learning Activities, Class Activities
(2001). High-Stakes Testing in Reading: Today in Texas, Tomorrow?, Reading Teacher. Considers how in these times of increased focus on standards and accountability, it is important to understand the views of the various participants. Begins with a brief history of the testing movement in Texas. Reports findings from a study on the negative effects of high stakes testing. Concludes with suggestions to minimize these effects on students and teachers. Descriptors: Academic Standards, Educational Testing, Elementary Secondary Education, High Stakes Tests
(2005). The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same: A Survey of High School Students' Writing Experiences, Research in the Teaching of English. In this article, we present secondary students' perceptions of their writing and writing instruction. Using the NCTE/IRA Standards as the foundation for a survey, we questioned nearly 2,000 public-school students concerning what they wrote, how they wrote, and the extent to which they wrote in their language arts classes. We chose Florida as our research site due to its nearly 30-year history of high stakes testing. Data analysis across high schools, grade levels, and tracks showed writing instruction to be differentiated and varied, but often at odds with research-based practices. Although these data provide only one snapshot of a complex phenomenon, our findings can be understood within a wider historical-political context in which state assessments and predetermined standards potentially impact the kinds of instruction students are receiving. [More] Descriptors: Student Attitudes, Data Analysis, Secondary School Students, Writing Instruction
(2007). National Impact: Creating Teacher Leaders through the Use of Problem-Based Learning, Online Submission. This article deals with the use of Problem-Based Learning. The emphasis on high stakes testing, classroom size, diversity, school violence, and much more impact public education and professional preparation programs relative to teacher education. Issues are presented dealing with Accrediting Commissions and Professional Organizations, and the use of strategies for implementing Problem-Based Learning (PBL). Two models are presented describing a system of Traditional Methods of Delivery and the recommended Method of Delivery Using Problem-Based Learning. Professors who employ quality Problem-Based Learning cases in their classrooms provide teacher candidates the opportunity to experience the process of solving real world problems as opposed to reading and memorizing lists of standards, teaching strategies, and qualities of effective teachers. Learning in context makes the information real and relevant. Teacher candidates immersed in educational research and knowledgeable about national, professional, and content standards are best equipped to become highly qualified in their fields. As a result they may be prepared to become teacher leaders. [More] Descriptors: Problem Based Learning, Preservice Teacher Education, Accreditation (Institutions), Academic Standards
(2007). Curbing Cheating, Raising Integrity, Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review. There are some speculations why students of all age groups and achievement levels cheat. One line of speculation is that dishonesty in school merely reflects the broader erosion of ethical behavior which has become commonplace in societies that tend to support self-centeredness over concern for others. Another is that concern about high-stakes testing is a cause for deception, particularly by students having difficulty meeting minimal competency skills required for high school graduation. Other observers contend that teachers are partially responsible because they ignore evidence of character failure and choose not to hold students accountable. Educators agree that a growing number of parents seem obsessed with wanting their children to perform better than classmates, regardless of the steps taken to get the desired results. In this article, the authors provide suggestions as to how educators can thwart cheating. They conclude that the promotion of integrity should be a high priority. Parents must become partners with teachers. Schools should reinforce continued guidance from parents and provide them with questions on ethical lessons for home discussion. [More] Descriptors: Student Behavior, Antisocial Behavior, Teacher Role, Parent Participation
(2007). Education's Abiding Moral Dilemma: Merit and Worth in the Cross-Atlantic Democracies, 1800-2006, Symposium Books. The conflict between access and quality in education has been front-page news for decades. Policies regarding the role of elite universities, the organisation of secondary education, admissions criteria, courses of study, high stakes testing, and fiscal and programme accountability have changed with uncommon frequency, resulting in confusion and uncertainty. Yet it is the argument of this book that the tension between access to education and the preservation of quality is another chapter in the much longer history of merit selection in England, Scotland and America, and should be seen in its proper contexts. The underlying cause of the difficulties, however, is the dilemma created by two competing conceptions of virtue, one determined by merit judged competitively and the other more vaguely but emotionally supported by a broader view of worth. Merit is consistent with liberal democracy, but worth is the special province of social democracy. None of the distinctions is easily categorised by political party or ideology. They are the result of opposite moral impulses inherent in plural democratic societies undergoing the strains of internal and global competition. Contents include: Foreword (Anthony Smith); Words, Words, Words; The Two Democracies; Two Words Where One Might Do; Elites and Elitism; The Merit of Examinations; Building Educational Systems; The Relation of Schools to Universities; Why Bother to Test?; Naturally Intelligent; Much Ado About the SAT; The California Master Plan for Higher Education; Affirmative Action; and How Many Cheers for Democracy? [More] Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Access to Education, Educational Quality, Conflict
(2005). A Comprehensive High School and a Shift in New York State Policy: A Study of Early Implementation, High School Journal. The article is about the early phase of implementation of a New York state testing policy in two academic departments in an urban, comprehensive high school. It describes and analyzes a high school?s failure to construct a coherent internal accountability system when encountering an external high-stakes testing policy. Drawing on interviews with teachers and administrators conducted over a period of one year, the article explores two aspects of the school's implementation of the state policy: what actions were being undertaken in these two departments; and the perceptions and understandings of the teachers and administrators within the organization. The organizational consequences of changing the stakes for graduation for a high school serving almost all disadvantaged students are discussed. [More] Descriptors: Educational Policy, Departments, Urban Schools, Accountability
(2007). Cooperative Learning: Integrating Theory and Practice, SAGE Publications (CA). Although cooperative learning is widely endorsed as a pedagogical practice that promotes learning and socialization among students, teachers still struggle with how to introduce it into their classrooms. This text highlights the strategies teachers can use to challenge student thinking and scaffold their learning as well as the strategies students can be taught to promote discourse, problem-solving, and learning during cooperative learning. The book situates cooperative learning within the context of No Child Left Behind and a climate of high stakes testing. Numerous case studies and small group exercises highlight how teachers can assess both the process and outcomes of cooperative learning. Guidelines are given on how teachers can establish cooperative learning in their classrooms to promote student engagement and learning across various levels and for students of diverse abilities. Lastly, an overview is provided of the major research and theoretical perspectives that underpin the development of cooperative learning pedagogy. The book is divided into the following eight parts: (1) Cooperative Leaning in Schools; (2) Key Components in Establishing Successful Cooperative Groups; (3) Teachers' Discourse to Promote Student Thinking and Learning; (4) Strategies to Promote Student Discourse; (5) Group Composition; (6) Assessing Small Group Learning; (7) Teachers' Responsibilities in Establishing Cooperative Learning in Their Classrooms; and (8) Future Developments in Using Small Groups. A glossary; list of references; and an index are also included. [More] Descriptors: Federal Legislation, Teachers, Student Participation, Cooperative Learning
(2007). What Dewey Can Still Teach Us, Principal Leadership. When John Dewey's monograph "Experience and Education" was published in 1938, the world was in the throes of a grueling, persistent depression and the U.S. education system was in flux because of competing visions about the purpose and conduct of school. The traditionalists favored an authoritarian structure that emphasized rote memorization, and the progressives advocated few barriers and the free flow of ideas. Dewey sought to bridge these positions by establishing a multidimensional philosophy of education that was grounded in the learning environment and human nature. Seventy years later, the remnants of earlier cultural struggles remain, this time in the context of accountability and high-stakes testing that bring a host of new challenges. Testing has made addressing the needs of the secondary student one-dimensional, the authors argue, and the goal of creating effective learners who are prepared for the workplace is not being satisfactorily met. They draw on Dewey's philosophical legacy to resolve questions about best practices in 21st century education. [More] Descriptors: Educational Change, Educational Philosophy, Intellectual History, Intellectual Development
(2007). Interactive and Textbook Lessons in Science Instruction: Combining Strategies to Engage Students in Learning, Online Submission. Students in elementary classrooms are not receiving science instruction that is engaging and challenging. The review of the literature indicates that the way that the information is presented has more of an impact on the students than simply whether they comprehend the information. Studies show that hands-on science instruction allows success beyond the classroom, hands-on activities excite students about leaning and science in general, and that the hands-on activities create confidence in the children. Research also indicates that students who receive textbook based lessons earn scores similar to students who learn through hands-on lessons. This study explores the effects of different instructional strategies on student engagement in science instruction. Findings indicated that teachers felt science is taught only in limited fashion, as a result of high stakes testing with its focus on language arts and mathematics improvement. Teachers, even with limited instructional time for science instruction, reported that hands-on and inquiry based science methods had positive effects on child engagement in learning. Appended are: (1) Entering the Redwood Forest: A Curriculum for Third Grade Students. [Master's Thesis, Dominican University of California.] [More] Descriptors: Grade 3, Textbooks, Educational Strategies, Hands on Science
(2007). Developing and Evaluating a Measure of Young Children's Attitudes toward School and Learning, Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment. High-stakes testing may potentially influence young children's attitudes toward school and learning. This study describes the development and evaluation of child and teacher versions of a measure called Children's Attitudes Toward School (CATS). Exploratory factor analyses of responses by 335 first graders and 130 first-grade teachers each identified the same underlying dimensions of attitudes related to three types of school activities–Academic, Early Literacy, and Child-Initiated. Confirmatory factor analyses of the three-factor model among a second split-half sample of 307 children and 129 teachers achieved acceptable fit. In general, children's self-reported attitudes were not associated with their achievement; teachers' judgments of children's attitudes had weak to moderate correlations with children's directly assessed skills and weak to moderately strong correlations with teachers' ratings of children's skills; children's self-reported attitudes and teachers' judgments of children's attitudes were not significantly correlated. Implications of these findings for assessing young children's attitudes are discussed. [More] Descriptors: Student Attitudes, School Attitudes, Attitude Measures, Grade 1