Contours of Inclusion: Frameworks and Tools for Evaluating Arts in Education

This collection of essays explores various arts education-specific evaluation tools, as well as considers Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and the inclusion of people with disabilities in the design of evaluation instruments and strategies. Prominent evaluators Donna M. Mertens, Robert Horowitz, Dennie Palmer Wolf, and Gail Burnaford are contributors to this volume. The appendix includes the AEA Standards for Evaluation. (Contains 10 tables, 2 figures, 30 footnotes, and resources for additional reading.) This is a proceedings document from the 2007 VSA arts Research Symposium that preceded the American Evaluation Association's (AEA) annual meeting in Baltimore, MD

Examination of Student-Active Learning Practices in a College/Middle School Educational Collaboration

A college and middle school student teaching collaboration was developed to interest more college students in teaching K-12 science, to enhance diversity among K-16 teaching faculties, and to inspire the K-12 students to expand their knowledge beyond their classroom curriculum. To assess our results, we used a modified Likert survey instrument and self-reflective analysis in middle school and college students, respectively. Overall, middle school students expressed satisfaction in the science learning in which they participated. In addition, college students reported that they learned specific content when made responsible for teaching material to younger students. Collaborative projects such as this one may positively impact attitudes towards math and science learning among middle school students. Research suggests that middle school girls who have positive experiences in math and science classes select further training and career options in these areas. Similarly, college students reported increased interest in K-12 teaching. Collaborative project based learning could be successfully modified by other educators for use in alternative or mainstream educational settings

Taking Stock of Common Core Math Implementation: Supporting Teachers to Shift Instruction: Insights from the Math in Common 2015 Baseline Survey of Teachers and Administrators

In spring 2015, WestEd administered surveys to understand the perspectives on Common Core State Standards-Mathematics (CCSS-M) implementation of teachers and administrators in eight California school districts participating in the Math in Common (MiC) initiative. From this survey effort, we were able to learn from over 1,000 respondents about some of the initial successes and challenges facing California educators attempting to put in place and support new -- and what some consider revolutionary -- ideas in U.S. mathematics education

Assessment and Active Learning Strategies for Introductory Geology Courses

Educational research findings suggest that instructors can foster the growth of thinking skills and promote science literacy by incorporating active learning strategies into the classroom. This paper describes a variety of such strategies that may be adopted in introductory geology courses to encourage the development of higher-order thinking skills, and provides directions for implementing these techniques in the classroom. It discusses six hierarchical levels of student learning and links them to examples of appropriate assessment tools that were used successfully in several sections of a general education Earth Science course taught by two instructors at the University of Akron. These teaching strategies have been evaluated qualitatively using peer reviews, student written evaluations and semistructured student interviews; and quantitatively by measuring improvements in student retention, exam scores, and scores on a logical thinking assessment instrument. Educational levels: Graduate or professional

Toward a Systematic Evidence-Base for Science in Out-of-School Time: The Role of Assessment

Analyzes the tools used in assessments of afterschool and summer science programs, explores the need for comprehensive tools for comparisons across programs, and discusses the most effective structure and format for such a tool. Includes recommendations

Development and Uses of Upper-division Conceptual Assessment

The use of validated conceptual assessments alongside more standard course exams has become standard practice for the introductory courses in many physics departments. These assessments provide a more standard measure of certain learning goals, allowing for comparisons of student learning across instructors, semesters, and institutions. Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder have developed several similar assessments designed to target the more advanced physics content of upper-division classical mechanics, electrostatics, quantum mechanics, and electrodynamics. Here, we synthesize the existing research on our upper-division assessments and discuss some of the barriers and challenges associated with developing, validating, and implementing these assessments as well as some of the strategies we have used to overcome these barriers.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, submitted to the Phys. Rev. ST - PER Focused collection on Upper-division PE

Measuring Instruction in Higher Education: Summary of a Convening

What will it take to improve the quality of instruction in higher education? An important first step is the ability to measure quality. A variety of measurement systems exist, but how informative are they, and how can we bring greater coherence to instructional measurement in higher education?On November 17 -- 18, 2014, the William T. Grant Foundation, the Spencer Foundation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation sponsored a convening of experts on education and the learning sciences to address these questions and to guide possible future initiatives by the foundations.The report examines incentive structures in colleges and universities, looks at the goals toward which instructional measurement can be directed, describes past and current research on instructional measurement, and summarizes potential future initiatives

A Reading Lesson Observation Framework for Elementary Teachers, Principals, and Literacy Supervisors

Henk et al present a framework which will provide reference points for assessment and help refine instructional practices in reading

Evaluation Of Leading Education Program On Madrasah Aliyah Negeri Insan Cendekia Serpong Tangerang Selatan

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengevaluasi pelaksanaan pendidikan di MAN Insan Cendekia Serpong sebagai sekolah terkemuka, dalam perspektif anteseden, transaksi, dan hasil. Penelitian ini menggunakan model evaluasi Countenance dari Pasak sebagai dasar metodologinya. Data dikumpulkan dari seluruh elemen pendidikan di MAN Insan Cendekia Serpong, termasuk kepala sekolah, guru, dan siswa kelas dua dan tiga. Data dikumpulkan menggunakan kuesioner, dokumentasi, observasi, dan wawancara. Hasil penelitian mengungkapkan berikut ini. Pertama, hampir semua yang aspek anteseden, seperti jumlah siswa dan kualitas input mahasiswa, ketersediaan sumber pendukung pembelajaran, kualitas guru, dalam kondisi ideal. Kedua, Secara internal, proses pendidikan di MAN Insan Cendekia berjalan dengan baik, dan secara eksternal terkait dengan fungsinya sebagai model, implementasinya belum optimal. Para siswa dan guru memandang bahwa implementasi pendidikan di MAN Insan Cendekia berjalan dengan baik, sehubungan dengan fasilitas belajar yang lebih lengkap daripada di sekolah lain. Dan akhirnya yang ketiga, prestasi belajar siswa MAN Insan Cendekia, yang ditunjukkan oleh skor mereka di UN dan berbagai tingkat prestasi, meningkat dibandingkan dengan hasil tahun-tahun sebelumnya, dan ini bisa dinilai sebagai pencapaian yang baik dari MAN Insan Cendekia dalam melakukan proses pendidikan