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Through a wealth of creative write-to-learn strategies, this book offers inspiring techniques to coax out the reluctant scientists in the classroom. Newly updated and expanded, this NSTA best seller is a storehouse of practical ideas and examples for use with students at all ability levels. It provides classroom-tested writing activities that teachers can: (1) Introduce during the first week of class to build positive attitudes among students toward the subject of science, and toward you; (2) Use at different stages in a learning unit and for quick review; and (3) Adapt to help students write for different audiences, write to better understand the textbook, and write lab reports, research papers, and essay tests. Added to this edition is a special section, "How Science Portfolio Assessment Can Improve Student Writing," that describes ways portfolios help students focus on their work throughout the year, document science concepts they've mastered--or not--and serve as powerful assessment tools. There are many books about writing to learn, most authored by education or English professors who focus on theories of writing. This book is different--it's full of classroom-tested, pragmatic approaches from high school science teachers who used the ideas to make teaching and learning more creative endeavors. The authors put their own good advice to work, writing in an appealing, personal style to convey teaching concepts and learning goals. As Bob Tierney says, expressive writing is "a vehicle for the exhilaration of discovery."

As a part of the teacher licensure program at the graduate level at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), the M.Ed. Licensure candidate is required to complete an action research project during a 3-semester-hour course that coincides with the 9-semester-hour student teaching experience. This course, Education 590 Culminating Experience, requires the student to implement an action research plan designed through (a) the Education 500 Introduction to Inquiry course, (b) one of the two learning assessments required during student teaching, or (c) a newly-designed project not used as one of the learning assessments. With funding through a UTC Teaching, Learning, and Technology Faculty Fellows award, the Education 590 course is conducted through the use of an online, course management system (Blackboard Learning System Release 6), allowing for asynchronous discussion and use of the digital drop box feature for submitting required papers. The course syllabus for Education 590 Culminating Experience is presented in the next section, followed by action research projects from fall semester 2006. (Individual papers contain references, figures, and tables.)

The Ability Explorer (AE) is a newly developed self-report inventory of abilities that is appropriate for group or individual administration. There are machine-scorable and hand-scorable versions of the test, and there are two levels. Level 1 is for students from junior high to high school, and Level 2 is for high school students and adults. Separate scores are reported for 14 work-related abilities that are considered important for employers: (1) artistic; (2) clerical; (3) interpersonal; (4) language; (5) leadership; (6) manual; (7) musical/dramatic; (8) numerical/mathematical; (9) organizational; (10) persuasive; (11) scientific; (12) social; (13) spatial; and (14) technical/mechanical. Materials for the AE are attractive and easy to use, although the hand-scorable version is more difficult to understand than the machine-scorable version. Extensive information is provided in the manual about reliability, intercorrelations between ability scales, and frequency distributions, but the characteristics of the norm group used to develop these statistics are not generally addressed, except in table form. The AE appears to be a valuable assessment tool with a sound theoretical basis and useful practical applications. A potential problem is the accuracy of its self-report measure. Recommendations are made for clarifying information with the hand-scorable version. (Contains three references.) (SLD)

The Differential Aptitude Test (DAT) is a multiple aptitude battery designed to measure junior and senior high school students' and adults' ability to learn or succeed in certain areas. The test is suitable for group administration and is primarily for use in educational and vocational counseling, although it may be used in employee selection. The DAT contains two levels, with two equivalent alternate forms for each level. Eight subtests measure abilities. A score is provided for each subtest as well as for scholastic aptitude. Test administration procedures are easy to follow, and test materials are durable and reusable. The norming process for the edition was impressive, with about 170,000 students in the standardization samples. Evidence for reliability and validity is reviewed. The fact that the DAT has remained one of the most frequently used batteries is a tribute to its quality, credibility, and utility. The new items and new norming data of the most recent edition have improved the test while preserving psychometric quality. It would be worth pursuing concurrent validity data on the DAT in a few broadly defined occupational areas. (SLD)

Of those who wrote the 11 signed papers in this report, the variety of their learning and experiences brings an interplay of different points of view on the topic of ability testing. This document describes the theory and practice of testing; illuminates competing interests in a balanced fashion; and helps those who make decisions with tests or about testing to reach better-informed judgments than is now the case. It is to those decision makers--judges, lawmakers and their staffs, educators, employers, personnel administrators and the testing industry--that this report is addressed. Employment testing, educational testing, and psychometric issues are the major areas of consideration, along with related subtopics. (Author/GK)

Includes testimonials to, and previously published articles by, Ken Jones on categories in simulation; simulations in secondary schools, reading instruction, and English-as-a-Second-Language; simulations as assessment tools; aspects of design; differences in race, gender, and perceived ability and performance; influence of national culture; problems with icebreakers; and facilitator, scenario, and participant ethics. (PEN)

This collection explores the theory and applications of educational testing. It is divided into sections on theory and general principles of educational measurement, administration of tests and scoring, and applications of testing. The following chapters present information on test theory and use: (1) "Current Perspectives and Future Directions" (Robert L. Linn); (2) "Validity" (Samuel Messick); (3) "Reliability" (Leonard S. Feldt and Robert L. Brennan); (4) "Principles and Selected Applications of Item Response Theory" (Ronald K. Hambleton); (5) "Bias in Test Use" (Nancy S. Cole and Pamela A. Moss); (6) "Scaling, Norming, and Equating" (Nancy S. Petersen, et al.); (7) "Implications of Cognitive Psychology for Educational Measurement" (Richard E. Snow and David F. Lohman); (8)"The Specification and Development of Tests of Achievement and Ability" (Jason Millman and Jennifer Greene); (9) "The Four Generations of Computerized Educational Measurement" (C. Victor Bunderson, et al.); (10) "Computer Technology in Test Construction and Processing" (Frank B. Baker); (11) "The Effects of Special Preparation on Measures of Scholastic Ability" (Lloyd Bond); (12) "Designing Tests that Are Integrated with Instruction" (Anthony J. Nitko); (13) "Administrative Uses of School Testing Programs" (Joy A. Frechtling); (14) "Certification of Student Competence" (Richard M. Jaeger); (15) "Educational Admissions and Placement" (Douglas R. Whitney); (16) "Counseling" (Lenore W. Harmon); (17) "Identification of Mild Handicaps" (Lorrie A. Shepard); and (18) "Testing of Linguistic Minorities" (Richard P. Duran). The papers are complimented by 76 figures and 32 tables. References follow each chapter. (SLD)

In this chapter, we look at the interlinked discourses through which quality and equity are constructed as objects within current neoliberal education policy in England and at the consequences for teachers΄ practice. We do this by carrying out a poststructural analysis of two sets of data: policy documentation and qualitative in-depth interviews with four prospective primary teachers. We argue that within the policy documents quality is conflated with measurable progress–both national (economic growth and competitiveness) and individual (personal growth and self-fulfilment). Equity is constructed as opportunities for all. In our analysis of the interviews, we argue that the rational neoliberal discourses of policy conflict with hierarchical discourses of mathematics. This conflict is exemplified in the practices of `ability΄ grouping which lead to the normalisation of pupils. Thus, `progress΄ is not possible for all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chapter 2 of the book "Be the Ultimate Assistant: A Celebrity Assistant's Secrets to Working With Any High-Powered Employers" is presented. It details the qualities and skills needed as a celebrity assistant, drawing from the author's experiences working with actress Olympia Dukakis and husband Louis Zorich. It emphasizes the importance of organizational skills, being detail-oriented, being flexible and sensitive to other people.

Chapter IV of the book "HARVEST" is presented. It provides information on the life of Captain Ellesborough, citing his family background. It also cites the views of Ellesborough on the ability of women, believing that women were better than men. It also explores the visit of the captain to Rachel Henderson at the Great End Farm, where he also met the vicar.

Chapter 19 of the book "Barriers Burned Away" is presented. It details how Dennis and Christine worked hand in hand in doing their task at the store. It also describes how Christine found amazement with the graceful and varied attitudes Dennis assumed in his work and how he appreciatively and intelligently heeds to her commands regarding the style and arrangement of the art objects. It let her realize that his taste was constantly according with hers in producing the desired effects.

Chapter 6 of the book "Wilfrid Cumbermede" is presented. It narrates Wilfrid Cumbermede's experience of developing his skills in repairing book bindings in which his uncle was so much pleased. His uncle brought him from the country town with some sheets of parchment with which to attempt the fortification of certain vellum-bound volumes.