This book introduces the concept of a hypothetical type of knowledge construction -- referred to as structural knowledge -- that goes beyond traditional forms of information recall to provide the bases for knowledge application. Assuming that the validity of the concept is accepted, the volume functions as a handbook for supporting the assessment and use of structural knowledge in learning and instructional settings. It's descriptions are direct and short, and its structure is consistent. ...

Learn everything you need to know to implement an integrated system of assessment and grading. The author details the specific benefits of formative assessment. He explains how to design and interpret three different types of formative assessments, how to track student progress, and how to assign meaningful grades. Detailed examples bring each concept to life, and chapter exercises reinforce the content.

What is a rubric? A rubric is a coherent set of criteria for student work that describes levels of performance quality. Sounds simple enough, right? Unfortunately, rubrics are commonly misunderstood and misused.The good news is that when rubrics are created and used correctly, they are strong tools that support and enhance classroom instruction and student learning. In this comprehensive guide, author Susan M. Brookhart identifies two essential components ...

The US Dept. of Education, in conjunction with the US Dept. of Health and Human Services, recently unveiled a $50 million effort to expand research on early childhood cognitive development. A key issue identified requiring more information and research was the education and professional development of educators. Along these lines, Doug Greer has prepared a book discussing how best to teach, how to design functional curricula, and how to support teachers in using state-of-the-art science in...

"The authors have taken a huge amount of research and information, digested it, and organized it into clearly arranged, practical, readable, usable work. This book balances information, suggestions, and examples with reflective exercises that are practical and valuable. It also gives tons of Web sites and resources for more useful tools and tips."—Mary Guerrette, Director of Special EducationMaine School Administrative District #1, MEA one-stop so...

A modern classic, updated for today’s classroom needsNo skill is more fundamental to our students’ education than reading. And no recent book has done more to advance our understanding of the neuroscience behind this so-critical skill than David Sousa’s How the Brain Learns to Read. To tens of thousands of educators, Sousa revealed at last how exactly young brains learn to make sense of printed language and how you can use that information to reac...

Don’t let the revolution in math education pass your teachers by!By now, most teachers have a shelf full of books, articles, and reports on the Common Core and RTI. But where’s the resource that addresses how the two fit together? Individually, the Common Core and RTI are formidable enough. Together, they create a "perfect storm" of challenges, with most teachers left wondering where to turn first.Finally, here’s a guide that distills the central e...

Since test items are the building blocks of any test, learning how to develop and validate test items has always been critical to the teaching-learning process. As they grow in importance and use, testing programs increasingly supplement the use of selected-response (multiple-choice) items with constructed-response formats. This trend is expected to continue. As a result, a new item writing book is needed, one that provides comprehensive coverage of both types of items and of the validity ...

Comprehensive, authoritative, and designed for practical utility, this handbook presents evidence-based approaches for helping struggling readers and those at risk for literacy difficulties or delays. Leading experts explain how current research on all aspects of literacy translates into innovative classroom practices. Chapters include clear descriptions of effective interventions for word recognition, spelling, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing, complete with concrete exampl...

Curriculum materials are among the most pervasive and powerful influences on school mathematics. In many mathematics classes, student assignments, the questions the teacher asks, the ways students are grouped, the forms of assessment, and much more originate in curriculum materials. At the same time, teachers have considerable latitude in how they use their curriculum materials. Two classes making use of the same materials may differ markedly in what mathematics content is emphasized and h...

Constructivist Instruction: Success or Failure? brings together leading thinkers from both sides of the hotly debated controversy about constructivist approaches to instruction. Although constructivist theories and practice now dominate the fields of the learning sciences, instructional technology, curriculum and teaching, and educational psychology, they have also been the subject of sharp criticism regarding sparse research support and adverse research findings. This volume pres...

Based on a set of four research parameters, this book discusses the development of research questions and hypotheses, naturalistic and experimental research, data collection, and validation of research instruments. Each chapter includes examples and activities.