The Clinical Practice Assessment System (CPAS), developed in response to teacher preparation program accreditation requirements, represents a paradigm shift of one university toward data-based decision-making in teacher education programs. The new assessment system is a scale aligned with INTASC Standards, which allows for observation and…

This paper describes the validation of a self-evaluation instrument for teachers in secondary education to solicit feedback from their pupils regarding specific aspects of the teacher's practice in class. This 92-item instrument--Teachers Learn from Pupils-Secondary Education (TLP-SE)--assesses 10 relevant classroom environment dimensions:…

The article examines the processes and challenges involved in conducting participatory research and evaluation in schools, by looking at a case study of a collaborative evaluation research that was conducted in a secondary school in Israel by two researchers and three teachers. It describes the experiences of the research team while conducting the…

During the 1990s, Spain experienced a phenomenon that is slightly unusual in educational systems: the coexistence of two secondary education models and one single tertiary education model. The overall purpose of this article has been to study the possible differences in the academic performance of students in university education in terms of the…

Studied the student evaluation practices of 132 Belgian teachers in 18 general secondary schools. Interview and questionnaire results suggest that 25% of the teachers were judgment-oriented in their evaluation practices, while 37% were solution-oriented, and 38% were process-oriented. Results also suggest that teachers make students responsible…

Developed an instrument to evaluate teachers' professional self-concept from a multidimensional perspective, focusing on the association between dimensions of self-concept and teacher burnout. Results for 378 secondary school teachers in the Basque Country (Spain) show that a six-factor model fit the data well and reveal numerous positive…

Describes and analyzes the design and outcomes of the Mathematics and Science Literacy Study of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in the Netherlands, focusing on students in the final year of secondary school. In comparison with students from other countries, final-year secondary students in the Netherlands seem to be…

Presents a number of analyses based on the results of the Third International Science and Mathematics Study (TIMSS) in Switzerland. Results show that it's possible to reflect the complicated structure of Swiss secondary education in a sampling design and that there's little growth in mathematics literacy in Swiss upper secondary school students.…

Studied the role mathematical world views, as domain-centered epistemological beliefs, played in the academic lives of upper secondary school students in Germany participating in the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). World views were substantial predictors of achievement in advanced mathematics, even when controlling for…

Studied the participation and performance of upper secondary school teachers in Japan through surveys completed by 360 Geography teachers. Findings suggest that the importance of developing problem-solving skills is widely recognized among these teachers. Implementing training in such skills is much more difficult. Developing effective teaching…

Studied the effects of open-book testing on instruction and student learning in an action research project involving 13 teachers and approximately 350 secondary school students in Norway. Results show open-book testing to be instrumental in strengthening understanding in both cooperative learning and more traditional classrooms. (SLD)

Studied the different enrollment rates of the sexes at four types of German secondary schools to attempt to explain the finding from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) of no significant differences in mathematics achievement between males and females. Sex differences disappear because more girls benefit from the higher…

Explores the use of the story-line method, in which teachers evaluate and clarify their own experiences and events in practice, through three studies involving 80 secondary school teachers. Findings show how the story-line method challenges teachers to select relevant experiences and events. (SLD)

Survey responses from 55 Dutch agricultural vocational schools show that administrators believe that transition, the ability of students to change between training modes or qualification levels easily, has enhanced the flexibility of the qualification system developed under recent national reforms. (SLD)

Presents findings from a study of students' perspectives on changes in the public examination system in the English language in Hong Kong. Responses of 844 secondary school students under the old system (1994) and 443 under the new system (1995) suggest that the new system has a limited impact on teaching and student learning. (SLD)