Although experts overwhelmingly support the idea of using assessment to improve college instruction, most testing programs call for summative evaluation or accountability rather than formative evaluation. In using assessment to improve instruction it is essential to examine what decisions should be made in order to improve instruction.…

Classroom research addresses the why and how of learning, encouraging teachers to use their classrooms as laboratories for the study of learning. At its best it involves students as collaborators rather than as subjects. Classroom research has the potential for creating teaching and learning communities with the shared goal of understanding…

The centerpiece of this book are four cases which illustrate classroom research in the context of various learning issues in college classrooms. The cases are intended for discussion by readers of: (1) how the students in the hypothesized situation perceive what is going on; (2) possible hypotheses about what is interfering with student learning;…

The educational reform movement of the 1980s has sparked a renewed emphasis on the quality of teaching and learning, not only in community colleges, but at every level of education. Most teachers embark upon their careers knowing very little about teaching and learning and, unfortunately, remain naive observers of their profession. Classroom…

Classroom assessment and research are effective means of professional development for community college faculty. Assessment tests engage students in monitoring and evaluating their own learning, and encourage teachers to reflect on their classes from a learning perspective. Classroom research is learner-centered, teacher-directed, collaborative,…

The mission, curricula, students, and faculty of community colleges make them ideal laboratories for the study of teaching and learning at the college level. To accomplish this goal, community college faculty members should take on the role of classroom researchers, conducting careful, systematic, and patient studies of their students in the…

Eight basic gaps in the college teaching and learning process are described, and teachers are encouraged to use classroom research as a "zipper" to help close them. The gaps include those between: (1) teaching and learning, to be remedied by clear definition of teaching goals and continuous feedback on learning outcomes; (2) teaching and testing,…

The potential contribution of classroom research as a tool in the training of teaching assistants is explored. By collecting data on what students are learning in their classrooms, teachers can assess the effectiveness of their own teaching. (MLW)

Discusses the role of classroom research in scholarship concerning learning and teaching at the college level. Identifies a shift from assessment for accountability to assessment for improvement to attention to roles of college faculty. Shows how use of classroom assessment techniques as part of a classroom research program can immediately improve…

Since community colleges play such a key role in meeting the needs for workforce development as well as open access to education, considerable pressure is placed on the colleges to demonstrate their effectiveness. Recently, the focus of assessment in community colleges has shifted from gathering data that legislators and accrediting agencies want…

Classroom research and formative evaluation, the most efficient methods of assessing and planning teaching improvements, form the link to quality student learning. An assessment program at Alverno College (Wisconsin) and an instructional improvement program at Miami-Dade Community College (Florida) demonstrate the importance of bringing assessment…

Describes the Classroom Research Project, designed to help community college faculty members from the San Francisco Bay area to develop and test classroom assessment techniques. Discusses project activities, such as workshops and a summer institute, and progress toward the integration of the assessment of student learning into everyday teaching.…

Four of the most important issues currently facing higher education are the need to make students the central focus, to restore public trust and demonstrate accountability, to manage limited resources more efficiently and effectively, and to utilize the power of technology. The driving forces behind these directions are public disaffection,…

Perspectives on good teaching at the college level are offered. Some evidence exists that students' retention of lecture material is poor. One promising approach is the Personalized System of Instruction, which emphasizes student involvement, high expectations, and assessment and feedback. Some faculty members now focus on recall and comprehension…

Ways that teachers can promote student learning are discussed, based on findings from research conducted over the past several decades. Also considered are the role of teachers in evaluating the effectiveness of their own teaching, teachers' perspectives concerning educational objectives, and ways to obtain student feedback about instruction. One…