How can the New Zealand curriculum encompass Māori values and perspectives? Arohia Durie comments on the issues.
 

In 1997 the Ministry of Education launched the School Entry Assessment (SEA) kit, a non-mandatory set of standardised assessment tasks for new entrants. Teachers at 75 Auckland primary schools were asked about which SEA tasks they were using, and why – or why not. Teachers’ judgments about SEA were influenced ...

A group of teachers examined over 400 assessment tasks in the NEMP probe study reports from 1995 to 2000. From mapping each task onto the curriculum, the teachers were able to identify 23 tasks which were particularly innovative, exciting, easy to implement, and excellent models of the wide range of ...

In this article, two recent case studies are used to give examples of how Assessment Resource Bank (ARB) resources, along with other assessment tools, are being used for both formative and summative purposes in a primary and intermediate school. Staff at both these schools engage in a detailed analysis of ...

Research suggests that teachers need a great deal of professional support if they are to acquire and use new knowledge and skills, but within the area of formative assessment teachers have often been expected implement policy with little help or support. A research project investigating the factors that have shaped ...

In November 2001, NZCER conducted a survey of the English and mathematics assessment practices of teachers at Years 5, 7, and 9. Initiatives such as the changes made to the National Administration Guidelines (NAGs), the new literacy and numeracy initiative Assessment Tools for Teaching and Learning (asTTle), the introduction of ...

This is the second of two articles in this issue of set based on some of the major findings from the survey of classroom assessment practices in English and mathematics at Years 5, 7, and 9 carried out by NZCER in November 2001. The first article briefly described the methodology ...

This issue of set contains a major feature section – seven articles in all – on assessment. The amount of research being carried out in this area indicates that assessment is still one of the key issues for educators and policy makers.

A study of how Otago primary school teachers were implementing environmental education investigated the strategies teachers use and the factors that assist them, especially in terms of implementing education “for” the environment. The findings indicate misconceptions among primary teachers regarding environmental education, and point to the need for education in ...

Charles Darr reports on his experience in creating a mathematics test using asTTle, comments on his perceptions, and discusses some of the strengths and weaknesses of this new assessment package for teachers.