Topic: Assessment

Rockman’s work on assessment has typically been embedded in other projects or studies that called for assessment development. We have developed assessments for middle-school Spanish, conducted reliability/validity studies for test developers and service providers, and consulted on the development of on-line assessments for educational Web sites.

21st Century Biology The 21st Century Biology project provided long-term teacher professional development. Three cohorts of 24 teachers participated in: (1) a 2-week intensive Summer Institute that updated their content knowledge for topics covered by the five Utah Core Curriculum Standards, offered opportunities to interact with University scientists, provided experiences in inquiry-based learning, highlighted topics relevant to students’ lives, modeled culturally-sensitive instruction, incorporated appropriate use of technology, engaged them in learning curriculum design models and developing model lessons, and facilitated formation of professional learning groups; and (2) follow-up workshops to continue the work begun during the Summer Institute. more» Client: University of Utah: Genetics Science Learning Center (GSLC) Funding Agency: Utah State Office of Education Topic: Assessment, Instructional Materials/Programs, Professional Development

Build San Francisco Rockman et al developed a system for assessing the degree to which the Architectural Foundation of San Francisco (AFSF)'s Build SF students acquire and master a range of 21st Century Learning Skills in their program mentorships. more» Client: Architectural Foundation of San Francisco (AFSF) Funding Agency: Architectural Foundation of San Francisco (AFSF) Topic: Assessment, Informal Learning

Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration: Vistas Project REA completed a two-year study of the Lake Coastal Waters Project, a partnership with schools in the Lake Coastal Waters of northern Indiana funded by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Science classes in five schools participated in a community-centered science inquiry, exploring environmental issues on the northern edge of Lake Michigan. Students investigated specific problems, and, based on their research, offered viable solutions to enhance the ecology of the lake coastal area. more» Client: Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC) Funding Agency: Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC) Topic: Assessment, Instructional Materials/Programs, Community Outreach, Technology and Education, Distance Learning

Environmental Science Information Technology Activities (ESITA) The Environmental Science Information Technology Activities (ESITA) project was a youth-based program that provided an opportunity for high school students from disadvantaged backgrounds to learn about and use information technology (IT) through science exploration. Students participated in after school and summer workshops to learn about the process of scientific inquiry, and to learn about and use IT to conduct air and water quality research in their own communities. more» Client: Lawrence Hall of Science Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF) Topic: Assessment, Informal Learning, Technology and Education

Indiana New Tech Highs In collaboration with the Center in Excellence in Leadership of Learning (CELL) and Center for Urban and Multicultural Education (CUME), REA conducted a series of interrelated studies in three first-year New Tech High Schools: a study of stakeholder perceptions, a pilot survey of students' technology use and post-secondary aspirations, analyses of students' performance on statewide standardized achievement measures and on measures built into the New Tech learning management system, and analyses of school-related behaviors such as attendance and suspensions. more» Client: TechPOINT Funding Agency: TechPOINT Topic: School Reform, Assessment, Technology and Education

Poetry Out Loud Evaluation (Year 1) The Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest, sponsored by the Poetry Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, was launched nationwide in 2006 after a pilot in Chicago and Washington, DC. more» Client: National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Funding Agency: National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and Poetry Foundation Topic: Assessment, Instructional Materials/Programs

Research and Evaluation Services REA provides research and evaluation services to Education Station, a private educational service provider, these services include the development of research validation documents for its programs, establishing the reliability and validity of its assessment instrument, quasi-experimental research studies of its services, and customer satisfaction surveys. more» Client: Education Station Funding Agency: Education Station Topic: School Reform, Assessment, Instructional Materials/Programs, School Services

Salad Bar Program Evaluation for Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) In Fall 2008, Rockman conducted a year long study of the impact of school salad bars in the Oakland (California) Unified School District. The study was funded by a grant from the S.D. Bechtel Jr. Foundation. The purpose of the study was to document and assess the various methods each school adopted to introduce, manage and sustain their school salad bar. more» Client: S.D. Bechtel Jr. Foundation Funding Agency: S.D. Bechtel Jr. Foundation Topic: Assessment

Understanding Science Rockman et al is studying the impact of a three-year project designed to improve the science achievement of middle school students, especially English learners and students with poor literacy skills, by building the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of their teachers. more» Client: WestEd Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF) Topic: Assessment, Instructional Materials/Programs, Professional Development

University of California Museum of Paleontology (UCMP): Exploring Evolution/Evolution All Around Us (EE/EAAU) Rockman et al conducted a thorough, multi-component evaluation of University of California Museum of Paleontology's (UCMP) Understanding Evolution Web site. The site provides an online resource for teachers to use in teaching evolution. The site also provides classroom resources: a conceptual framework, a suite of evaluated lessons appropriate for different grade spans, and teaching strategies to avoid or overcome roadblocks to teaching evolution. more» Client: University of California Museum of Paleontology (UCMP) Funding Agency: National Science Foundation and Howard Hughes Medical Foundation Topic: Assessment, Instructional Materials/Programs, Museum, Web Sites, Technology and Education