Date of Award
1-1-1992
Document Type
Dissertation - NSU Access Only
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Child and Youth Care Administration
Advisor
Roberta Schomburg
Keywords
Peer Writing, Planning, Facilitator, Project, Ownership, Testing, Revising, Editing, Completing.
Abstract
The situation needing improvement was that 55% of tenth grade students were not demonstrating competence on the writing portion of the State required HSCT (High School Competency Test). This practicum's four main objectives were: (1) increasing the percentage of students who would successfully pass the writing portion of the HSCT test. (2) the expansion of peer groups to improve student writing skills and motivation for completing assignments. (3) achieving the goal of having portfolio assessment accepted by the administration as an alternative means of assessment. (4) the reduction of test anxiety by over 55% of the students. Additional aims were to expand portfolio assessment across the curriculum and gain acceptance county wide as an alternative means of assessment. All four objectives were reached successfully, and in some cases went beyond expectations. The data from this practicum strongly demonstrated the following: (a) students learned to use cooperative learning strategies and portfolio assessment as a positive means of improving writing skills. (b) portfolio assessment has been a viable alternative to standardized testing. (c) portfolio assessment was well received by the majority of the faculty and administration as an alternative means of assessment that could be used across the curriculum. (d) there was a dramatic reduction in test anxiety due to instruction in study and test taking skills and the presentation of an alternative to standardized testing. The writer devoted an entire eight-month period to the instruction of peer writing, study and test taking skills, and the evaluation of student portfolios. A copy of the key results have been presented at a county wide meeting in order to promote portfolio assessment on a broader basis.