Recent Projects

Collaborative scholarship in assessment, evaluation, and knowledge mobilization

Recent Projects

Measurement of Large-scale Educational Change

A series of projects focussed on measurement of change in developing countries. These projects have been conduced in the Caribbean Region, Middle East, and Asia, and funded by the Interamerican Development Bank, Caribbean Development Bank, Department for International Development, and the British Council.

Read More »

Test Preparation Research

Dr. Liying Cheng together with three co-investigators and two partners, examined the effects of test preparation on test performance and English language proficiency among test-takers whose predominant language is not English.

Read More »

Assessing Self-regulation in Play-based Contexts

As part of Dr. Timmons’ previous research (led by Drs. Janette Pelletier and Carl Corter) the Child Observation Framework (COF) was developed as a tool for researchers to analyze and examine children’s self-regulation and play behaviour. Using the COF, 10-minute observations (running records) are carried out during four classroom contexts: educator-led whole-group time, small group time, transitions between activities and child-chosen free-play time.

Read More »

Examining Kindergarten Policies and Practices to Foster Self-regulation

Guiding this study are 3 objectives: 1) to examine the ways self-regulation skills are defined and promoted in policy and practice documents in Canada; 2) to compare this practice-oriented conceptualization of self-regulation with theoretical models of self-regulation, and 3) to develop and disseminate recommendations based on improving clarity in understanding what self-regulation is and how best to foster it in early years contexts.

Read More »

Preparing Teachers for the Age of Accountability

The purpose of this research is to provide empirical data to inform pre-service education that effectively prepares teachers for the age of accountability. Specifically, this research has explored the value of various approaches to assessment education by researching a range of program structures, assessment course curricula, and pre-service pedagogies across Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, and the United States.

Read More »

Approaches to Classroom Assessment Inventory

This SSHRC-funded research develops a tool – the Approaches to Classroom Assessment Inventory – to assess teachers’ approaches to classroom assessment based on contemporary professional standards. Through a series of studies across contexts, this research has contributed to expanding notions of assessment literacy with implications for teacher practice.

Read More »

What’s in a Grade? A Multiple Perspective Validity Study on Grading Policies, Practices, Values, and Consequences

The current global trend towards globalization, immigration, and internationalization of schools and universities has led to the increased use of grades across learning cultures. However, very little is known about cultural differences that contribute to the construction, valuing, and consequences of grading practices. The purpose of this study is to investigate the validity of grades by examining the values and consequences of teachers’ grading practices in two distinct learning cultures: Canada and China.

Read More »