Center for Assessment and Evaluation of Student Learning (CAESL)

Director: Steve Schneider    (Director, Mathematics, Science & Technology Program) Contact: Mike Timms Tel: (415) 615 3210 Email: mtimms@WestEd.org

CAESL, the Center for the Assessment and Evaluation of Student Learning, is a five-year project funded by the National Science Foundation to improve student learning and understanding in science through focusing on effective assessment. CAESL is a collaboration involving the Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST)/University of California-Los Angeles, the School of Education at Stanford University, the Graduate School of Education at the University of California-Berkeley, Lawrence Hall of Science (LHS), the Concord Consortium, and WestEd. The Center's efforts are focused on the following activities: Developing professional capacity for assessment and evaluation professionals through the development of masters and doctoral programs; Providing professional development in assessment for practicing science teachers; Promoting in-depth assessment training for preservice teachers; Conducting applied research and development; Exerting outreach efforts aimed at parents, school administrators, policy makers, and the general public, culminating in the production of on-line learning tools. These five strands are supported by the integration of technology throughout the activities. Apple Computer Inc. is supporting the Center in the form of consulting, equipment, and dissemination through the new Apple Learning Interchange. WestEd is responsible for overall management of the Center and also leads the professional development for practicing teachers. Steve Schneider is the Principal Investigator and Mike Timms is the Managing Director, and the project is part of WestEd's Science and Mathematics Program. Kathy Comfort and Kathy DiRanna are leading the professional development objective. Project Web Site: http://www.caesl.org

Who's involved with this Project? Kathy Comfort (Principal Investigator/Project Director) Kathy DiRanna (K-12 Alliance Director) Steve Schneider (Director, Mathematics, Science & Technology Program) Michael Timms (Associate Program Director - Math, Science and Technology) Kimberly Viviani (Senior Program Manager)