The Center for the Assessment and Evaluation of Student Learning (CAESL) was a five-year project funded by the National Science Foundation to improve student learning and understanding in science through focusing on effective assessment.
CAESL was a collaboration involving WestEd; 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); and the Concord Consortium.
The Center 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, policymakers, and the general public, culminating in the production of online learning tools.
These five strands were supported by the integration of technology throughout the activities.
Apple Computer Inc. supported the Center in the form of consulting, equipment, and dissemination through the new Apple Learning Interchange.
WestEd was responsible for overall management of the Center and leads the professional development for practicing teachers.