This article explores instructionally useful assessment in the social studies. In the first section, the concept of usefulness is discussed as a function of the alignment between goals, instruction, and assessment. Next, three approaches to instructionally useful assessment are reported, followed by a case scenario suggesting how these disparate approaches may be combined to provide a system of assessment that informs instructional practices in the social studies. Finally, the need for treatment utility research to validate the use of these assessment tools is discussed.
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