Assessment,Grade Level and Learning

Researchers have identified assessment as a very crucial influence on the learning strategies adopted by students. The present study carried out on Secondary 2, Secondary 4, and Junior College 2/Pre-University 3 students shows that the Singapore students did not favour the Surface Approach in their learning of English and Mathematics. The nature of the discipline and the cognitive demands of the examinations carried considerable importance for students in their choice of learning strategies. Despite the heavy emphasis on excelling in examinations, students did not rely solely on surface and achieving strategies to attain their goals.     

Students’ perceptions about evaluation and assessment in higher education: a review1

In educational contexts, understanding the student’s learning must take account of the student’s construction of reality. Reality as experienced by the student has an important additional value. This assumption also applies to a student’s perception of evaluation and assessment. Students’ study behaviour is not only determined by the examination or assessment modes that are used. Students’ perceptions about evaluation methods also play a significant role. This review aims to examine evaluation and assessment from the student’s point of view. Research findings reveal that students’ perceptions about assessment significantly influence their approaches to learning and studying. Conversely, students’ approaches to study influence the ways in which they perceive evaluation and assessment. Findings suggest that students hold strong views about different assessment and evaluation formats. In this respect students favour multiple‐choice format exams to essay type questions. However, when compared with more innovative assessment methods, students call the ‘fairness’ of these well‐known evaluation modes into question.     

加强高校考风建设的思考与策略

考风是高校本身底蕴以及办学理念的集中体现,同时对人才培养质量也会产生直接的影响。由于部分学生的学习态度、考试诚信意识、考试作弊手段以及考场监控能力等方面的影响,高校考试作弊成为一种普遍的现象。为了消除这一弊端,对高校考风现状进行研究,分析高校考风建设存在的问题及其存在的原因,然后找出针对性的策略,以期促进高校考风的良性发展。     

First-semester students’ capacity to predict academic achievement as related to approaches to learning

ABSTRACT

Students’ ways of approaching their studies influence their academic outcomes. Expecting high grades and having the skills to steer learning activities towards assessment demands seem to be important components of academic success. However, our knowledge about students’ capacity to predict academic achievement is limited. Focusing on first-semester psychology students, this study aimed to investigate (a) students’ self-assessment skills, and (b) how approaches to learning were related to self-assessment skills, and to expected and final academic outcomes. Data from two sources were analysed: (1) students’ (N = 189) responses to the 52-item version of the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST) questionnaire and their assessment expectations and (2) final course grades that were retrieved from official university records. Results showed that 18 per cent of the students provided perfect ratings of their final grades while most underestimated their grades. Students reporting the best self-assessment skills expected high grades, but achieved low grades, and reported a low surface approach. Students with a low surface and a high strategic approach both expected and achieved high grades. Students with a deep approach expected high grades but did not perform as expected. Taken together, students new to a discipline seem to have difficulties estimating their grades. Variations between approaches probably relate to the discipline being new and to circumstances characterising the local educational setting, such as the examination favouring a strategic approach. Practical implications involve carefully considering how assessments may steer student approaches and learning outcomes.     

Assessing learning in a sociology department: what do students say that they learn?

Assessment plays a central role in evaluating and strengthening student learning in higher education, and sociology departments, in particular, have increasingly become interested in engaging in assessment activities to better understand students’ learning. This qualitative study builds on previous research on assessment by asking what students in one American university department see themselves learning in the sociology major. Rather than asking students to reflect on what we think they are learning, we asked open-ended questions about skills, topics and modes of education they considered most significant to their learning. The 25 sociology majors in our study included second-year students, graduating fourth-year students and alumni who had graduated five years prior, enabling us to compare what students have learned or are learning across cohorts. Our findings demonstrate that students emphasise a common collection of skills, topics and – especially – modes of learning in the major, despite their various course selections and interests within the discipline, and also that majors’ orientations to sociology vary as they move through, and beyond, the undergraduate curriculum.     

Formative Self-Assessment College Classes Improves Self-Regulation and Retention in First/Second Year Community College Students

This research examined the influence formative self-assessment had on first/second year community college student self-regulatory practices. Previous research has shown that the ability to regulate one’s learning activities can improve performance in college classes, and it has long been known that the use of formative assessment improves learning. However, little has been done exploring the influence of formative self-assessment on variables associated with both student and institutional success. First/second year community college students enrolled in 10 self-assessment and six traditional assessment classes completed the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) at the conclusion of one semester as a measure of self-regulation specific to the individual class under examination. A modest effect of assessment type was found for self-reported self-regulation where students in self-assessment classes reported higher self-regulation than students in traditional assessment classes. Self-regulation was significantly and positively correlated with both behavioral (i.e., effort) and motivational (i.e., mastery goal orientation) variables. Additional results indicated a robust effect of instructor on self-regulation and a significant increase in retention for students enrolled in self-assessment classes. The findings of this research have implications for both classroom practice and institutional retention initiatives.     

Review of the Leaving Certificate biology examination papers (1999–2008) using Bloom’s taxonomy – an investigation of the cognitive demands of the examination

It is widely recognised that high-stakes assessment can significantly influence what is taught in the classroom. Many argue that high-stakes assessment results in a narrowed curriculum where students learn by rote rather than developing higher cognitive skills. This paper describes a study investigating the various cognitive objectives present from Bloom’s Taxonomy Educational Objectives on the Leaving Certificate biology examination. The study analysed examination papers from the past and current biology syllabuses. Analysis was also carried out to determine the marks being awarded to the different cognitive objectives. The findings show that the examination predominately includes questions that do not promote higher levels of thinking. The majority of the marks on the paper were allocated to the lower objectives of the taxonomy, suggesting students can rely on rote learning to succeed when undertaking the biology examination. This study strongly highlights how high-stake examinations have a narrow scope in terms of student achievement and shows how current biology examination procedures promote low-level learning. This low level of thinking promotes rote learning and regurgitation of facts, requiring little to no understanding of the topics. To prepare students for the working world, there needs to be a shift from only terminal exams to a mixed approach.     

高校学习环境的现状及其对本科生能力发展的影响

对全国4461名本科生的问卷调查显示,在控制相关变量的情况下,学习环境的不同维度对本科生专业知识、学科前沿成果、实践能力、表达能力、信息素养、批判性思维、问题解决以及未来规划能力等有显著正向作用。总体而言,高校学习环境对大学生能力发展的影响大于学生背景因素。具体来看,学习环境的不同维度对本科生能力发展影响存在显著差异。其中学习空间对学生专业知识的提升作用较大,学术讲座和科研兴趣支持对学科前沿成果影响最大,任课教师的帮助对学生8项能力均有较大影响,辅导员的帮助在学生未来规划能力提升上具有较大作用。研究认为,应建立和完善高校学习环境支持体系,重视学习环境不同维度的作用,为不同背景的学生能力发展提供差异化的环境支持。     

Contract cheating and assessment design: exploring the relationship

This paper reports on findings from a large Australian research project that explored the relationship between contract cheating and assessment design. Using survey responses from 14,086 students and 1147 educators at eight universities, a multivariate analysis examined the influence of a range of factors on the likelihood that different assessment types would prompt considerations of contract cheating in students. Perceptions of likelihood were highest among students who speak a language other than English at home. Perceptions of likelihood were also higher among students who reported there to be lots of opportunities to cheat, and amongst students who were dissatisfied with the teaching and learning environment. Perceptions of likelihood for certain assessment types were also higher in commerce and engineering than in any other discipline. Overall, four assessment types were perceived by students to be the least likely to be outsourced, however these are also the least likely to be set by educators. The analysis indicates that educators are more likely to use these assessment tasks when they report positively on organisational support for teaching and learning.     

Scaffolding for argumentation in hypothetical and theoretical biology concepts

ABSTRACT

The present study investigated the effects of online argumentation scaffolding on students’ argumentation involving hypothetical and theoretical biological concepts. Two types of scaffolding were developed in order to improve student argumentation: continuous scaffolding and withdraw scaffolding. A quasi-experimental design was used with four 8th-grade classes comprising a total of 124 students. Two classes (63 students) were assigned into the continuous scaffolding group, while the other two (61 students) were assigned into the withdraw scaffolding group. All the students participated in online argumentation regarding four units, including two hypothetical concepts and two theoretical concepts. Both online learning process and scientific argumentation assessment results indicated that the continuous scaffolding group performed significantly better in terms of the quality and quantity of argumentation than the withdraw scaffolding group with regard to the hypothetical biology concepts, particularly in generating rebuttal arguments. In addition, the results also showed that both the continuous group and withdraw group students had better argumentation performance with regard to the hypothetical biology concepts than the theoretical biology concepts. Taken together, the study results suggest that learning argumentation through theoretical biology concepts is more difficult than doing so through hypothetical biology concepts.     

混合学习对学生学习成绩的影响研究 ——基于30篇实证研究文献的元分析

随着教育信息化的不断推进,线上线下教学相结合的混合学习成为教学改革的主流方向之一,成绩作为其效果表现之一成为研究热点.该研究采用元分析方法,对文献进行筛选与分析,从总体效果、学科、学段、实验周期、知识类型几个方面对混合学习的影响效果情况进行深入探讨.研究发现:(1)混合学习对学生学习成绩具有中等的积极影响.(2)混合学...     

大学生学习态度和考试作弊的现状调查

端正学生的学习态度和杜绝考试作弊是各大高校普遍面临的问题。基于此,以四川省内的一所医学院校和工科院校的学生为对象,调查了在校大学生的学习态度和考试作弊的实际情况,并针对反映出的问题进行原因分析与对策探索,以期促进大学生进一步端正学习态度,进而形成良好的学风和考风。     

Students’ approaches to learning and assessment preferences in a portfolio-based learning environment

This study focused on the relationships between experiences with portfolio assessment, students’ approaches to learning and their assessment preferences by means of a pre- and post-test design in an authentic class setting. The participants were 138 first-year professional bachelor’s degree students in office management. They were assessed by means of portfolio assessment in a course that combined constructivist design principles and lectures. Approaches to learning and assessment preferences were measured by means of the Revised Two-Factor Study Process Questionnaire and the Assessment Preferences Inventory. Results showed that students’ preferences for student participation in examination and for permanent evaluation decreased significantly. Moreover, deep approaches were not enhanced. On the contrary, surface learning increased significantly. Notwithstanding, the surface approach proved to be a significant negative predictor of the portfolio assessment score.     

Ability,demography, learning style,and personality trait correlates of student preference for assessment method

More than 400 students from four universities in America and Britain completed measures of learning style preference, general knowledge (as a proxy for intelligence), and preference for examination method. Learning style was consistently associated with preferences: surface learners preferred multiple choice and group work options, and viewed essay‐type and dissertation options less favourably. Deep learners, on the other hand, favoured essay‐type and oral exams as well as final dissertations. Males favoured oral (viva voce) exams and females coursework assessment. Extraverts preferred multiple choice, oral, and group work assessment, while openness was positively associated with essays and oral exams but negatively associated with multiple choice and group work. Regression analysis showed that personality, learning style, general knowledge, and demographic factors accounted for 5–10% of the variance in preferred examination technique. Results in part replicate earlier studies and are discussed in terms of changes in examination methods.     

形成性评价在课程教学中的应用研究

以大学英语课程教学为案例,通过行动研究,以考察形成性评价对学生学习态度、学习行为及结果的影响程度为目的。采用问卷调查、访谈、学生学习档案等工具采集数据。结果显示,形成性评价的应用确实能给学生的学习态度、动机及学习行为带来积极变化:大多数学生(70%以上)欢迎形成性评价在课堂教学中的应用;学生学习英语的信心更足、积极性更高;学生更愿意花更多时间在平时的学习过程中而非以往的考前突击应付、更注重培养和使用适合自己的学习策略;对学习成绩的提高也起到了良好的促进作用。     

开放教育课程网上学习行为评价改革的实践与探索——以安徽电大为例

为推进开放教育教学模式改革,加强网上教学,探索网上学习行为评价方式,安徽电大于2008年秋季开始选择部分课程进行网上学习行为统一考核试点工作。以安徽电大在线行为统计系统为例,探讨对学生网上学习行为进行监控与考核的方法,分析网上学习行为考核对学生自主学习所起的作用,探讨各种可能出现的情况及问题,并给出具体解决方法。     

Is Teacher Accountability Possible? The Case of Norwegian High School Science

What influence does the teacher exercise over their students' learning outcomes? This study investigates the impact of teacher quality on student learning outcomes in science halfway through the first year of high school. A multiple‐measurement model estimates the potential impact of teacher influence on learning outcomes for 1,060 secondary school students (16‐year‐olds), as well as the influence on student engagement, motivation, and self‐discipline. Teacher quality has a very weak effect on student learning outcomes. However, teacher quality seems to influence student motivation and self‐discipline to a significantly larger extent. Further, there is an indirect effect of teacher quality on learning outcomes in science via student engagement, motivation, and self‐discipline. Holding the science teacher accountable for pupils' learning outcomes is highly problematic.     

Using learning styles theory in engineering education

Studies have shown that, while learning different concepts, people sometimes take different approaches (learning styles). Accordingly, their performance reflected differently in their academic studies. With the effect of globalisation to the educational environments, the influence of individual learning styles on educational performance is getting more significant. In this study, a learning style assessment tool was used to examine the relationship between students’ learning styles and their performance in engineering education programmes. At the beginning of the programme, 285 students’ learning styles were measured using a learning style assessment tool. Four years after the engineering education, their performance in the programme was compared with their individual learning styles. This study shows that most of the students are assimilators. Divergers and convergers follow the assimilators. The number of accommodators is very limited. The relationship between engineering students’ learning styles and their performance is found: assimilators and convergers performed better than the divergers and accommodators. The performance difference between assimilators and divergers is statistically significant. The results of this study show that the learning style theory is a potential tool for guiding the design and improvement of courses and helping students to improve their individual performance.     

Exploring the relationship between experienced students' preference for open- and closed-book examinations,approaches to learning and achievement

The relationship between university students' approaches to learning and preference for the open- and closed-book examinations was investigated for 144 Greek undergraduate (56 third- and 88 fourth-year) students attending a Philosophy, Education and Psychology Department. The approaches were explored by the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST). Examination preferences for open- or closed-book exams were assessed by 3 self-report questions. Students who preferred the open-book examination scored lower on “Time management”, “Achieving”, and “Unrelated memorising”. The study provides links between the students' study orchestrations/profiles, assessment preference, and achievement. The deep profile students (mainly 3rd-year students) seem to prefer the open-book exam but appear unorganised in their study in a similar extent to surface-profile students. They also reported low achievement. The study cautiously suggests the influence of the year of study on students' assessment preference. The results are discussed in relation to recent literature.     

Impact and dynamics of portfolio assessment and traditional assessment in a college physics course

Popular belief in alternative assessment procedures suggests that the use of student portfolios can help learners successfully organize and integrate newly acquired scientific knowledge. This two-group comparison study documents the use of student created portfolios in an algebra-based, college-level, introductory physics course. Sixteen students were assessed primarily using a portfolio-style assessment procedure. Nineteen students were assessed primarily using traditional, objective examinations. Both groups were given the same cumulative, multiple-choice final examination. All students completed a pre- and post-self-report survey of achievement in physics. There were no significant differences in learner achievement between the two groups on the final examination or on the self-report of achievement given before and after instruction. Analysis of two focus group discussions did, however, suggest that students assessed by portfolios feel less anxious about learning physics, devote considerable time to reading and studying outside of class, internalize and personalize the content material, and enjoy the learning experience. The results of this study suggest that portfolio-style assessment procedures support student achievement at least at the same level as traditional assessment procedures and appear to have additional benefits. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 34: 255–271, 1997.