Regional examinations councils and geopolitical change: commonality, diversity, and lessons from experience

Formation of regional bodies which serve groups of countries is a way to achieve economies of scale, greater specialisation in professional expertise, and a stronger voice in international affairs. Many advocates have particularly recommended regional collaboration to states which are too small to operate strong national bodies. However, regional bodies suffer multiple tensions and do not always meet their goals with great success.This paper focuses on regional collaboration in examinations, and compares the experiences of three existing and two defunct bodies. The three existing bodies are the West African Examinations Council, the Caribbean Examinations Council, and the South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment. The two defunct bodies are the East African Examinations Council and the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland Schools Examination Council. Although these five bodies were designed to undertake similar functions, they operated in different geopolitical environments. Instructive lessons on the nature and impact of geopolitical forces can be learned from the experiences of each body and from comparison of all five.     

The Role and Functions of Public Examinations

For a brief time in the mid‐1970s Desmond Nuttall was Secretary to a Certificate in Secondary Education (CSE) Examining Board. Desmond Nuttall was already well known for his work with the National Foundation for Educational Research and his appointment caused quite a stir both among those who expected him to be a catalyst for change in the public examination system and those who thought his talents would be lost in a sea of bureaucracy. His sojourn at the Middlesex Board was to be brief, too brief to prove right either the expectations or the cynics. Within 2 years of his appointment, the Middlesex Board had been absorbed into the London Regional Examinations Board and Desmond Nuttall entered the world of academia from where he continued to play a very significant role in examination developments.     

唐代进士入仕的主要途径及特点

唐代举子进士及第后，只是获取了入仕前的一种身份。若要得到官资，必须先通过关试，再由吏部铨选、制举、吏部科目选以及使府辟署等途径入仕。吏部铨选为通常仕进之路，制举和吏部科目选为快速仕进之道，使府辟署为回旋仕进之途。多种渠道选拔人才是唐代选官体制的基本特点，修业奋进跻身官场是唐代进士及第者的普遍心态，由此散发出的文化气息，影响着有唐一代的社会生活。     

采行考试是历史的选择

考试的采行是中华民族对人类制度文明的伟大贡献之一。值此纪念科举废除100周年之际,我们高度评价科举考试的历史地位和作用。历史证明,在等级森严的中国封建社会,科举考试乃是一项难得的具有公平精神的制度。采行考试是历史的选择,在没有想不出再好的办法之前,考试是不可废的。     

考试中的挫折心理与调适

考试挫折心理是各类考试,特别是高考中普遍出现的心理问题。研究和探讨考试挫折心理的含义、产生原因、忍受力,以及由于挫折所产生的冲突、焦虑,对考生进行心理健康教育、调适应试心理、培养优秀心理品质,具有重要意义。     

Implementation and modification of an anatomy‐based integrated curriculum

Morehouse School of Medicine elected to restructure its first‐year medical curriculum by transitioning from a discipline‐based to an integrated program. The anatomy course, with regional dissection at its core, served as the backbone for this integration by weaving the content from prior traditional courses into the curriculum around the anatomy topics. There were four primary goals for this restructuring process. Goal 1: develop new integrated courses. Course boundaries were established at locations where logical breaks in anatomy content occurred. Four new courses were created, each containing integrated subject content. Goal 2: establish a curriculum management team. The team consisted of course directors, subject specialists, and a curriculum director. This team worked together to efficiently manage the new curriculum. Goal 3: launch contemporary examination and question banking methods. An electronic system, in which images could be included, was implemented for examinations and quizzes, and for storing and refining questions. Goal 4: ensure equitable distribution of standardized examinations and course grading systems among all courses. Assessments included quizzes, in‐course examinations, and National Board of Medical Examiners^® (NBME^®) Subject Examinations. A standard plan assigned the contribution of each to the final course grade. Significant improvement was seen on subject examinations. Once the obstacles and challenges of integration were overcome, a robust and efficient education program was developed. The curriculum is expected to continue evolving and improving, while retaining full regional dissection as a core element. Anat Sci Educ 10: 262–275. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists.     

缓解考生高考压力的对策与建议

高考在为国家选拔人才,提供公平竞争的平台等方面发挥了积极功能,但它同时也带来了一定的负面影响：高考给考生、家长、教师和学校带来了巨大压力。以缓解考生压力这一心理问题立论,从四个方面分析了形成高考压力的深层原因及其所带来的消极影响,并提出相关的对策与建议。     

清代桐城进士数量考

关于清代桐城进士的确切人数,历来文献记载不一。综合光绪《重修安徽通志》、道光《续修桐城县志》、《明清进士题名碑录索引》、《桐城耆旧传》、桐城部分家谱等资料,清代桐城地区文进士人数共有152名,比安庆府其他五县进士总和还多,科举成绩斐然。     

考试的社会功能探究

考试尤其是大规模的考试,自诞生之日起就承担着为社会选拔和筛选人才的功能。从社会学的角度看,考试这一选拔和筛选人才的功能实质上是社会分层和社会控制在教育活动中的具体运用。首先,考试的历史发展和考试本身的层次性等皆证明考试是社会分层和选拔的工具。其次,考试的内容和过程等隐含着社会控制。所以,社会分层和社会控制是考试所隐含的社会功能,考试是课程知识合法化的工具。     

Unequal Competitors for Nomination to a Professorship

Secretary of State Van Leijenhorst, in consensus of opinion with Minister Deetman, decided to cut the national budget for educational research by one-third from Dfls. 21 million to Dfls. 14 million by 1st January 1984 (see Table of Conversion). This budget is controlled by the Foundation for Educational Research (SVO [Stichting voor Onderzoek van het Onderwijs]), which also co-ordinates most of the educational research conducted in The Netherlands. Requests for research projects can be made by workers in the field of education, organizations, or the Minister. The drastic cut means that previous agreements with Van Leijenhorst's predecessor Hermes are totally swept aside. This fatal operation has filled the Board of Directors of SVO, the National Foundation for Educational Research, with both perplexity and rage. The Board has accused the Secretary of political breach of promise. These and other facts are mentioned in a communiqué that the Board and Committee of SVO have just distributed, compelled by the fast-growing stream of rumors. The communiqué is made public at a time when the internal debate between the Secretary of State and the Minister of Education and Science has not been rounded off yet.     

从科举考试兴衰审视现代考试

科举考试制度的废除有其内在与外在的原因,废除科举是社会进步的体现。如何看待旧科举考试,及其兴衰成败,自然有它的历史必然性;但重新审视科举考试,会给现代考试带来很多启示。     

对基础教育考试改革方向的思考

考试改革是新一轮基础教育课程评价改革的重要组成部分,已成为人们关注的焦点。基础教育考试改革的方向应包括六个方面:突出考试的诊断性和发展性功能;考试的内容要以课程标准为依据,体现新的人才观和教育观;改进考试的方式,倡导灵活多样、多次机会、双向选择的原则;考试要考虑学生的年龄特点和个别差异;注重考试结果的运用,进行积极的评价反馈;改革毕业考试、升学考试和招生制度,将升学考试成绩与平时评价结果有机结合起来。     

科考经验对当代语文考试改革的启示——从唐宋八大家与科举的关系说起

唐宋古文作家对科举考试曾有所批判,但后来他们的作品又因具有典范性、文学性而适合于科举考试的需要,因而成为考生学习的重要内容。考察这一变化过程,不仅可对中国古代科举考试多有一些了解,而且也能为当今语文考试改革提供某些启示。     

有情天地内多感是诗人——论唐代落第举子的节日敏感

唐代实行开科取士,朝廷选拔到治国英才的同时,也造就了庞大的落第群体。落第举子一再遭受失败的打击,心灵变得脆弱而敏感。每当节日来临,他们睹物遏景,总会把节日跟科举相联系。在寒食清明节时他们方逢下第,想起那象征科举登第的杏花开得正盛却与自己无缘,不由得见花落泪;中秋之夜赏月时,仰望一轮明月会更加渴盼蟾宫折桂;除夕之夜新佰年交接之际,难免感叹流年易逝而功名无成。他们在节日中生发出的这种异于常人的特殊感受,折射出他们对人生价值的执着追求。     

科举考试之现代观照

中国传统的科举考试制度是历史抉择的产物,也是现代性的发端。更是人类文明的结晶。实行了1300余的科举制度于1905年废除后,因用人没有标准,做官没有限制,致使讨官跑官、任人唯亲、植党营私等弊病变本加厉。这表明尽管科举制度已废,但其内在的合理成分并未因之而消除,考试选才这种方式却没有也不可能废止,于是人们又从不同角度反思科举制度。     

论阎敬铭的理财实践及特点

阎敬铭,陕西朝邑人,官至户部尚书、东阁大学士,是晚清著名清官,尤以善理财而名重于时。他在理财方面的做法与特点是：守正尚朴,严惩贪劣,重用廉吏;办事公开．审核精勤;量人为出,重在节流。     

网络教育在自学考试中的运用

高等教育自学考试是国家考试、社会助学、个人自学相结合的考试形式.随着社会发展,高等教育自学考试规模日益壮大,社会助学薄弱及个人自学困难成为阻碍自学考试健康发展的主要原因.因此需要有一种方便、快捷、经济的教学手段来加强社会助学和个人自学两个重要环节.网络教育这种以多媒体技术、计算机网络为主体的第三代远程教育方式以其多种优势,使学员的学习发生本质的变化,网络教育被称为最方便、快捷、经济的教育模式.探索在自学考试中运用网络教育,对自学考试的健康发展有着深远的意义.     

新课程标准下的数学高考试卷分析——以部分省份2012年数学高考试卷为例

本文在分析2003年颁布的普通高中新课程标准特点的基础之上,选择了2012年有代表性的六套高考理科数学试卷,逐一与新课程标准进行对比,发现新课程标准高考试卷在知识和技能层面上与新课程标准一致程度较高;在过程与方法层面上与旧大纲高考试卷相比,加强了数据处理能力和创新意识的考查力度;对应用意识的考查,没有明显改变。     

THE VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY OF ORAL EXAMINATIONS IN ASSESSING COGNITIVE SKILLS IN MEDICINE1

In order to attempt to assess aspects of clinical competence, not adequately assessed by other means, the Center for the Study of Medical Education, University of Illinois College of Medicine together with the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery developed oral examinations in formats specifically designed to yield information on high level cognitive functioning. The examinations were administered to 784 candidates for certification in January 1968. Reliability of the oral problem-solving component score pooled from four examiners was approximately .50. Assessment of content, construct, and concurrent validity made by questionnaire and factor analytic studies indicated that the oral tests identified factors not measured by multiple-choice tests and, therefore, significantly improved the relationship between supervisory evaluations and test scores.     

我国教师资格考试新旧笔试大纲对比与分析

2011年全国教师资格政策发生重大变化,我国教师资格考试在一些试点省份进行改革,实行全国统考,全国统考的考试大纲也有所变化。本文通过对比新旧笔试大纲,并以教育心理学大纲为例,梳理出新大纲中教育心理学删减和增加的内容,研究发现新大纲内容有所拓展,注重知识点的融合,题型设置更加灵活,注重实际能力的考查。新旧大纲的对比分析表明,我国教师资格考试改革势在必行。