Using automated analysis to assess middle school students' competence with scientific argumentation

Argumentation is fundamental to science education, both as a prominent feature of scientific reasoning and as an effective mode of learning—a perspective reflected in contemporary frameworks and standards. The successful implementation of argumentation in school science, however, requires a paradigm shift in science assessment from the measurement of knowledge and understanding to the measurement of performance and knowledge in use. Performance tasks requiring argumentation must capture the many ways students can construct and evaluate arguments in science, yet such tasks are both expensive and resource-intensive to score. In this study we explore how machine learning text classification techniques can be applied to develop efficient, valid, and accurate constructed-response measures of students' competency with written scientific argumentation that are aligned with a validated argumentation learning progression. Data come from 933 middle school students in the San Francisco Bay Area and are based on three sets of argumentation items in three different science contexts. The findings demonstrate that we have been able to develop computer scoring models that can achieve substantial to almost perfect agreement between human-assigned and computer-predicted scores. Model performance was slightly weaker for harder items targeting higher levels of the learning progression, largely due to the linguistic complexity of these responses and the sparsity of higher-level responses in the training data set. Comparing the efficacy of different scoring approaches revealed that breaking down students' arguments into multiple components (e.g., the presence of an accurate claim or providing sufficient evidence), developing computer models for each component, and combining scores from these analytic components into a holistic score produced better results than holistic scoring approaches. However, this analytical approach was found to be differentially biased when scoring responses from English learners (EL) students as compared to responses from non-EL students on some items. Differences in the severity between human and computer scores for EL between these approaches are explored, and potential sources of bias in automated scoring are discussed.     

An analysis of Turkish high school students' metacognition and motivation

Publishing data on individual schools is becoming a common practice in more and more countries. Based on an extensive study of literature and interviews with experts in England, Scotland, The Netherlands, and France, this article reveals that publishing individual school data is not only a contested but also a very complex affair. Different stakeholders may benefit from the availability of individual (comparative) school data under the condition that some prerequisites are met. The publication system must prevent unintended effects from occurring. Additionally, criticisms on existing publication systems should be taken into account. Providing informative, correct, and comparative information is primordial. Value added measurements are explored as a promising approach.     

决策分析中的数据无量纲化方法比较分析

决策分析中多属性决策问题的各属性通常具有不同的量纲,不同量纲的不可比较性给决策带来了困难.对数据进行规范化处理能够实现各属性数据的可综合性与可比性.对决策分析中常用的数据规范化方法进行比较分析,提出在不同应用中对最佳规范化方法的选择,能够使得决策方案更加合理、优化.     

机器学习应用中特征缺失研究

特征缺失是机器学习应用领域研究中必须面对的问题。根据特征缺失研究的基础与发展,分别阐述了特征缺失的种类与模式、特征缺失的处理方法以及实现工具,并在此基础上对特征缺失的处理进行了总结与归纳。最后,讨论了特征缺失研究存在的问题,指出了研究的方向。     

联通主义视阈下的cMOOC知识生产的实证研究——基于机器学习的对比分析

强调以学习者共同体为核心来开展知识的生产和传播活动是联通主义区别于行为主义、认知主义和建构主义的重要特征之一。学习者共同体已成为联通主义学习范式下的知识生产群体,但其知识生产属性尚不明确,亟待更深一步探究。由此,本研究借助机器学习领域中的词向量(Word2vec)语义分析工具,以中文核心期刊论文为代表的传统知识生产为客观参照物,在同一个主题下对联通主义视阈下的c MOOC "互联网+教育:理论与实践的对话"的知识生产属性进行实证研究,结果显示:基于c MOOC的联通主义知识生产呈现出三种类别的属性,分别是:主题聚焦性、理念时新性和视野广角性。而以中文核心期刊论文为代表的传统知识生产则呈现出分层结构性、特定群体关注性和物质供给侧重性三种类别的属性。基于以上结果,本文进一步从生产群体、思维理念以及实践应用等层面对比和剖析两类知识生产的影响和启示。作为以国内首门c MOOC为研究对象开展的联通主义知识生产属性与传统知识生产属性的对比实证研究,其结果不仅为国内、国际上以c MOOC为表现形式的联通主义知识生产实践提供了客观证据和直接指导,同时也首次探明了联通主义学习范式下的知识生产属性,为联通主义知识观及其知识生产理论的构建和充实提供参考依据。     

Enhancing consent forms to support participant decision making in multimodal learning data research

Advances in the field of multimodal learning analytics (MMLA) research is often accomplished by actively exploring new technologies and techniques related to the collection and analysis of data. Exploration of ethical principles and procedures for governing the use of new technologies and techniques, however, is not as readily pursued. As collected data grow in complexity and invasiveness, potentially, a growing need is arising to scrutinize ethical aspects of MMLA research. In our study, we introduce an informed consent comprehension test for educational technology research and assess the effects of enhancing MMLA consent forms on comprehension of informed consent and on rates of enrollment in a MMLA study. One form is written from a researcher perspective and the other from a participant perspective. Results of the study involving first-year undergraduate students suggest that the overall level of comprehension did not differ between conditions. Yet, the participant-oriented consent form resulted in significantly lower rates of enrollment. Implications for MMLA researchers are discussed.     

北京高校大学生对授课教师满意度的实证研究

中国高等教育由精英教育向大众教育转变的过程中,提高学生对授课教师满意度,并将满意度作为评估、调整授课教师相关行为表现的标准这一问题显得尤为重要。本研究以北京大学生为主要研究对象,利用SPSS软件对数据进行统计分析,通过相关性及回归分析等构建出学生高满意度的授课教师素质模型。希望为各高校评估授课教师、授课教师进行自我调整提供一些参考,以建立一种新的良好的教学关系,从而更加有效地推动教学、教育的发展。     

英语学习自我效能感影响因素实证研究(一)

采用问卷调查、访谈、数据分析等研究方法对英语学习自我效能感影响因素进行实证研究。研究表明,英语学习自我效能感受学习者个体的直接和间接经验、他人评价和学习者的自我规劝、学习外部环境、自我学业表现的归因以及个体情感和情绪等因素影响。     

An empirical analysis of the performance of Vietnamese higher education institutions

This article provides an analysis of the academic performance of higher education institutions (HEIs) in Vietnam with 50 universities and 50 colleges in 2011/12. The two-stage semiparametric data envelopment analysis is used to estimate the efficiency of HEIs and investigate the effects of various factors on their performance. The findings reveal that HEIs in the surveyed sample show that there are still potential avenues to improve their existing performance. There appears to be a difference in the efficiencies of public and private HEIs in the reported year. It is noted that the inefficiency of HEIs are not entirely a result of managerial performance, but also influenced by other factors such as location, age and the contribution of tuition fees. Our results are expected to provide more understanding of the operational efficiency of HEIs for educational managers and policymakers to find possible solutions to improve the performance of Vietnamese higher education.     

An entropy-based multi-criterion group decision analysis method of selecting the optimum weak-subgrade treatment

Proper treatment of weak subgrade soil is very important to building a highway of good quality. We proposed an entropy-based multi-criterion group decision analysis method for a group of experts to evaluate alternatives of weak subgrade treatment, with an aim to select the optimum technique which is technically, economically and socially viable. We used fuzzy theory to analyze multiple experts＇ evaluation on various factors of each alterative treatment. Different experts＇ evaluations are integrated by the group eigenvalue method. An entropy weight is introduced to minimize the negative influences of subjective human factors of experts. The optimum alternative is identified with ideal point diseriminant analysis to calculate the distance of each alternative to the ideal point and prioritize all alternatives according to their distances. A case study on a section of the Shiman Expressway verified that the proposed method can give a rational decision on the optimum method of weak subgrade treatment.     

An empirical analysis of teacher spillover effects in secondary school

This paper examines whether educational production in secondary school involves joint production among teachers across subjects. In doing so, it also provides insights into the reliability of value-added modeling. Teacher value-added to reading test scores is estimated for four different teacher types: English, math, science and social-studies. The initial results indicate that reading output is jointly produced by math and English teachers. However, while falsification tests confirm the English-teacher effects, they cast some doubt about whether the math-teacher effects are free from sorting bias. The results offer a mixed review of the value-added methodology, suggesting that it can be useful but should be implemented cautiously.     

Students' Perceptions of Teaching and Learning: The influence of students' approaches to learning and teachers' approaches to teaching

Nearly 500 secondary students in 24 classes were surveyed and four students in each class interviewed concerning their approaches to learning and perceptions of their classroom environment. While interviewed students with deep approaches to learning generally demonstrated a more sophisticated understanding of the learning opportunities offered to them than did students with surface approaches, teaching strategies also influenced students' perceptions. When teachers focused strongly on actively engaging students and creating a supportive environment, students with both deep and surface approaches focused on student-centred aspects of the class. In contrast, when traditional expository teaching methods were used exclusively, students with deep and surface approaches both focused on transmission and reproduction.     

MVC设计模式在ASP角色身份验证中应用与实现

介绍了MVC设计模式的思想,以ASP角色身份验证为具体实例,研究了MVC设计模式在角色身份验证的设计与运用,并在此基础上构建了一个基于B/S三层架构的角色身份验证系统。项目实际应用证明采用MVC设计模式能加快系统的开发效率,系统具有较好的扩展性和可维护性,分层架构清晰,耦合度低。     

Predicting high school students' cognitive engagement and achievement: Contributions of classroom perceptions and motivation

Path analysis was used to test predictions of a model explaining the impact of students' perceptions of classroom structures (tasks, autonomy support and mastery and evaluation) on their self-efficacy, perceptions of the instrumentality of class work, and their achievement goals in a particular classroom setting. Additionally, the impact of self-efficacy, instrumentality, and goals on students' cognitive engagement and achievement was tested. There were 220 high school students who completed a series of questionnaires over a three-month period in their English classes. Data strongly supported the model demonstrating that student perceptions of classroom structures are important for their motivation. Also supported was the importance of perceiving the current class work as being instrumental for future success. Implications were discussed.     

Analytics-supported reflective assessment for 6th graders' knowledge building and data science practices: An exploratory study

Preparing data-literate citizens and supporting future generations to effectively work with data is challenging. Engaging students in Knowledge Building (KB) may be a promising way to respond to this challenge because it requires students to reflect on and direct their inquiry with the support of data. Informed by previous studies, this research explored how an analytics-supported reflective assessment (AsRA)-enhanced KB design influenced 6th graders' KB and data science practices in a science education setting. One intact class with 56 students participated in this study. The analysis of students' Knowledge Forum discourse showed the positive influences of the AsRA-enhanced KB design on students' development of KB and data science practices. Further analysis of different-performing groups revealed that the AsRA-enhanced KB design was accessible to all performing groups. These findings have important implications for teachers and researchers who aim to develop students' KB and data science practices, and general high-level collaborative inquiry skills.

Practitioner notes

What is already known about this topic

• Data use becomes increasingly important in the K-12 educational context.
• Little is known about how to scaffold students to develop data science practices.
• Knowledge Building (KB) and learning analytics-supported reflective assessment (AsRA) show premises in developing these practices.

What this paper adds

• AsRA-enhanced KB can help students improve KB and data science practices over time.
• AsRA-enhanced KB design benefits students of different-performing groups.
• AsRA-enhanced KB is accessible to elementary school students in science education.

Implications for practice and/or policy

• Developing a collaborative and reflective culture helps students engage in collaborative inquiry.
• Pedagogical approaches and analytic tools can be developed to support students' data-driven decision-making in inquiry learning.

     

我国大学生环境行为群体效应的实证研究——基于12所高校的调研数据分析

一个民族的综合素质可以通过其国民的日常行为表现出来。在我国,大学生环境行为与其环境教育的研究已经成为教育界关注的研究课题之一。笔者首先通过对辽宁省12所高校近2500名大学生的问卷调查和随机访谈,观察和揭示了我国大学生个体环保行为在其群体效应中的相互影响与作用关系;然后,采用路径分析方法和结构方程模型系统地分析了大学生群体效应对环境行为的影响作用,并提出了行为矫正的具体建议。     

Preparing preservice teachers to make instructional decisions: An examination of data from the teacher work sample

The purpose of this American study was to examine student teachers’ ability to make instructional decisions as they engaged in teaching. We examined the narrative accounts provided by 150 student teachers within their teacher work samples (TWSs). Results indicated that most student teachers were able to implement some aspects of instructional decision making, such as noting a specific difficulty with student learning and making an on-the-spot adjustment in their instruction. However, other elements of instructional decision making were less likely to be implemented. For example, student teachers relied on a limited range of formative assessment strategies and instructional modifications, and very few provided a sound rationale for their choice of modification. These results suggest that novice teachers may benefit from more opportunities to reflect and critique upon authentic learning experiences as they complete their teacher preparation programs. Finally, the TWS appears to represent a viable method for examining the instructional decisions of student teachers.     

Complex problem solving in L1 education: Senior high school students' knowledge of the language problem-solving process

The solving of reasoning problems in first language (L1) education can produce an understanding of language, and student autonomy in language problem solving, both of which are contemporary goals in senior high school education. The purpose of this study was to obtain a better understanding of senior high school students' knowledge of the language problem-solving process. Fifty-three 11th-grade high school students solved standard, comprehension, and linguistic reasoning problems. Before solving the problems, the participants had filled in open-ended questions inquiring about their knowledge regarding the effectiveness of a chosen problem-solving strategy. Content analysis of the responses indicated four categories and nine subcategories. The implications of the relatively few responses in the category of explicit knowledge of the language problem-solving process are discussed in the light of the changing needs of L1 students.     

浅析高校辅导员的大学生心理危机干预工作

目前,高等教育的普及使大学生规模迅速扩大,受到社会、家庭等诸多因素的影响,大学生的心理危机问题和现象愈显突出。高校辅导员处于教育学生的第一线,与大学生联系最为密切,影响也最为直接。新形势下,大学生心理危机干预成为了高校辅导员的另一项重要工作内容。本文阐述了大学生的心理危机的特点,高校大学生心理危机的主要表现和识别方法,以及开展大学生心理危机干预的方法。