Question‐posing capability as an alternative evaluation method: Analysis of an environmental case study

An effective strategy for improving problem‐solving ability is fostering students' question‐posing capabilities through the use of real‐world problems. This article describes research on scientific question‐posing capabilities among 10th‐grade students who were studying air quality in a cooperative way, using the jigsaw method. Case studies and analyses of daily problems and dilemmas were integrated within the module the Quality of Air around Us, which was designed and developed specially for this research. The students were required to pose questions and cope with real‐life problems while practicing a variety of learning activities, such as reading press or scientific articles, analyzing tables and graphs, and creating posters and advertisements that related to the problem. The students' question‐posing skills were evaluated by using pre‐ and postcase study questionnaires. We found the number, orientation, and complexity of questions students posed to be three indices of question‐posing capability. Following study of the Quality of Air around Us module, a significant increase was observed in the factors of number and complexity of questions students posed. The difference between students at high and low academic levels in the extent of increase in both number and complexity of posed questions was significant. As for orientation, the percentage of solution‐ and opinion‐oriented questions increased in the posttest, and fewer questions dealt with the problem and related hazards. This indicates an increase in students' awareness of the need for and feasibility of seeking practical solutions to a given problem, as well as considerable improvement of their ability to analyze a related case study. On the basis of these findings, we recommend incorporating analysis of question‐posing capability as an alternative evaluation method. To this end, fostering of question posing into the case study–based teaching/learning approach is the preferred strategy, in particular when environmental aspects are involved. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 36: 411–430, 1999     

Critical evaluation as an aid to improved report writing: a case study

Report writing is an important employability skill for Engineers and Technologists, and this case study describes how a Technology degree module took a novel approach to developing students’ report writing skills. Students learned how to use a criterion-referenced critical evaluation framework for reports and other technological documents. They were given opportunities to practise using the framework both through exemplars and through evaluating the work of their peers. They also carried out self-assessment. The authors’ analysis of this novel approach shows that most students responded well to it and benefited from it. Lessons are drawn from this work for others who wish to improve their students’ report writing skills.     

Redesigning a curriculum for inquiry: an ecology case study

This article reports on an interdisciplinary ecology degree that was redesigned to provide more research activity for undergraduates. A case study approach explored how the teaching team constructed a curriculum that used inquiry activities. The development of an inquiry curriculum was enabled by a University audit focusing on the links between teaching and research, a Programme Review that signalled a need for change, and a Programme Director and group of academics committed to change. In addition, curriculum planning discussions were facilitated by an academic staff developer, who developed a shared vision for an inquiry approach during extended conversations amongst the planning group. Consequently, the new programme progressively develops inquiry skills in four out of five core courses (papers/modules). At stages 1 and 2, structured, guided and open inquiry activities lead to an open inquiry capstone course at stage 3.     

Peer evaluation: A case study

Peer evaluation is the process whereby students critique the performances of other students. A peer evaluation format emphasizes skills, encourages involvement, focuses on learning, establishes a reference, promotes excellence, provides increased feedback, fosters attendance, and teaches responsibility. The process of peer evaluation is explained, the criteria are specified, the training for use is described, and how standards are maintained is explained. Finally, objections are suggested and addressed. Peer evaluation is a unique, controlled, and precise form of classroom evaluation that involves carefully constructed evaluation instruments, structured classroom situations, and exact evaluative assessments. Peer evaluation is a new and different form of evaluation.     

Evaluation criteria for competency-based syllabi: a Chilean case study applying mixed methods

In recent decades, higher education institutions worldwide have been moving from knowledge-based to competence-based curricula. One of the greatest challenges in this transition is the difficulty in changing the knowledge-oriented practices of teachers. This study evaluates the consistency between syllabus design and the requirements imposed by a competence-based learning environment. To make this comparison, the study sets four criteria (C1: explicit relationship between syllabus and graduate profile; C2: precision of the learning outcomes and assessment criteria; C3: contents that mobilise the learning outcomes; and C4: learning and assessment activities) derived from the literature and a thematic analysis of competence-based learning in higher education. Afterwards, a sample of 150 syllabi from different disciplines of five Chilean public universities were analysed, all of which stated the use of learning outcomes and competences in their learning models. Using a three-point Likert scale derived from the aforementioned criteria and their indicators, a comparison was made between the actual practices reflected in the syllabus design and the previously established criteria. Results show a gap between the declaration of a competency-based curriculum and actual syllabus outlines. Moreover, there are important differences among disciplines. Although all disciplines present high levels of accomplishment for Criteria 1 and 3, only the discipline of health sciences presents an acceptable level for Criteria 2 and 4. It is recommended that further research be undertaken towards identifying effective competency-based syllabus design.     

Multi‐dimensional evaluation for module improvement: a mathematics‐based case study

Due to a poor module evaluation, mediocre student grades and a difficult teaching experience in lectures, the Data Analysis section of a first year core module, Research Methods for Social Sciences (RMSS), offered at the University of KwaZulu‐Natal in South Africa, was completely revised. In order to review the effectiveness of these changes in terms of student learning, a wide range of formative and summative evaluation methods were implemented. These indicated that module revision had largely been successful, although a number of areas for further improvement were highlighted. An analysis of the nature of the feedback of each method emphasised the importance of using a multi‐dimensional approach as a means of obtaining reliable, authentic and valid data. Based on the findings of the study a procedural framework for module evaluation that considers issues such as purpose, sources of information, timing, methods, resource availability, implementation, action and critical reflection, is proposed.     

Evaluation of Courses by Whole Student Cohorts: a case study

In a climate of unprecedented change in higher education (HE), accurate and immediate course feedback information is vital to the management of institutions, in assisting the development of course material relevant to present student needs. Student contribution to qualitative course evaluation is commonplace although use of relatively small representative groups of students is usual. However, with class sizes increasing — between 100 and 200 is now common — the ability to acquire accurate qualitative evaluation, representatively, is a major issue. This paper describes a methodology providing opportunity for whole cohort groups of students to be involved simultaneously in the generation of feedback. It considers the effectiveness of student consultation meetings as a collection method, the utility of the results in the course development process, how the issues raised and discussed compare with matters included on a university‐wide questionnaire, and whether participating students feel inhibited in discussing matters so publicly.     

Implementation and evaluation of a student-centered learning unit: A case study

The purpose of this case study was to explore the issues involved in implementing a technology-enhanced student-centered unit in order to provide recommendations to improve and enhance these types of learning activities. Specifically, the study examined problems students encountered in completing the unit activities, problems the teacher encountered in facilitating the delivery of the unit to her students, and strategies to improve and enhance these types of learning activities. One teacher and the 21 students in her intact United States history class participated in the study. The central unit problem required students to determine the strategies that should be pursued in 1968 to continue the struggle for a more just, equal United States society. Students worked in teams to gather data from an electronic database of primary- and secondary-source materials, and use the data to develop solutions to the unit problem. Results of this study suggest that a variety of factors impact the success or failure of student-centered activities, including student orientation to the unit problem, student collaboration, teacher management strategies, and student accountability mechanisms. These results also provide insight into how the design of these types of activities can be improved. Perhaps the most important considerations that need additional attention are the additional aids required by teachers as they struggle to implement these types of activities in their classrooms.     

Construction of an ultra-deep diaphragm wall: a case study

This paper presents a case study on an ultra-deep diaphragm wall with a depth of 110 m constructed in Ningbo City. The in-situ application shows that using Bauer BC40 cutter machine in conjunction with cutter wheels specified for different strata would be qualified for constructing the 110 m diaphragm wall with high efficiency and precision given that the quality of slurry and poured concrete can be guaranteed. The ground settlement can be effectively controlled by using the overlapping construction method. Sliding failure as a whole characterized by pronounced lateral deformation is likely to occur in the upper muddy clay layer due to its high compressibility and sensitivity. In contrast, local collapse of trench walls tends to happen in the sandy silt strata. Furthermore, careful attention should be paid to sandy silt during the entire construction period as the vertical displacement of the sandy silt continues to develop even after concrete pouring     

地方高校学科特色的培育及其实现——以宁波大学为例

突出特色是学科建设的突破口,学科特色培育是地方高校提升学科发展水平的根本出路.地方高校学科特色的培育具有共同的规律.以宁波大学为例,探讨了地方高校学科特色培育的主要途径和条件保障,从实践层面为地方高校学科特色的培育提供参考和借鉴.     

Housing management: a case study in the development of an education strategy for a profession

Housing management originally developed as part of a philanthropic attempt to improve working class housing conditions in the nineteenth century. At first the practitioners were mainly women and there was an emphasis on individual relationships with tenants. Housing management was slow to develop a professional culture within local government and the educational system was equally slow to change to accommodate developments in teaching and learning theory. After the boost to housing management generated by a number of government initiatives in the early 1970s, the syllabus of housing changed to include a wider range of material, but the examination system was not changed and this limited scope for pedagogic innovation. A more dramatic restructuring in the 1990s led to all professional housing education taking place within the universities with courses and standards accredited but not controlled by the Chartered Institute of Housing. It is hoped that this will lead to more flexible and innovative education which in turn will prepare aspiring professionals for careers in a rapidly changing environment.     

Infusing two models of evaluation into a military environment: A case study

Determining the worth and effectiveness of training used within a military environment is the same accountability responsibility that educational organizations, businesses, and social agencies are charged with for improving programs and services to society. The need for accountability implies the process of evaluation, particularly in governmental training programs. This article provides a case study, blueprint, and action plan for the infusion of two evaluation models as the foundation for determining the effectiveness of training within a military application.     

An evaluation study of youth participation in youth work: a case study in Southern Italy

In this paper an evaluation study of a public programme financing a regional network of 157 youth centres in the South of Italy is presented. A theory-based evaluation model was adopted to explore the causal links between different types of participation experience. Evaluation questions focused on three main issues are: the perception of empowerment of the team during the management of the centres, the empowering effect of participation in the organization of the youth centres and the decision-making abilities of the young people involved. Following an exploratory study, an on-line structured questionnaire was administered to all centres. New youth centres appear as striving to become sustainable enterprises. However, there is widespread difficulty in terms of integrating day-to-day management with sustainability strategies. Such difficulty appears less pronounced when project leaders participated in the design of the centres together with young people. Results thus confirm participation in the design phase as an empowering experience. This study warns, however, against a number of unwanted effects arising from participation. Indeed, participation processes represented a form of decorative consultation in half of the cases. Empirical evidence therefore suggests further research to focus on the creation of stable participation frameworks inside centres, avoiding the risk of participation processes void of any real effect on decision-making.