Selectivity,admissions and intakes to ‘comprehensive’ schools in London,England

This study focuses on admissions criteria used for ‘comprehensive’ secondary schools in London, UK. It was found that schools whose admissions were controlled by the local authority were more likely to report giving priority to children with medical/social needs and special educational needs than were schools that controlled their own admissions; the latter were more likely to report the use of various potentially ‘creaming’ criteria. There was also more ‘selectivity’ among London comprehensive schools with autonomy over admissions, with higher proportions using potentially selective admissions criteria than in the rest of England. Moreover, it was found that schools with responsibility for their own admissions had lower proportions of pupils with special educational needs and obtained higher scores in public examination ‘league tables’ than schools whose admissions were controlled by the local authority. The findings suggest that some schools, although nominally ‘comprehensive’, appear to restrict access to certain groups of pupils.     

Modeling Passing Rates on a Computer-Based Medical Licensing Examination: An Application of Survival Data Analysis

The purpose of this article was to model United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 2 passing rates using the Cox Proportional Hazards Model, best known for its application in analyzing clinical trial data. The number of months it took to pass the computer-based Step 2 examination was treated as the dependent variable in the model. Covariates in the model were: (a) medical school location (U.S. and Canadian or other), (b) primary language (English or other), and (c) gender. Preliminary findings indicate that examinees were nearly 2.7 times more likely to experience the event (pass Step 2) if they were U.S. or Canadian trained. Examinees with English as their primary language were 2.1 times more likely to pass Step 2, but gender had little impact. These findings are discussed more fully in light of past research and broader potential applications of survival analysis in educational measurement.     

Different Grounds for Admission: Its effects on recruitment and achievement in medical education

The purpose of this study is to examine effects of the admission system to higher education on background diversity of students and study efficiency. By using data from a longitudinal project, the students admitted to medical education on different admission grounds are compared. The results indicate that admissions based on upper secondary grades best promote the goal of diversity. In addition, those students perform nearly as well as those admitted via step‐wise procedures. The step‐wise procedures promote study efficiency, but tend to favour applicants with upper‐middle‐class and Swedish backgrounds compared to those admitted via grades. Those admitted on the basis of SweSAT scores perform more poorly than those admitted via grades and step‐wise procedures. Furthermore, the results indicate that admission via SweSAT scores contradict rather than promote the goals of increasing social, educational, and national diversity in higher education.     

The Impact of Taiwan's University Multiple-Channel Entrance Policy on Student Learning Outcomes

This research explores the impact of Taiwan's university multiple-channel entrance policy on student learning outcomes, using quantitative research to look for differences in the learning experiences of third-year students who were admitted via different methods (examination and placement, application for admission, recommendation and selection, and gifted aptitude selection) and who were at different types of institutions (public universities, public vocational/technical schools, private universities, and private vocational/technical schools). The source data for this research was a 2005 national survey of third-year university students by the National Taiwan Normal University Center for Educational Research and Evaluation. The data were analyzed using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and found that among students at public universities and vocational/technical schools, those who applied for admission had a better learning experience, while those selected for gifted aptitude had a poorer learning experience. Among students at private schools, those admitted through examination and placement or application for admission had a significantly better learning experience than students admitted through selection. Overall, the learning experience of screened students was generally poor, so it is worth considering a review of this admission method.     

新高考“3+1+2”模式的一种关照:江苏“2008方案”及实践分析

江苏高考“2008方案”的基本设计为“3+学业水平考试+综合素质评价”。作为一种“两依据,一参考”的招生评价模式,江苏“2008方案”的改革理想包括彰显“选择性”教育理念,改变高考“一考定终身”弊端,破除“唯分数论”,淡化“分分计较”观念,减轻考试压力等。其实践困境则包括:“弃理选文”的功利主义选科问题;基于高考成绩计算方式的“分分计较”与区分度问题;“高分低等”考生的录取难题;学生科学素养下降与高校人才培养难题;考生考试压力问题及综合素质评价等方面。江苏“2008方案”改革经验,可以为当前新一轮高考综合改革提供有益启示。     

试论高等学校以能力为中心的考试改革

考试是学校教学过程的重要环节,考试改革是高等学校教学改革的重要内容之一。传统的高校考试制度存在许多问题和弊端,必须从教育观念、试卷设计、考试内容和形式、考试模式等方面对高校考试方式进行改革。考试对于培养学生的学习能力、思维能力、专业技术能力和创新能力以及改变学生的学习方式,起着不可忽视的引导作用。     

THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH LITERATURE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

The educational needs of mentally handicapped children in the ‘new’ day special schools are examined from three major perspectives. First, as a result of the examination of questionnaires received from headteachers of 88 schools; second as a result of the examination of the skills of 151 mentally handicapped children in 44 of these schools, and third as a result of an examination of questionnaires completed for 52 parents of mentally handicapped children. The results of the investigation highlight the effect of these schools being in the ‘educational wilderness’ until April, 1st, 1971; the low level of achievement in certain social skills, and parental problems and attitudes.     

Stifling transformation through the manipulation of enrolment: A case study of two public high schools in Gauteng Province

Abstract

This article reports on an investigation into how admission policies in general and the ‘zoning’ policy in particular are applied by the School Governing Bodies (SGBs) of two particular former Model C secondary schools in a town in the Gauteng Province, Republic of South Africa. It also examines the admission criteria currently in use against the background of allegations that the application of these criteria is a veiled attempt to exclude black learners from schools in order to retain a white learner majority. It also considers what can be termed the ‘channelling’ of learners. Interviews were conducted with a sample of disgruntled parents, a chairperson of the school governing body (SGB) of one of the schools and the principals of two unrelated schools, which were mentioned during the interviews with the disgruntled parents.     

GI Forum v. Texas Education Agency: Observations for States

Seven conclusions for professionals who administer state assessment programs are drawn from the GI Forum v. Texas Education Agency ruling: (a) the American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, and National Council on Measurement in Education (1999) standards are appropriate to use; (b) items showing different p values for subgroups may be used if they are selected as adequate for sound educational reasons; (c) a cut score setting process should be educationally justified; (d) a high-stakes testing program can appropriately address unfair access to education; (e) multiple opportunities to pass satisfies the standard that a single test score should not be the sole basis for a high-stakes decision; (f) a conjunctive decision-making model can appropriately motivate both students and schools; and (g) an 80% pass rate criterion applied to eventual, as opposed to initial, success rates for subgroups is a reasonable threshold for adverse impact. Caution is recommended because circumstances in other states may not parallel those in Texas in important ways.     

The Barriers of Access to Selective Universities in Russia

This paper examines the characteristics of students admitted to Russian universities with different levels of selectivity. First, we argue that students differ not only by the results of the Unified State Exam (USE), the university entrance exam, but by family and school characteristics, and by educational strategies. Next, it is shown that the probability of being admitted to the most selective HEIs is determined not only by the USE scores, but by characteristics that are not directly related to the applicants’ abilities, such as class specialisation in secondary schools, and high school location. Moreover, we have found that income has an indirect impact on the admission results: a higher level of income increases the probability of being admitted to highly selective universities through the level of investment in pre‐entry coaching and the regional differences in wages. On the other hand, regional differences in costs of living decrease the opportunities of studying in selective universities. Hence, schooling and financial barriers without alternative student support can limit the participation of less affluent students in selective universities.     

COMPARISON OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE ON M.D. QUALIFYING AND LICENSING EXAMINATIONS

This study investigated the extent to which an M.D. qualifying examination and a Medical Council of Canada examination produced the same scores, pass levels and educational outcomes. Data from 72 students were analyzed by means of the Rasch latent trait model. The two examinations produced similar results. The findings of this study have important implications for developing diagnostic and screening programmes. With the use of “quality” examinations and latent trait theory, it is possible to place examination results onto a single common scale. This enables a comparison between examinations to determine differences in student abilities, item difficulties, and pass levels. More importantly, the procedure also enables a student's performance to be predicted: this is important in developing an educational programme that will help students pass certifying (for example, M.D. qualifying) or licensing (Medical Council of Canada) examinations. By diagnostic examinations, students’ weaknesses can be identified and appropriate remedial instruction provided. With the employment of screening instruments, students who are highly likely to fail can be identified and appropriately counselled. If the model fits the data, the current technology of latent trait theory promises to improve significantly the accuracy of educational measurement and decision‐making.     

基于分类培养的考研升学现状调研及对策分析--以右江民族医学院医学检验技术本科生为例

高校招生规模逐年扩大,毕业生人数急剧增加,医疗单位对医学检验毕业生的学历要求逐渐提升。右江民族医学院处于欠发达地区,存在经济较落后、教学环境差、师资稀缺,以及学生英语基础薄弱等问题,这些问题影响了欠发达地区医学院校学生的参研率及考研成功率。针对右江民族医学院医学检验技术专业学生在考研过程中存在的问题进行了思考与探讨,提出可供参考的对策和建议,以提高学生的科研素养,从而提升学生的参研率及考研成功率。     

What Do We Mean When We Say “Pass Rate”?

Pass rates are key assessment statistics which are calculated for nearly all high-stakes examinations. In this article, we define the terminal, first attempt, total attempts, and repeat attempts pass rates, and discuss the uses of each statistic. We also explain why in many situations one should expect the terminal pass rate to be the highest, first attempt pass rate to be the second highest, total attempts pass rate to be the third highest, and repeat attempts pass rate to be the lowest when repeat attempts are allowed. Analyses of data from 14 credentialing programs showed that the expected relationship held for 13 out of 14 of the programs. Additional analyses of pass rates for educational programs in radiography in one state showed that the general relationship held at the state level, but only held for 6 out of 34 educational programs. It is suggested that credentialing programs need to clearly state their pass rate definitions and carefully consider how repeat examinees may influence pass rate statistics. It is also suggested that credentialing programs need to think carefully about the meaning and uses of different pass rate statistics when choosing which pass rates to report to stakeholders.     

人本教育与学生的创新素质培养

长期以来 ,我们的教育过分地强调其功利性的目的 ,将学生当作对象物 ,将分数、升学作为评价教师和学生成功的标准 ,教育成了外在于人本身发展的一种“物性化”的东西 ,它严重地束缚了学生的个性发展 ,抑制了学生创造潜能的发挥。只有在教育中渗透“以人为本”的教育观念 ,关注人性 ,提倡并尊重人的个性发展 ,才能从根本上解放教师和学生 ,并通过一系列有助于学生个性发展的教育手段 ,使学生的创新素质培养落到实处。     

论教育公平与教育效率

教师认为追求升学率就是追求教育效率,并以追求效率与追求公平是两难选择为由放弃了教育的公平价值取向。然而,追求升学率只不过是教育效率中物质生产效率的一种表现形式,并不是教育效率的全部。造成这种认识偏差是经济学视角下看待效率的结果。退一步讲,就算升学率是教育效率,单纯追求效率的教学既忽视目的合理性审视,又忽略手段合理性。把教育看作是社会生产性事业,就会追求效率,把教育看作是社会福利性事业,就会追求公平,但追求教育效率还是教育公平只是工具主义语境下的两难。在教育本体意义上,教育是一种成人的关心意向,教育的本体功能是关注学生的差异、关心学生的不同需要。在教育本体功能上,教育效率与教育公平具有内在一致性。     

Belonging and learning to belong in school: the implications of the hidden curriculum for indigenous students

This paper engages with current educational literature in Australia and internationally, in exploring the implications of the hidden curriculum for Indigenous students. It argues that in schools, most of the learning rules or guidelines reflect the ‘white’ dominant culture values and practices, and that it is generally those who don't have the cultural match-ups that schooling requires for success, such as Indigenous and minority students, who face the most educational disadvantage. Howard and Perry argue that Indigenous students ‘… need to feel that schools belong to them as much as any child’ and that to ‘… move towards the achievement of potential of Aboriginal students, it is important that Aboriginal culture and language are accepted in the classroom’. This paper will also provide a discussion into school-based strategies that are considered effective for engaging Indigenous students with school.     

The Fundamental Theory and Practice for the Uniform General Admissions Examination for Colleges and Universities in China

China has a territory of 9.6 million square kilometers, and a population of 1.1 billion. There are 1,075 general colleges and universities throughout the country, enrolling a total of approximately 2 million students. Each year we have about 2.5 million graduates from upper middle school, which, added to the number of graduates from previous years, make for a pool of candidates for admission to college and university of about 2.8 million in any given year. In the last two years, in accordance with the state's planning, we have admitted about 700,000 new students to the general colleges and universities each year (which is approximately 3 percent of the total number of people of the same age in the country at large and about 20 percent of the graduates from upper middle schools for that year). To guarantee that the limited resources and funds that the state invests in higher education may take greater effect, we have to select the new students of the highest quality and qualifications to admit to the colleges and universities. At the same time, however, we also have to make it convenient for the broad masses of graduates from upper middle schools to take part in examinations locally and apply for admissions to all the appropriate colleges or universities in the country. Since 1952 we have begun to adopt a system whereby the questions for all general colleges/universities entrance examinations throughout the country are unified, and all colleges and universities are pledged to admit new students on the basis of competitive merit. Thus the plans of colleges and universities in terms of new student admission, the subjects of examination, the questions in the examinations, and the standard answers, as well as the scoring standards or criteria of evaluating results, are all formulated in a uniform way by the state, with the provinces (or autonomous regions or municipalities that are under the direct jurisdiction of the center) carrying out the work of printing the examinations, conducting or holding the examinations, evaluating scores and, finally, admissions. With the exception of a hiatus of twelve years' time during the period of the Cultural Revolution, this nationwide uniform examination system for college and university admission has been in place ever since, and has always been there to ensure, effectively, the quality of the new students being admitted to general colleges and universities, and to ensure the smooth and effective completion of the state's plans for college and university admissions. At the same time, to a certain extent, this system also promoted the enhancement of the quality of teaching and learning in the middle schools, by avoiding repetitive and redundant work and labor in the area of admissions examinations, saving large amounts of human, material, and financial resources.     

医学类高职高专学校医德教育现状及对策分析

医德教育效果不理想,必须从医学生、学校、医院以及社会多方面抓起。医学生树立崇高理想信念,自觉加强道德修养。教师改革教学方式,更新教学内容。学校加强社会实践,深化体验教育;改善校园环境,塑造良好校园文化;开展医德讲座,树立医德模范;建立学校和医院为一体的严格医德评价体系。     

Do college admissions criteria matter? Evidence from discretionary vs. grade-based admission policies

This paper examines the implications of college admissions criteria on students’ academic and non-academic performance in university and their labor market outcomes. We exploit a unique feature of the admissions system at a large university in Singapore, the National University of Singapore, that has two admission tracks – a regular admission track where admission is based exclusively on academic performance and a discretionary admission (DA) track where applicants can instead gain admission on the basis of demonstrated non-academic qualities. Comparing students admitted through each track, we find that DA students fare similarly in terms of academic performance in university as marginal students admitted through the regular route. However, they are significantly more likely to be involved in optional academic and non-academic college activities and earn substantially higher labor market earnings up to three years after graduation. These results are not driven by the DA process differentially selecting students on the basis of family background or unobserved academic ability.     

Assessment and examination stress in Key Stage 4

Survey research has identified, using questionnaire approaches, that important assessments are a significant source of stress and worry for students in secondary school. In particular, failing important examinations and the consequences of failing these examinations are rated as more important than a range of other personal and social worries. Qualitative approaches have gone further in exploring the meaning of these stressful events for students concerned, highlighting themes such as an over‐identification with academic success and the perception of GCSE examinations as constituting a crucial moment in determining the future life trajectory of a student. However, this area has been neglected by researchers working on the education–psychology disciplinary boundaries, and a number of important features have yet to be specified regarding the development, antecedents and educational consequences of assessment/examination stress in Key Stage 4 (KS4). The aim of this article is to build on previous work to explore some basic questions surrounding KS4 assessments from a student‐centred perspective: (a) what factors lead to the development of assessments in KS4 to be perceived as stressful; and (b) what are the effects for the students concerned? Thirty‐four students were interviewed from six secondary schools in the North of England, identified as being likely to experience examinations as anxiety‐provoking events and analysed using the principles of grounded theory. Twelve themes emerge structured around a central narrative of ‘stress, achievement and esteem’, which highlighted three key findings. First, stress was linked to the motivation to achieve and the fear of failure through esteem judgements and conditions of acceptance from important others. Second, the experience of stress was linked to a wider educational context including practices and policies pursued by teachers and schools. Third, a more specific state, examination anxiety, was associated with facilitating effects prior to examinations and debilitating effects during examinations. These findings have furthered insights into the developmental antecedents and effects of assessment/examination stress in KS4, and highlighted the need to investigate school/teacher practices and policies and to ascertain the mechanism by which examination anxiety might produce debilitating effects.