中国适用最密切联系原则的特质分析

由于最密切联系原则在一定程度上协调兼顾了法律选择方法的确定性与灵活性,实现了法律秩序价值与正义价值所体现的形式正义与实质正义的统一,其一经确立便迅速波及全球。然而,各国政治、经济、文化、传统等有其相对的独立性,为充分发挥最密切联系原则的作用,更好为本国立法与司法实践服务,必须立足于本国国情。我国适用最密切联系原则领域广、几率大,既体现在立法中,又表现在司法解释中,凸显了确定性与灵活性的结合。但无论是在立法层面、＂创造性立法＂的司法解释层面,还是在法官的具体司法实践中都存在一定的问题,有待进一步完善。     

Dissonant themes in preservice portfolio development

This study examined the use of portfolio assessment to determine the extent to which student teachers are able to demonstrate INTASC principles in their teaching. More specifically, it looked at the role of perception and assumption by identifying inconsistency between university faculty and student teacher expectations and use of the portfolio. The study found that dissonance was prominent in four main areas: purpose, value, perception, and context. Among the factors contributing to the dissonance were lack of clarity of stated purpose for the portfolio, the student teaching environment, and uncertainty between formative and summative nature of the assessment.     

E-assessment of online academic courses via students' activities and perceptions

The rapid growth of online courses in higher education has led to developments in the field of e-assessment. This paper presents a study, which examined the quality of online academic courses using a multidimensional assessment of students' activities and perceptions, using educational data mining and an online questionnaire. The assessment focused on four aspects: instructional, communication, course workload and overall learning experience. The course instructional model was found well-structured. The video lectures, assignments and materials designed for the online course were the most used and contributing learning resources. However, the number of students who entered the video lectures decreased as the course progressed. Low activity was found in the discussion forums. Students perceived the course workload as low. Overall, the learning experience was high and the students were highly satisfied. These findings provide insights that may assist in improving the quality of future online courses.     

A psychometric approach to the validation of a student evaluation of teaching instrument

The purpose of this study was to conduct a validation analysis of an SET and provide a validation framework of SETs that can be included when designing complete evaluations of teaching within higher education institutions. A series of Rasch analyses was conducted on the results of the SET, examining the responses of students within a college and three departments. Results show the majority of items were moderately difficult to endorse in the college and departments, there were issues with DIF, and two items did not consistently fit the model. The study provides an analysis framework that may aid policymakers and institutional administrators in developing higher quality SETs, and demonstrates the need for validating SETs being implemented in higher education settings.     

Evaluating the impact of the Academic Enrichment Programme on widening access to selective universities: Application of the Theory of Change framework

Evaluating the impact of widening participation interventions can be challenging. This article discusses some of the difficulties in attributing change to complex widening participation interventions and suggests that the Theory of Change (ToC) approach can address some of these challenges by evidencing the contribution interventions have made to observed outcomes and longer-term impact. This article sets out the application of a ToC approach as a framework to plan and design the evaluation of the Academic Enrichment Programme (AEP) at the University of Birmingham, which aims to support under-represented students secure places at selective universities. The evaluation sought to explore the extent to which the programme impacted on students’ academic aspirations, motivation, attainment and progression to selective universities. It presents the findings of the evaluation, which combined the ToC with a mixed methods longitudinal design spanning six cohorts of students. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected to track students’ progress across their engagement with the programme and into higher education. The results suggest that the ToC programme was largely verified. The AEP seems to promote academic attainment, with AEP students outperforming national and regional benchmarks. The AEP also appears to increase entry rates to Russell Group universities for disadvantaged students, however, the effect seems to be greater when combined with alternative offers. This article demonstrates the value of the ToC approach in strengthening both the evaluation design and the contribution claims of the observed results to the widening participation intervention.