Estimating reliability of school-level scores using multilevel and generalizability theory models

The purpose of this study was to investigate the methods of estimating the reliability of school-level scores using generalizability theory and multilevel models. Two approaches, ‘student within schools’ and ‘students within schools and subject areas,’ were conceptualized and implemented in this study. Four methods resulting from the combination of these two approaches with generalizability theory and multilevel models were compared for both balanced and unbalanced data. The generalizability theory and multilevel models for the ‘students within schools’ approach produced the same variance components and reliability estimates for the balanced data, while failing to do so for the unbalanced data. The different results from the two models can be explained by the fact that they administer different procedures in estimating the variance components used, in turn, to estimate reliability. Among the estimation methods investigated in this study, the generalizability theory model with the ‘students nested within schools crossed with subject areas’ design produced the lowest reliability estimates. Fully nested designs such as (students:schools) or (subject areas:students:schools) would not have any significant impact on reliability estimates of school-level scores. Both methods provide very similar reliability estimates of school-level scores.     

Historical view of the influences of measurement and writing theories on the practice of writing assessment in the United States

The purpose of this study is to examine the interactions among measurement theories, writing theories, and writing assessments in the United States from an historical perspective. The assessment of writing provides a useful framework for examining how theories influence, and in some cases fail to influence actual practice. Two research traditions are described to classify measurement theories (test-score and scaling), and three research traditions are proposed for classifying writing theories (form, idea and content, and sociocultural context). The results of this study trace the impact of measurement and writing traditions on writing assessment practices within selected time periods during the 20th century in the United States. One of the major findings of this historical analysis is that measurement theory has had a strong influence on writing assessments, while writing theory has had minimal influence on writing assessments. We also found support for the idea that a new discipline of writing assessment has emerged. This new discipline combines multiple fields including the writing, composition, and measurement communities of scholars, and it has the potential to set the stage for the future of writing assessment in the 21st century.     

Predicting human judgments of essay quality in both integrated and independent second language writing samples: A comparison study

This study explores whether linguistic features can predict second language writing proficiency in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT) integrated and independent writing tasks and, if so, whether there are differences and similarities in the two sets of predictive linguistic features. Linguistic features related to lexical sophistication, syntactic complexity, cohesion, and basic text information were investigated in relation to the writing scores for both integrated and independent samples. The results of this study show that linguistic features can be used to significantly predict essay scores in the integrated as well as the independent writing. When comparing across the two writing tasks, there are both similarities and differences in the two sets of predictive features. For instance, lexical sophistication was found to be a significant predictor for both tasks while features such as verbs in 3rd person singular form and semantic similarity were only significant predictors for the integrated task. These findings demonstrate that evaluation of the two writing tasks rely on similar and distinct features, and are at least partially assessed using different linguistic criteria. Implications of these findings for the assessment of second language (L2) writing are also discussed.     

Patterns of student writing in a critical thinking course: A quantitative analysis

Two studies assessed student writing in a critical thinking course. The first study examined initial and final versions of a term paper. Linguistic inquiry and word count (LIWC) analyses of essays revealed significant differences in linguistic variables and some differences in cognitive variables. The second study examined student essays at the beginning and end of the semester. Taken together, the studies indicate that students express themselves with less tentativeness at the end of the semester, and are consistent with the suggestion that students move from relativism to commitment during the course of a semester. In addition, the results indicate that the LIWC may detect differences between different writing genres.     

University Programme Preferences of High School Science Students in Singapore and Reasons that Matter in their Preferences: A Rasch analysis

This study explored an under-researched area in science education—the university programmes preferred by high school students who take physical science subjects and the reasons that matter in their preferences. A total of 1,071 upper secondary and pre-university students in Singapore, who take physical science subjects among their range of subjects, participated in this study. A survey method was adopted and the Rasch model was used to analyse the data. Overall, Business Studies was ranked as the predominant choice; nonetheless, scientific programmes such as Science, Engineering, and Mathematics are generally still well liked by the students. When gender differences were examined, we found that students largely followed gender-typical programme preferences, in which males tend to incline towards Engineering while females tend to incline towards Arts and Social Sciences. Students prefer a university programme based on their individual interest and ability, with career aspiration and remuneration coming next. Interestingly, females place greater emphasis on career aspiration than males. Some implications of the study are discussed.     

高校“思想政治理论课”课堂问题行为探析

“思想政治理论课”课堂中经常出现走神、看课外书、消极参与、聊天、睡觉、逃课等问题行为,其产生与教学内容、教师教学、教学评价、教学环境等因素相关,是各因素的综合反映。要预防课堂问题行为,师生间应增进沟通,形成良性互动机制,及时发现问题行为的征兆,才能避免或减少问题行为的发生。     

衔接理论在英语写作教学中的应用与思考

在英语教学中,英文写作在其结构和篇章连贯上存在了很大的问题,本文旨在找出问题所在,并提倡把衔接理论应用到英语写作教学中,从而达到提高学生写作水平的目的。     

层次分析与国际政治结构理论

层次分析是国际关系研究中的一种重要方法。华尔兹的结构现实主义和温特的建构主义从总体上都采用了体系层次分析方法,同时存在着一些差异;在体系层次上,对影响"结构"的自变量选择上完全不同,从而形成了两种不同的国际政治结构理论。华尔兹和温特的理论对于构建国际政治理论有所裨益。     

文学理论教学中的理论实践和论文写作训练

文学理论教学的改革目前还存在着滞后的情况,这种情况难以适应现代教育的发展和人才培养的需要。要提高学生的整体素质和综合能力,必须在教学过程中加强对学生的实践训练。最近几年,我们连续对三届本、专科学生进行了理论实践和论文写作训练,取得了明显的效果。现对训练的基本程序和方法予以总结,以期与专家、同行们共勉。     

马克思关于社会主义设想与中国特色社会主义理论创立的历史条件的比较分析

马克思社会主义思想的产生和发展,实现了社会主义学说从空想到科学的飞跃。马克思社会主义思想推动了社会主义运动的蓬勃发展,有力地指导了社会主义革命和建设的实践。但是,由于时代和国情的不同,它所产生的背景与中国特色社会主义理论的创立背景有着很大的差别,本文就拟从这种背景上的差异性作初步的探讨,以期对今天的社会主义现代化建设有一定的现实价值和借鉴意义。     

以矛盾论分析劳伦斯文学作品的工业观

戴维·赫伯特·劳伦斯一生致力于揭露20世纪初期英国工业社会的弊端。在劳伦斯看来,工业化无疑是造成环境肮脏、人性倍受压抑以及人际关系扭曲的罪魁祸首。劳伦斯对工业化的批判具有伟大的现实意义。然而,看待问题必须以矛盾的观点去全面客观地观察,以免得出片面的结论。从矛盾论的角度看,劳伦斯的工业观是片面的。他一味地夸大工业社会的种种弊端,而完全忽视了工业化给人类带来的一切利益和实惠。本篇论文从矛盾论出发,分析了劳伦斯片面的工业观,旨在避免读者持有同样片面的观点。     

“从做中学”——高师《教材教法》创新教学模式探讨

本根据杜威“从做中学”的现代教育观点,结合目前高等师范院校《教材教法》的教学实际,提出了《教材教法》创新型教学模式：一要优选教学内容;二要构建新型的师生关系;三要强化多种教学实践。     

英语专业精读课堂教师用语的实证研究

文章以话语分析理论为基础,通过实际的英语课堂教学观察及对收集数据的定量和定性分析,找出目前英语专业精读课堂教学存在的问题及原因,并提出英语教师课堂话语的改进建议与对策,以实现师生间的持续有效沟通,创设交互式课堂情景,激发学生学习英语的主动性。     

利己与利他的博弈论辨析--中小学德育研究的新视角

中小学德育研究中,运用博弈论建立“利已与利了”关系的博弈论模型,并对“利已与利了”这一基本命题展开深入地探讨,就有可能突破庸俗化的“辩证理解”而有一个较为成熟的新的解答。“利已与利他”关系的博弈论模型,是中小学进行德育研究的一种新的视角。     

基于语料库的理工科大学生作文介词错误分析

中国大学生在学习英语的过程中总会出现一系列的介词错误,英语介词的频率高、词义杂、用法繁的特点以及介词、介词词组和介词搭配的学习难点给学习者带来了许多困难。本研究采用语料库为基础研究方法,以理工科大学生作文为数据,研究分析其中使用频率最高的前十位介词的主要错误,并且探索错误根源。     

王夫之“情景”论的理论突破与创新

王夫之的诗学在中国文学批评史上占有重要地位,其诗论的研究对象主要是抒情诗,情景关系在其诗论中占据了中心的位置。王夫之从中国古典诗学只强调“触物以起情”的单向联系的思维模式中走出来,强调了情与景之间互相触发和互相依存关系,从而将“神于诗者,妙合无垠”作为诗歌意境美的最高要求。他对情景关系的论述大大超越了前人的理论,从而将中国古典抒情诗创作规律的美学研究推向了高峰。     

A choice theory teaching and learning model for working with children of prisoners

The prison population has increased substantially in countries around the world and significant numbers of these prisoners are parents. Children of prisoners experience separation from the imprisoned parent. The separation and precursors to the separation often diminish these children's social‐emotional and educational well‐being. In this paper, the social‐emotional and educational functioning of children of prisoners is examined. Additionally, choice theory is described as a relevant theoretical teaching and learning model to facilitate the children's school‐related functioning.     

教育认知诊断测验的信度和效度研究评述

信度和效度是衡量一个测量工具质量的关键指标,教育认知诊断测验中的信度和效度研究近年来受到研究者的关注。诊断测验的信度系数基本上源自基于α系数的属性信度系数、经验属性信度系数、四分相关系数、模拟重测一致性和分类一致性指标;效度系数主要包括模拟判准率、分类准确性和理论构想效度等。教育认知诊断测验的信度和效度研究较新,仍存在着一定的不足且缺乏全面的比较研究,更缺少系统的评价体系。     

高师教育专业课程存在的问题与对策

高等师范院校的课程体系由三大板块构成，即普通教育课程、学科专业课程和教育专业课程。目前，针对我国高师课程存在着设置面狭窄、师范特色淡化等弊端，课程设置改革已经启动，但尚未形成成熟模型。因此，重新构建教育专业课程体系、优化课程内容与教学模式势在必行。