Bender‐Gestalt II differential item functioning across Caucasian and African American examinees

Performance on figure copying tasks is empirically linked to the school readiness, learning, cognition, and neuropsychological functioning. These nonverbal tasks are frequently used to evaluate children from diverse backgrounds to minimize bias due to factors such as language, ethnicity, culture, or socioeconomic status on test performance. The current study examined the possible Differential Item Functioning across African American and Caucasian groups, ages 4 to 7 years, in Bender Motor Gestalt Test, Second Edition (BG‐II) visual‐motor scores. Results indicated that in general the BG‐II can be considered invariant across these ethnic groups in this age range.     

Developing and testing a scale of moral thinking and communication (MTC) functioning: a preliminary study and its implications for moral development and education

The purpose of this study was to develop and test a scale assessing students’ moral thinking and communication (MTC) functioning as well as to explore the implications for moral development and education. The rationale of MTC functioning, including interaction of four independent competencies: moral awareness, moral judgement, moral discourse, and moral decision-making, is primarily adapted from L. Kohlberg’s theory, Neo-Kohlbergian theory, J. Habermas’s and K.-O. Apel’s discourse ethics, and L. Hinman’s ethical pluralism. There were two studies in the development of the measure. The resulting instrument contained four moral dilemmas differing by a focus on micro-moral and macro-moral levels. Findings from the studies indicated the MTC scale has acceptable psychometric properties and describe Taiwanese students as attending to the difficult problems of integrating local and international cultural norms. Additionally, the measure provides a detailed picture of students’ moral thinking and communication functioning. These results are discussed in terms of implications for moral theory and assessment of moral education.     

A big part of education also: A mixed-methods evaluation of a social and emotional learning (SEL) course for pre-service teachers

A teacher training course entitled Classroom and Individual Emotional and Behavioral Supports (CIEBS) includes four modules: School-wide Positive Behaviour Supports (SWPBS), Trust-based Relational Intervention (TBRI), Non- violent Crisis Intervention (NCI), and practicum experience. The present article describes the rationale for selecting each of these modules, the activities included in each module, and a mixed-methods evaluation of the course’s influence on its participants. Group-wide quantitative measures showed growth in the efficacy for classroom management and preparedness for dealing with students’ stress among the treatment group, with little observable change among control participants. Through pre-/post-course vignette responses, individual interviews, and focus group interviews, participants reported that the course helped them to become better prepared and more confident in their SEL abilities. The participants pointed to the neuroscience of complex trauma, as taught through the TBRI module, and active learning provided through NCI module as critical reasons for the course’s effectiveness.     

The forgotten schools. Current status of special schools for pupils with social,emotional and behavioural difficulties in Germany: a complete national survey

The article reports on a survey of special schools for children with social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) in Germany. The schools were asked by standardised mail questionnaire about their organisational structures. The rate of return was 77% and a total of 397 schools were included in the interpretation of data. The questionnaire asked for several items to analyse the structural elements and organisational compositions of the schools. Rather than measuring the effects of instruction and treatment in the separate school settings, the present study is basic research aiming at stocktaking of the current organisational status of these schools that have barely been the focus of research. The number of structural problems that SEBD schools in Germany have to face is enormous, according to the findings. It is arguable whether optimal service delivery and support to the pupils is possible under the general conditions revealed by the present study, e.g., inadequate number of teachers and other staff members (and thus insufficient staff for child guidance), only a few schools offering full‐time schooling services, and in only a few instances do we find inter‐agency collaboration.     

The interpretation of a knowledge claim in the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and the impact of this on RPL practice

The question addressed in this paper is: what does a knowledge claim consist of in the context of the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)? The research comprises a case study of RPL applicants' entry into a postgraduate diploma (a fourth-year programme) in project management. The focus is on the knowledge claims made as part of the RPL application by experienced project managers and leaders. Three different aspects of the knowledge claims are analysed: what the knowledge claim consists of; what the academic interpretation of the claims is; and how the interpretation of the claims impacts on the RPL approach. The findings deal with the knowledge of the project management cycle prior to entry into higher education. It is found that knowledge claims not only consist of theoretical knowledge but also mainly situational knowledge, ability and attitude. In addition, the knowledge claims made in the RPL application based on the relevant and substantial knowledge are acknowledged by the academic institution in question. The RPL approach that results from the interpretation of the knowledge claims does conform to one RPL approach, within the paradigm of project management.     

The function and integration of components of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in classroom teaching: a case study of business English teachers

While pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) has been studied across a wide range of research areas, including science, language teaching and mathematics, there is limited research on the role of PCK in business English (BE) teaching, an important teaching area of English for Specific Purposes. Informed by the conceptual framework of the PCK model for BE teaching, this study examined how four BE teachers integrated the PCK components in their actual classroom teaching in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context in China. The analysis of multiple sources of data including classroom observation, semi-structured interviews and teaching materials, identified the different patterns and ways in which the four PCK components (i.e. knowledge of the purposes of BE teaching, knowledge of instructional strategies for BE teaching, knowledge of students’ understanding of BE, and knowledge of the BE curriculum) functioned and were integrated in BE teaching. Implications for BE teaching practice and suggestions for future research on PCK in BE teaching are presented in the paper.     

面向一流人才培养的研究生教育质量评价方法初探--基于层次分析与模糊综合评判的指标体系研究

研究生教育在"双一流"建设中具有高端引领和战略支撑作用。要提升研究生教育质量,必须加强研究生培养质量保障体系建设,而构建研究生教育质量评价体系是其重要一环。为此,本文提出研究生教育质量评价的基本原则和价值取向,并据此研究设计涵盖学生发展、师资队伍、学校条件以及利益相关方满意度等4项一级指标、13项二级指标和91项三级指标的研究生教育质量综合评价方案。在此基础上,运用专家调查法对91项三级指标重要度进行0~5级综合评价,采用层次分析法对三级指标的权重进行科学赋权。同时,采用模糊综合评价方法对13项二级指标与4项一级指标进行权重分析与判断,进而给出一套完整的研究生教育质量综合评价指标体系,为科学评价面向一流人才培养的研究生教育质量提供参考和借鉴。     

《国家中长期教育改革和发展规划纲要(2010-2020年)》的价值结构分析

本研究将政策文本中的价值分为反映物质层面的实体价值和反映精神层面的符号价值。通过对《国家中长期教育改革和发展规划纲要(2010-2020年)》的价值结构分析以及与改革开放以来前三次教育改革政策文本的比较,《规划纲要》的价值结构具有以下特征:1、实体价值比重大于符号价值,价值组合以实体价值为主;2、实体价值比重上升,技术价值占实体价值首位3;、符号价值比重下降,意识形态和规划目标是符号价值的主要组成部分。研究进一步指出,《规划纲要》价值结构的变化体现了政策制定者更加注重以人为本、公平等价值观念。