ICT and pupil assessment

The role of pupil assessment in ICT is often seen by teachers as problematic. This article will explore the relationship of the two and will argue that research in assessment has not kept up with the opportunities offered by ICT. Conversely, some of the new developments in ‘assessment for learning’ have not yet found their way into ICT. The article will explore the various roles and relationships that ICT has in assessment, for example, the assessment of ICT skills, the assessment of curriculum learning when work is done with the aid of ICT, assessment within computer-assisted learning, and ICT as a tool in supporting the assessment process in general. It will also look at ways forward, including ‘assessment for learning’ (with its concern for questioning, feedback, sharing assessment criteria and self-assessment/peer assessment), and new outcomes that could be in­corporated into ICT.     

The pupil as philosopher

Discussion of the need for an understanding of the philosophy of science to inform classroom practice is mostly directed at clarifying the nature of science, the history of science, the nature of scientific evidence, and the nature of scientific method for curriculum developers and teachers. The discussion assumes no input from pupils. The constructivist perspective, however, assumes that pupils do not come to lessons with blank minds. What insights and questions do students bring to lessons about issues relevant to the philosophy and history of science? Can these be used to develop understanding? Classroom discussions about the energy concept imply that students have valuable ideas and questions related to the exploration of philosophical issues. Rather than developing curricula to tell students about the philosophy and history of science, this paper argues for exploration of student’s ideas and questions when abstract concepts are being discussed in the classroom.     

Educating the pupil voice

In this article John Quicke shares his concern to promote the active participation of pupils in their schools and communities. Here he argues strongly that an inclusive philosophy requires an interactionist view of learning. However, he considers that we have much yet to learn about how to identify pupils' views of learning and how these views may be encouraged to become ‘broader, more reflective and more compatible with an inclusive view of learning.’     

Because every pupil counts: the success of the pupil monitoring system in The Netherlands

The National Institute for Educational Measurement in The Netherlands has developed a pupil monitoring system for primary education to assess pupils' learning progress on a longitudinal basis. If pupil development is unsatisfactory, pupil monitoring system material can be used to locate and tackle the problems. This article describes the system, the set-up of the longitudinal calibration, the psychometrics used and the educational procedure for structured action. The pupil monitoring system comes with a software program and this article also explains the possibilities of the program, the information it provides to the teacher and school, the role of the computer and the advantages of working with the program. Experience of working with the system is discussed as well as the modifications and improvements that may be necessary in the future     

Psychometric aspects of pupil monitoring systems

Pupil monitoring systems support the teacher in tailoring teaching to the individual level of a student and in comparing the progress and results of teaching with national standards. The systems are based on the availability of an item bank calibrated using item response theory. The assessment of the students’ progress and results can be further supported by using computerized adaptive testing where the items selected from the item bank are targeted at the specific ability level of the student. The present article discusses psychometric issues of pupil monitoring systems, such as ability estimation, the optimal construction of tests from the item bank and monitoring of progress.     

浅谈"后进生"转化工作

文章全面地探讨了如何转化高校"后进生"的工作.     

Teacher influence on pupil cognitive performance

Following the U.S. financial crisis of 2008, demands on our social safety nets grew as federal, state, and local revenues declined. Projected shortfalls are forcing deep cuts in state and local services including education. It is too early to know fully the nature of the cuts or impacts on various communities and constituencies. This article looks to recent reform history to understand the shaping of educational priorities in the context of shrinking public coffers, disenchantment with public institutions, and anxiety about individual and collective positions in the global economy. I employ Steven Lukes's (2005) multidimensional view of power to examine the emergence of performance accountability policy as part and parcel of a neo-liberal reconsideration of schooling. From this recounting, I raise questions about the preference and press for particular reform priorities—reconstitution and pay for performance models of remuneration—ensconced in No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top.