Median Growth Percentiles (MGPs): Assessment of Intertemporal Stability and Correlations with Observational Scores

While states are no longer required to set up teacher evaluation systems based in significant part on student test scores, quite a few continue to use value-added (VAMs) or student growth percentile (SGP) models for that purpose. In this study, we analyzed three years of teacher data to illustrate the performance of teachers’ median growth percentiles (MGPs)). We found MGP’s consistency over time to be comparable with the existing estimates from the value-added models (VAMs). Additionally, we found that MGPs do not substantively agree with another measure of teacher quality – teachers’ observational scores. These findings suggest that caution should be exercised when teacher’s MGPs, as well as VAMs, are used in teacher evaluation system to make high-stakes decisions such as merit pay, tenure, or teacher contract termination. Our findings about the correlation of MGPs with observational scores support the idea of the multidimensional nature of teacher effectiveness construct.     

The development of formal thought during pretertiary science courses in Papua New Guinea

All students beginning either the two-year National High School or the one-year Preliminary Year program in Papua New Guinea in 1980 undertook a test of formal operational thought at the beginning of their programs. At the end of the programs they undertook the same test again. Piagetian cognitive levels obtained were compared with grades in science courses. Results showed: (1) considerable numbers of students at a “transitional” level on each occasion, (2) low correlations between cognitive level and science grades, and (3) significant development in levels of cognitive thought during the National High School program. It is suggested that a knowledge of the cognitive level of students could be of particular value to teachers at this stage.     

A Comparison of Exposure Control Procedures in CATs Using the GPC Model

The current study compares the progressive-restricted standard error (PR-SE) exposure control method with the Sympson-Hetter, randomesque, and no exposure control (maximum information) procedures using the generalized partial credit model with fixed- and variable-length CATs and two item pools. The PR-SE method administered the entire item pool for all conditions; whereas the Sympson-Hetter and randomesque procedures did not administer 27%–28% and 14%, respectively, of item pool 1 and about 45%–50% and 27%–29% of item pool 2, respectively, of the items that were not administered. PR-SE also resulted in the smallest amount of mean item overlap averaged across replications. These results were obtained with similar measurement precision compared to the other methods while improving on the utilization of the item pools, except for very low theta levels (less than ?2) for item pool 2, where a mismatch with the trait distribution occurs.     

Home and Parental Influences on the Achievement of Lower Primary School Children in Singapore

This study investigated the effects of home environment and parental involvement in the achievement of pupils in the lower primary classes in nine schools found in four zones in Singapore. In total, 3,759 pupils and their parents participated in the study. The study was designed to answer four main questions relating to the effects of the home environment (SES, time engaged in television viewing, reading, school work and ethnicity of parents) and parental involvement in the children's school work and in other school matters. The findings indicated that significant differences in achievement were found for all combinations of SES categories and between most ethnic groups. A higher percentage of high-achieving pupils spent more time on television viewing, reading and school work. Parents of high-achieving children were more anxious about maximising every opportunity for their children including those not directly related to school work.     

Hou Hsiao‐Hsien’s two dreams of light and shadows

Abstract

In traditional Chinese culture, dreams are often more than a narrative ploy or an extension of the authors’ imagination, but instruments for musings on life. This essay is an attempt to study Hou Hsiao‐Hsien’s aesthetics in The Puppetmaster and Flowers of Shanghai from the perspective of dreams. The former is like a lucid dream where the ageing puppet master is the person in the dream, while Hou the filmmaker is the passer‐by who saunters into the dream and puts it down on record. The latter, on the other hand, is an inebriated dream where the plan‐sequences are weaved together by black‐ins and black‐outs as in a dream from which no one wants to wake.     

The Determinants of Web Use Within an Economics Principles Course

This article considers the determinants of student access of a specific course Web site from a Principles of Macroeconomics course. As they prepare for the course's in-class exams, students may choose either or both of two Web resource types, a dynamic resource (interactive multiple choice practice exams) or various static resources. The article addresses two related questions. First, we ask whether a given set of characteristics affects the access of these different Web site resources similarly. Second, we explore the influence of certain student characteristics on the student decision to access a given Web resource. In general terms, our findings suggest results that are consistent with existing studies of how students learn. Our results also suggest that a greater diversity of resources will, in fact, elicit wider use of one's course Web site.     

Exploring alternative assessments for signing deaf candidates

Attitudes to sign languages or language policies are often not overtly discussed or recorded but they influence deaf young people's educational opportunities and outcomes. Two qualitative studies from Scotland investigate the provision of British Sign Language as accommodation in public examinations. The first explores the views of deaf pupils and staff about the official system for face-to-face interpretation of exam papers. The second investigates a centrally translated digital paper with embedded video questions. Discussion focuses on contrasts between the USA and UK approaches to accommodations, raising issues of standardized technical terms in signed languages, the right to respond in sign, and candidate choice.     

Exclusion from School and Racial Equality: an examination of government proposals in the light of recent research evidence

Throughout the 1990s there have been growing concerns from teacher unions, local education authorities (LEAs) and central government about the rising level of pupil exclusions from schools in England and the related issue of school discipline. School exclusion has also been given a high profile in the media, with attention often focusing on cases where the original decision to exclude has been overturned on appeal. Although certain ethnic groups are over‐represented among those excluded from school, issues of race and ethnicity have largely been ignored in the public debate on exclusions and the question of possible racial discrimination overlooked. This article reports on a study to identify good practice in reducing the number of exclusions from school, particularly the disproportionate number amongst African‐Caribbean boys. The study draws on statistical data from Birmingham, the largest metropolitan LEA, and on interviews with teachers and headteachers in six West Midlands case study schools. This data was supplemented by interviews with key personnel from a variety of West Midlands authorities and by questionnaires to pupils in the case study schools. We examine recent government proposals to cut exclusions in the light of this study's findings and the context of racial equality