A Systematic Review of Assessment Literacy Measures

This work systematically reviews teacher assessment literacy measures within the context of contemporary teacher evaluation policy. In this study, the researchers collected objective tests of assessment knowledge, teacher self‐reports, and rubrics to evaluate teachers’ work in assessment literacy studies from 1991 to 2012. Then they evaluated the psychometric work from these measures against a set of claims related to score interpretation and use. Across the 36 measures reviewed, they found support for these claims was weak. This outcome highlights the need for increased work on assessment literacy measures in the educational measurement field. The authors conclude with recommendations and a resource to inform a research agenda focused on assessment literacy measurement to inform policy and practice.     

Dynamic post-activation potentiation protocol improves rowing performance in experienced female rowers

ABSTRACT

Post-activation potentiation likely acutely improves power-based performance; however, few studies have demonstrated improved endurance performance. Forty collegiate female rowers performed isometric potentiating (ISO), dynamic potentiating (DYN) and control (CON) warm-up protocols on a rowing ergometer, followed by a three-minute all-out test to evaluate their total distance, peak power, mean power, critical power, anaerobic working capacity (W’) and stroke rate. Fifteen-second splits were also analysed. ISO consisted of 5 × 5-second static muscle actions with the ergometer handle rendered immovable with a nylon strap, while DYN consisted of 2 × 10-second all-out rowing bouts, separated by a 2-minute rest interval. The participants were divided into high and low experience groups by median experience level (3.75 years) for statistical analysis. Significant differences (DYN > CON; p < 0.05) were found for distance (+5.6 m), mean power (+5.9 W) and W’ (+1561.6 J) for more experienced rowers (n = 19) and no differences for less experienced rowers (n = 18). Mean power in DYN was significantly greater than CON and ISO in the 15–30, 30–45, 45–60 and 60–75 second intervals independent of experience level. These results suggest that DYN may benefit experienced female rowers and that these strategies might benefit a greater power output over shorter distances regardless of experience.     

A Review of Recent Research on Individual‐Level Score Reports

As the primary interface between test developers and multiple educational stakeholders, score reports are a critical component to the success (or failure) of any assessment program. The purpose of this review is to document recent research on individual‐level score reporting to advance the research and practice of score reporting. We conducted a search for research studies published or presented between 2005 and 2015, examining 60 scholarly works for (1) the research focus, (2) stated or implied theoretical frameworks of communication, and (3) the characteristics of data sets employed in the studies. Results show that research on score properties, especially subscores, and score report design/layout are well‐represented in the literature base. The predominant approach to score reporting has been through a cybernetics tradition of communication. Data sets were often small or localized to a single context. We present example research questions from novel communication frameworks, and encourage our colleagues to adopt new roles in their relationships to stakeholders to advance score reporting research and practice.     

An examination of underlying consumer demand and sport pricing using secondary market data

The growth of the secondary ticket market has given sport managers a new way to understand consumer demand for tickets. In the secondary market, transaction prices and the number of transactions are highly variable and respond directly to consumer preferences, making it ripe for exploration. Using secondary market data for the NFL provided by a secondary market firm, the purpose of the current study is to understand a variety of traditional sport economics issues such as demand, consumer surplus, and pricing (in)efficiency. Results show that secondary market prices, instead of number of transactions, respond to the factors commonly associated with consumer demand. Further, the data indicate that teams may be able to sell 20,000 additional seats for each game. However, given that teams cannot easily add this number of seats (and may not want to given the NFL's blackout rule), there is approximately $260,000 in consumer surplus per game that is captured by resellers.     

运用“概念图”评价工科学生的跨学科知识集成——以“绿色工程”课程的跟踪研究为案例

概念图作为一项评测学生跨学科知识集成的工具开始受到工程教育学界的重视.概念图能够呈现学生对多学科概念和概念间的复杂联系的理解.本文通过对"绿色工程"设计课程的为期一年的跟踪研究证明了概念图方法尤其适合评测学生跨学科知识的学习性进步.本研究探讨了在跨学科评定环境中使用概念图出现的问题以及解决问题的建议.     

Bullying and victimisation rates among students in general and special education: a comparative analysis

Bullying and victimisation remains a pervasive problem within the nation’s schools. International research has indicated that students who are enrolled in special education curricula are victimised and perpetrate more bullying than their general education peers. Few empirical studies have examined bullying and victimisation rates among American schoolchildren within special education programmes. The current study examined rates of bullying and fighting perpetration and victimisation among middle‐school students (n = 7331) and high‐school students (n = 14,315) enrolled in general education and special education programmes. As hypothesised, students in special education reported greater rates of bullying and fighting perpetration, and victimisation than general education students. Students who were in self‐contained classrooms reported more perpetration and victimisation than those in inclusive settings. Fighting perpetration was similar for younger and older students in special education settings, whereas fighting perpetration was lower for older students, versus younger students, in general education.     

Why “What Works” Still Doesn't Work: How to Improve Research Syntheses at the What Works Clearinghouse

The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) aims to synthesize and disseminate the results of high-quality education research on areas of significant public interest. The WWC has come to serve as a concrete example of the growing willingness of the federal government to shape both the topic and methods chosen by researchers. However, the scope of research included in the WWC research synthesis is rather narrow, omitting a large number of studies on methodological grounds. This article reviews current WWC standards and argues that the scope of research used in WWC reports should be broadened in two ways. First, the research should include a wider range of scientific studies. Second, it should include conceptual and theoretical research, which often originates from humanities and arts-based disciplines.     

Personality Characteristics,Belief Systems,and Cognitive Performance of Exiting Teacher Education Students

This study examined relationships within and between measures of personality characteristics, personal and teaching practices beliefs, levels of dogmatism, and cognitive out-comes (NTE scores and GPA) for a sample (n=63) of teacher education students at the time of exiting a teacher education program. Moderate, negative correlations were established between dogmatism and the cognitive outcomes. Teaching practices beliefs consistent with the philosophy of John Dewey were positively related to both NTE scores and GPA, but were inversely related to dogmatic beliefs. Personality characteristics were essentially unrelated to the cognitive outcomes examined, but were consistently found to relate positively to dogmatism scores. Other results of the study questioned the subscale independence of the personality measure used. Results were interpreted in terms of past research with the various cognitive and affective measures used and implications for teacher education program planners and evaluators were discussed.