Processing errors in conditional and biconditional problem solving behavior

Students (N = 237) in each of grades 8, 10, 12, and 14 were randomly divided into three groups and administered either a 16-item multiple-choice test of conditional syllogisms, or a 16-item test of biconditional syllogisms, or a 32-item test with both conditional and biconditional syllogisms. Results provided within experiment and within-subjects comparison of responses on conditional and biconditional syllogisms. A comparison of response patterns on conditional items with responses on actual biconditional items provided a direct test of the previously hypothesized biconditional misinterpretation of conditional problems. These analyses confirmed the strong tendency of subjects (across grades) to interpret conditional syllogisms biconditionally. Surprisingly, performance on biconditional problems does not improve systematically with age; in fact, college sophomores perform only slightly better than eighth graders. With regard to conditional syllogisms, results confirmed previously described performance variations across forms of both major and second premises and also replicated an unusual reversed developmental trend on the problem which involves denying the consequent.     

When to say when: Using big data to support mobile communications

As a result of the current mobile phenomenon, many libraries have rushed to provide mobile-compatible services in order to remain relevant in today's quickly evolving information services market. Beginning in 2010, the Laverne and Dorothy Brown Library at the University of St. Francis (USF) launched a data tracking initiative via Google Analytics to determine the extent that mobile-specific library resources were being utilized by students for access to library materials and services. Data analysis has shown that weighing an emphasis toward future development of mobile library resources should be balanced against development costs under a pragmatic anticipation of the longevity and sustainability of any mobile resource.     

Reflections on light monitoring: Evaluating museum lighting options for modern and contemporary art

Spectrometric handheld light meters that can provide adequate data for evaluation of replacement bulbs for contemporary art objects are now commercially available. This approach was taken to assess potential replacements for the incandescent street lamps in Chris Burden's Urban Light at LACMA, Los Angeles, USA. These meters are also useful tools for monitoring and characterizing museum lighting, which are currently done with illuminance (lux) meters. The new spectral light meters will enable conservators to tailor lighting recommendations for individual artworks, when spectral information from these meters is combined with damage function data on artists’ materials. The latter information can be obtained for some materials by a small modification to the microfade testing procedure, as exemplified by microfading colored samples Henri Matisse created during the design phase for La Gerbe.     

Globalisation,post‐Fordism and open and distance education

Post‐Fordism and globalisation are interrelated contemporary features of social and economic development. Open and distance education are reflexively engaged with post‐Fordism and globalisation and this raises issues for policymakers and practitioners in open and distance education alike. Drawing on recent work by the author (Evans 1995a, 1995b) this article discusses some individual, social and educational issues concerned with globalisation, especially in relation to the emerging post‐Fordist forms and practices of open and distance education, and to the cross‐cultural contexts involved.     

A Technical Note on IRT Simulation Studies: Dealing With Truth,Estimates, Observed Data,and Residuals

Simulation studies are extremely common in the item response theory (IRT) research literature. This article presents a didactic discussion of “truth” and “error” in IRT‐based simulation studies. We ultimately recommend that future research focus less on the simple recovery of parameters from a convenient generating IRT model, and more on practical comparative estimation studies when the data are intentionally generated to incorporate nuisance dimensionality and other sources of nuanced contamination encountered with real data. A new framework is also presented for conceptualizing and comparing various residuals in IRT studies. The new framework allows even very different calibration and scoring IRT models to be compared on a common, convenient, and highly interpretable number‐correct metric. Some illustrative examples are included.