Estimating High School GPA Weighting Parameters With a Graded Response Model

The high school grade point average (GPA) is often adjusted to account for nominal indicators of course rigor, such as “honors” or “advanced placement.” Adjusted GPAs—also known as weighted GPAs—are frequently used for computing students’ rank in class and in the college admission process. Despite the high stakes attached to GPA, weighting policies vary considerably across states and high schools. Previous methods of estimating weighting parameters have used regression models with college course performance as the dependent variable. We discuss and demonstrate the suitability of the graded response model for estimating GPA weighting parameters and evaluating traditional weighting schemes. In our sample, which was limited to self‐reported performance in high school mathematics courses, we found that commonly used policies award more than twice the bonus points necessary to create parity for standard and advanced courses.     

Technical efficiency and productivity for higher education institutions in Sweden

This study investigates technical efficiency and productivity for Swedish higher education institutions (HEIs). One identified problem in previous research concerns adjusting efficiency scores for input quality. This problem is avoided using grades from upper-secondary schools. A second problem concerns heterogeneity with respect to subjects and institutions between HEIs. Using the Swedish national resource allocation system, students are weighted according to subject. For research production, a bibliometric index that allows for differences in publication tradition is used. A third problem when using the data envelopment analysis approach is the lack of statistical inference. Bootstrapping is used to approach this problem. The results indicate an average inefficiency of 12% and a productivity increase of around 1.7% per year.     

Trust in results

Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability -     

Interdisciplinary education in comprehensive school： Can a deep understanding occur？

The authors investigate how disciplines at school. Interdisciplinarity can be addressing a topic that is too broad to be understanding of the topic, the process going an integrative approach can be applied to teaching of different defined as a process of answering a question, solving a problem or dealt with by a single discipline. In addition to an integrated on inside the learner interests the authors. Unsuspected abilities, development of new views of the world and new commitment may emerge. Constructivism and narration, together with the socio-cultural theory of learning, form the background of the teaching and learning processes. The curriculum will integrate between subjects and recommends work in small groups to develop students＇ social capacities. The collaborative problem-solving approach, while including telling and re-telling features, allows students of natural sciences to hypothesize and test hypotheses using scientific methods. The target audience of this paper is class teachers and subject teachers in comprehensive schools （Grades 1-9）. The research questions are： Do students that undergo integrative education work think and problem-solve in different ways compared to when partaking in standard instruction？ Can they develop a deep understanding of the topic they are studying？ The authors plan to present story re-telling and visualization activities in groups concerning one theme： eggs. The topic covers arts, foreign languages, mathematics and science. Such an approach strengthens students＇ understanding of the disciplines themselves. It is hoped that this work can be useful for teachers that are interested in giving their students a more holistic view of their life world.     

The development of ESD-related competencies in supportive institutional frameworks

Although Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a matter of global importance, the requirements and needs of people differ according to their regional circumstances. (Not only) in Germany—in keeping with the increasingly international focus of “output” evaluations—one dominant educational debate has centred on effective ways of mapping and understanding pupils’ competencies. This article provides a Model of Competence for ESD in the formal education sector. This model aims to inform the organisation of teaching and to help assess the learning outcomes of pupils who have received instruction in issues relating to ESD. The competence model was developed and extended in connection with two German federal state innovation programmes which aimed to implement the concept of ESD in schools across the country.