Impressions of ICOTS II

The following short contributions are from people who attended the Second International Conference on Teaching Statistics held in Victoria, August 1986     

Developing formative assessments for postgraduate students in engineering

This paper outlines an approach taken to produce computer-based formative assessments for two modules in a one-year taught MSc programme in Road Management and Engineering. It presents the aims of the assessments, the taxonomy adopted to ensure that the formulation of the questions addressed learning outcomes related to the development of higher order skills and the choice of software used. Further, the students’ qualitative perception of the assessments is presented together with a discussion on key elements that affected the implementation procedure. This included an understanding of the higher order skills assessed, knowledge of the facilities offered by the software to be used, and the commitment needed to designing, delivering and improving flexible learning materials.     

Governance and decision-making in higher education

Concluding Observations From the presentations of the survey outcomes is has become clear that substantial differences exist between both types of institutions as well as between countries. To a large extent, the results for the universities in particular still reflect the dominant notion of professional expertise, especially where the primary processes of teaching and research are concerned. At the same time, it also has become clear that the role of the central institutional administration is a non-negligible factor in higher education, especially for what we can call the ‘non-primary processes’ issues. With respect to differences between countries, the study shows substantial variation between the countries. This alone appears to provide sufficient basis to question the general assumption of the continental model. On the European continent clearly different institutional governance systems exist, and it would appear logical to relate these to the different ways in which national governments in these systems have changed their policies and policy priorities over the years. However, to shed further light on these differences, a more detailed analysis of the data will have to be performed, for example relating the survey out-comes to differences in governmental steering paradigms.     

Technology of Film

Harry M. Geduld's The Birth of the Talkies: From Edison to Jolson (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1975---$12.50)

Donald Heraldson's Creators of Life: A History of Animation (New York: Drake, 1975---$14.95)

Emil E. Brodbeck's Handbook 6f Basic Motion Picture Techniques (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1975, 2nd edition---$l0.95)     

Production Guides

Martin Clifford's Microphones: How They Work and How to Use Them (Blue Ridge Summit, Pa.: TAB Books, 1977—$8.95/ 5.95)

James Carroll and Ronald Sherriffs, TV Lighting Handbook ($12.95, 226 pp.)

Harry Kybett, The Complete Handbook of Videocassette Recorders ($9.95/5.95, 280 pp.)

Dave Ingram, The Complete Handbook of Slow-Scan TV ($14.95/9.95, 304 pp.)

G. Paul Smeyak's Broadcast News Writing (Columbus, Ohio: Grid Publishing, 1977—$7.95, paper)     

Popular Music

Brian Rust The American Record Label Book (New Rochelle, N.Y.: Arlington House, 1978— $20.00)

Bill Harry Mersey Beat: The Beginnings of the the Beatles (London: Omnibus Press/New York: Quick Fox, 1978—E2.50/$4.95, paper)

Mary Laverne Dimmick The Rolling Stones: An Annotated Bibliography (Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1978—$7.95)

Judith Glassman The Year in Music: 1978 (New York: Crown Publishers, 1978—$15.95)

Lionel Salter The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Classical Music: A Guide to Composers and Recommended Recordings (New York: Crown Books (Harmony Books)/London: Salamander Books, 1978—$17.95/8.95)

Gerald Bordman American Musical Theatre: A Chronicle (New York: Oxford University Press, 1978—$35.00)