Action research and the english as a foreign language practitioner: time to take stock

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the field of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) experienced an energetic and enthusiastic campaign in favour of the practice of action research among teachers in the profession. Although there are now some positive signs that action research is practised by teachers working in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts, it is, as yet, not so clear that such practice is widespread. Yet, few educators deny the importance of action research for ‘bridging the gap’ between theory and practice, or the need for that gap to be bridged in all spheres of the profession. This article reports the result of a small-scale international survey into the knowledge, practices and opinions of EFL classroom teachers with respect to action research, and discusses reasons for and possible solutions to some of the difficulties and limitations of action research at this level     

User Behaviour in Relation to Electronic Information Services within the UK Higher Education Academic Community

The User Behaviour Monitoring and Evaluation Framework has been established to investigate and profile the use of electronic information services (EIS) within higher education in the UK. Electronic information services are defined as: collections of information tools/products delivered to requesting users electronically, and usually computer mediated. This encompasses media of all types. This article discusses aspects of the methodology of the Framework, and preliminary findings from the first annual cycle of the Framework. Findings are based on interactions with 1500 users, including academic staff, library and information services staff, and students. Executed through three strands, the framework methodology uses an array of quantitative and qualitative approaches to lend a variety of insights into user behaviour with electronic information services, factors that encourage the use of electronic information services, and those that act as barriers to the effective integration of electronic information services into the learning experience.     

Underprivileged urban mothers' perspectives on science

The purpose of this article is to report our findings from a qualitative study intended to develop our understandings of how inner‐city mothers perceive science. Using qualitative methodologies, our analysis reveals that the mothers' perceptions can be grouped into four categories: perceptions of science as (a) schoolwork/knowledge, (b) fun projects, (c) a tool for maintaining the home and family, and (d) an untouchable domain. After we present these categories we compare our findings across categories to argue that those mothers who had spent time doing science with their children were more likely to have a more personal, dynamic, and inquiry‐based view of science. We also argue that mothers' perceptions of science were more dynamic when they spoke about situations and contexts that were familiar to them, such as food, nutrition, and child care. We conclude the article with a discussion of the implications our findings have for science education reform. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 38: 688–711, 2001     

Paint-by-Number Teachers and Cookie-Cutter Students: The Unintended Effects of High-Stakes Testing on the Education of Gifted Students

This study examined the utility of the Gifted Composite (GC) formula derived from selected subtests on the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, Fifth Edition (SB5) for evaluating intellectual giftedness. A sample of 52 children were administered both the SB5 and Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement, Third Edition (WJ-III ACH). The ability of the Full-Scale IQ (FSIQ) and the GC to predict reading and math achievement were compared. Though both the FSIQ and GC significantly predicted standardized achievement test scores, the FSIQ explained more of the variance. Sequential regression analyses suggested that the SB5 factor scores preformed differently in their contribution of unique variance to the predictions. The inclusion of working memory scores in the calculation of the FSIQ appears to account for the difference in predictions between the FSIQ and GC for reading but not math skills.     

Girls and boys and practical science

A critical examination of the evidence from the literature suggests that there are more similarities than differences between the performances of girls and boys on practical laboratory tasks, notwithstanding well‐established, sex‐related differences in areas of interest, science‐relevant experience and confidence. This premise is supported by an analysis, with differentiation by sex, of the Techniques for Assessment of Practical Skills in Science Project (TAPs)? data, gathered from 1122 Scottish pupils 15‐16 years old, considered by their teachers to be low achievers in science.

It is argued that, by neglecting the assessment of practical work, there has been a failure to capitalize on the generally favourable attitudes of pupils, particularly those of girls, to this component of science courses, and that a formative, diagnostic and criterion‐referenced approach to assessment, together with the development of a sensitive reporting system, has the potential to enhance teaching and learning. An assessment system with these characteristics was developed and the resulting profiles of achievement, compiled by the class teacher, were used for purposes of national certification. Novel features of the scheme may have contributed to the better performances ‘overall’ by the girls in the sample.     

Collaboration and Comparisons: A bilateral study of mathematics performance in Scotland and France

This study was set up as an adjunct to national assessment programmes undertake independently in Scotland and France in 1994. The stated aim was to compare Scottish pupils' performance in mathematics at Primary stages P4 and P7 with that of French pupils at stages CE2 and 6è. Issues of comparability which have arisen from multinational surveys are identified and compared with those found in the bilateral study to consider suggestions that it might provide a model for future European comparisons. Methodological issues addressed include the comparability of samples and the selection of and curriculum coverage of common items. Some findings on relative performance are reported and differences in test motivation discussed. Changes in national policies for survey organisation and design needed to minimise perceived difficulties are identified with attention drawn to the differing status and purposes of two national programmes and to cultural differences between two education systems.     

The value and impact of information provided through library services for patient care: developing guidance for best practice

Introduction: Previous impact tool‐kits for UK health libraries required updating to reflect recent evidence and changes in library services. The National Knowledge Service funded development of updated guidance. Methods: Survey tools were developed based on previous impact studies and a systematic review. The resulting draft questionnaire survey was tested at four sites, and the interview schedule was investigated in a fifth area. A literature search in assia , Google Scholar, intute , lisa , lista , scirus , Social Sciences Citation Index (Web of Knowledge), and the major UK University and National Libraries Catalogue (copac ), identified ways to improve response rates. Other expert advice contributed to the guidance. Results: The resulting guidance contains evidence‐based advice and a planning pathway for conducting an impact survey as a service audit. The survey tools (critical incident questionnaire and interview schedule) are available online. The evidence‐based advice recommends personalizing the request, assuring confidentiality, and using follow‐up reminders. Questionnaires should be brief, and small incentives, such as a lottery draw should be considered. Bias is minimized if the survey is conducted and analysed by independent researchers. Conclusion: The guidance is a starting point for a pragmatic survey to assess the impact of health library services.     

Beyond relevance and recall: testing new user‐centred measures of database performance

Background: Measures of the effectiveness of databases have traditionally focused on recall, precision, with some debate on how relevance can be assessed, and by whom. New measures of database performance are required when users are familiar with search engines, and expect full text availability. Objectives: This research ascertained which of four bibliographic databases (bni, cinahl, medline and embase ) could be considered most useful to nursing and midwifery students searching for information for an undergraduate dissertation. Methods: Searches on title were performed for dissertation topics supplied by nursing students (n = 9), who made the relevance judgements. Measures of recall and precision were combined with additional factors to provide measures of effectiveness, while efficiency combined measures of novelty and originality and accessibility combined measures for availability and retrievability, based on obtainability. Results: There were significant differences among the databases in precision, originality and availability, but other differences were not significant (Friedman test). Odds ratio tests indicated that bni , followed by cinahl were the most effective, cinahl the most efficient, and bni the most accessible. Conclusions: The methodology could help library services in purchase decisions as the measure for accessibility, and odds ratio testing helped to differentiate database performance.