Electronic portfolios and learner identity: an ePortfolio case study in music and writing

Although the employability of graduates is of concern across further and higher education it is particularly problematic in the arts disciplines, from which few students transition to a traditional, full-time position. Arts graduates shape their work to meet personal and professional needs, and the successful negotiation of this type of career requires a strong sense of identity and an awareness of diverse opportunities. The challenge for educators is how we might develop these capacities whilst being mindful of students’ dreams, which are often focused on artistic excellence and recognition. This paper reports findings from a collaborative study undertaken at four Australian universities. With a focus on developing an electronic portfolio (eP), the study involved students in classical and contemporary music, music education, music technology, creative writing and professional writing. The combination of music and writing provided points of comparison to identify issues specific to music, and those that might apply more generally. This paper reports findings related to learner identity, drawing evidence from survey and interview data. The study, which was driven by the learning process rather than the technological tool, revealed that students’ use of eP transitions from archive to self-portrait. Moreover, the eP emerged as a vehicle through which identity is negotiated and constructed. Indeed, the process of developing of an eP prompted students to adopt future-oriented thinking as they began to redefine their learning in relation to their future lives and careers. These findings were common to all students, regardless of discipline or technological platform.     

Equivalence of Free-Response and Multiple-Choice Items

This study examined the relationship of multiple-choice and free-response items contained on the College Board's Advanced Placement Computer Science (APCS) examination. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the fit of a two-factor model where each item format marked its own factor. Results showed a single-factor solution to provide the most parsimonious fit in each of two random-half samples. This finding might be accounted for by several mechanisms, including overlap in the specific processes assessed by the multiple-choice and free-response items and the limited opportunity for skill differentiation afforded by the year-long APCS course.     

Demonstrator influence on observer diet preference: Analyses of critical social interactions and olfactory signals

Previous studies have shown that interaction of an observer rat with a previously fed conspecific demonstrator enhances the observer’s subsequent preference for the diet its demonstrator ate. The present series of experiments were undertaken to explore both the conditions sufficient to permit demonstrator influence on observer diet preference and the behavioral processes underlying such influence. We found (1) that an observer rat can be influenced in its subsequent diet selection by interaction for as little as 2 min with a demonstrator, (2) that during such brief interactions mouth-to-mouth contact between demonstrator and observer is necessary for demonstrator influence on observer diet preference, (3) that both cues emerging from the digestive tract of a rat fed by intragastric intubation and particles of food clinging to the fur of a demonstrator are sufficient to permit observers to identify their respective demonstrators’ diets, (4) that exposure to a diet is effective in enhancing an observer’s subsequent preference for that diet only if the diet is experienced in the presence of another rat, and (5) that diets experienced on the anterior of a live rat are more effective in altering observers’ subsequent diet preferences than the same diets experienced either on the anterior of a dead rat or the posterior of a live one.     

Study experiences and the post-study intentions of female international undergraduate students

The number of female international students is increasing exponentially, and whilst international study may engender many benefits and challenges, little is known about their intentions once they complete their studies. This article reviews the literature on female international students with specific focus on exploring post-study intentions. A scoping review of four electronic databases was completed. After applying criteria to determine suitability, 30 publications were included in the final review. Analysis revealed three key foci: (1) the rationale for studying internationally; (2) the study experience; and (3) post-study intentions. The literature illustrates that an international study experience has the potential to be a powerful transformative opportunity if positive experiences outweigh the negatives. The findings also indicate that the post-study intentions of female international students are under-researched. The article contends that attention should be given to supporting the needs of this group, with a view to maximizing post-study opportunities.     

Evaluating an Automatically Scorable, Open-Ended Response Type for Measuring Mathematical Reasoning in Computer-Adaptive Tests

The first generation of computer-based tests depends largely on multiple-choice items and constructed-response questions that can be scored through literal matches with a key. This study evaluated scoring accuracy and item functioning for an open-ended response type where correct answers, posed as mathematical expressions, can take many different surface forms. Items were administered to 1,864 participants in field trials of a new admissions test for quantitatively oriented graduate programs. Results showed automatic scoring to approximate the accuracy of multiple-choice scanning, with all processing errors stemming from examinees improperly entering responses. In addition, the items functioned similarly in difficulty, item-total relations, and male-female performance differences to other response types being considered for the measure.     

Establishing a STEM Pipeline: Trends in Male and Female Enrollment and Performance in Higher Level Secondary STEM Courses

The purpose of this study was to understand enrollment and performance differences between male and females in higher level secondary STEM courses. This study analyzes performance and enrollment of 355,688 secondary students in higher level STEM courses. This research also enabled an exploration of country level differences. The enrollment research questions are evaluated using chi-square tests, frequency tables, and histograms. Performance research questions are analyzed with hierarchical linear regression and ANOVA with post hocs and Cohen’s d effect size measures. Results suggest that females enroll much less frequently in higher level secondary STEM courses. Females and males perform equally well.     

The adaptation of Chinese international students to online flexible learning: two case studies

The cross‐cultural experiences of Chinese international students in Western countries have been subject to intensive research, but only a very small number of studies have considered how these students adapt to learning in an online flexible delivery environment. Guided by Berry’s acculturation framework (1980 Berry, J.W. 1980. “Acculturation as varieties of adaptation”. In Acculturation, theory, models, and some new findings, Edited by: Padilla, A. 9–25. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.  [Google Scholar], 2005 Berry, J.W. 2005. Acculturation: Living successfully in two cultures. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 29(6): 697–712.  [Google Scholar]), the investigation discussed in this article aimed to address this gap by exploring the adaptation processes of Chinese international students to online learning at an Australian university. This article reports on the challenges perceived by two students from Mainland China, their coping strategies, changes in their opinions of online learning, and their respective patterns of adaptation. By presenting two indicative case studies drawn from a wider study, this article aims to demonstrate the use of Berry’s concepts as a means to frame such studies.     

Support for assessment practice: developing the Assessment Design Decisions Framework

There are many excellent publications outlining features of assessment and feedback design in higher education. However, university educators often find these ideas challenging to realise in practice, as much of the literature focuses on institutional change rather than supporting academics. This paper describes the conceptual development of a practical framework designed to stimulate educators’ thinking when creating or modifying assessments. We explain the concepts that underpin this practical support, including the notions of ‘assessment decisions’ and ‘assessment design phases’, as informed by relevant literature and empirical data. We also present the outcome of this work. The Assessment Design Decisions Framework. This provides key considerations in six categories: purposes, contexts, tasks, interactions, feedback processes and learning outcomes. By tracing the development of the Framework, we highlight complex ways of thinking about assessment that are relevant to those who design and deliver assessment to tertiary students.