Occupational Therapy Students as Peer Assessors in Viva Examinations

This study was undertaken in order to evaluate the use of students as peer assessors, in collaboration with academic tutors, in the assessment of second-year viva examinations as part of a problem based learning occupational therapy curriculum. Data were collected from three consecutive cohorts of second-year students (N = 93), and an assessment was made of the reliability of the academic tutor marking, and the reliability of peer marking against the tutor marks. Results demonstrated that overall ratings of the viva examination performances given by the panel of assessors (two peer assessors and one academic tutor), were significantly correlated. On some occasions, such as the assessment of a borderline student, the ratings given were not as closely correlated. Some modifications of the examination process are suggested in order to optimise the reliability of the outcomes, but the study results lend support for the practice of peer assessment.     

The future for licensing: an academic publisher’s viewpoint

Considers the factors affecting licensing policy, both for translations and for English–language reprints, and the copyright implications, in various countries.     

“Listening is an act of love”: Learning listening through StoryCorps

Courses: Interpersonal Communication, Basic Survey Course, Group Communication, Organizational Communication, Intercultural Communication, Listening, Family Communication, Interviewing, Business and Professional Communication.

Objectives: After completing this single class activity, students will be able to: (a) define listening; (b) identify listening as a top skill employers desire; (c) explain how listening may be perceived as an act of love; and (d) critically assess ways in which their listening behaviors may be improved.     

Teaching in Natural Areas: what urban teachers feel is most appropriate

This paper describes and discusses a study of urban teachers’ perceptions of the use of various natural settings for environmental education. In the study 59 teachers were interviewed. Each teacher was asked to examine a set of black and white photographs depicting four different natural settings. For each setting the teacher made a judgement as to whether particular subject areas (e.g. science, social studies and art) and lesson activities (e.g. writing, plant studies and listening and observation) could be taught there. Implications for the infusion of environmental education throughout the curriculum are discussed.     

A Comparison of Responsive Interventions on Kindergarteners’ Early Reading Achievement

This study compared the effects of Tier 2 reading interventions that operated in response‐to‐intervention contexts. Kindergarten children (N = 90) who were identified as at risk for reading difficulties were stratified by school and randomly assigned to receive (a) Early Reading Intervention (ERI; Pearson/Scott Foresman, 2004) modified in response to student performance or (b) their schools’ typical supplemental reading intervention (regrouping and curriculum pacing adjustments). In both conditions, intervention was provided 30 minutes per day in small groups for approximately 100 sessions. Results indicated no statistically significant group differences on any outcome measures. Between‐group effect sizes revealed substantively important differences (Valentine & Cooper, 2003) favoring the ERI responsive condition on multiple measures with effect sizes ranging from .35 to .59. Overall, findings indicated that the majority of students in both Tier 2 intervention conditions performed above the 30th percentile on posttest measures of word reading measures.