Drawing on Dynamic Local Knowledge Through Student-Generated Photography

In this research, the authors explored how teachers using student-generated photography draw on local knowledge. The study draws on the framework of funds of knowledge to highlight the assets marginalized students bring to the classroom and the need for culturally relevant pedagogy to address the needs of a diverse public school population. The purpose of this study was to understand how teachers were using student generated photography to connect students’ dynamic local knowledge with curriculum and classroom practices. Through the methodology of critical qualitative teacher action research in two unique classroom sites, the authors’ findings include increased student responsibility and ownership; teachers as learners; and the richness and complexity of the students’ lived experiences.     

Small-Sample Equating Using a Single-Group Nearly Equivalent Test (SiGNET) Design

A single-group (SG) equating with nearly equivalent test forms (SiGNET) design was developed by Grant to equate small-volume tests. Under this design, the scored items for the operational form are divided into testlets or mini tests. An additional testlet is created but not scored for the first form. If the scored testlets are testlets 1–6 and the unscored testlet is testlet 7, then the first form is composed of testlets 1–6 and the second form is composed of testlets 2–7. The seven testlets are administered as a single administered form, and when a sufficient number of examinees have taken the administered form, the second form (testlets 2–7) is equated to the first form (testlets 1–6) using an SG equating design. As evident, this design facilitates the use of an SG equating and allows for the accumulation of data, both of which may reduce equating error. This study compared equatings under the SiGNET and common-item equating designs and found lower equating error for the SiGNET design in very small sample size conditions (e.g., N = 10).     

Using Log-Linear Smoothing to Improve Small-Sample DIF Estimation

This study examined the extent to which log-linear smoothing could improve the accuracy of differential item functioning (DIF) estimates in small samples of examinees. Examinee responses from a certification test were analyzed using White examinees in the reference group and African American examinees in the focal group. Using a simulation approach, separate DIF estimates for seven small-sample-size conditions were obtained using unsmoothed (U) and smoothed (S) score distributions. These small sample U and S DIF estimates were compared to a criterion (i.e., DIF estimates obtained using the unsmoothed total data) to assess their degree of variability (random error) and accuracy (bias). Results indicate that for most studied items smoothing the raw score distributions reduced random error and bias of the DIF estimates, especially in the small-sample-size conditions. Implications of these results for operational testing programs are discussed.     

STUDENT EVALUATION OF TEACHING IN AN AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITY ‐‐ STAFF PERCEPTIONS AND REACTIONS

At the University of Queensland staff have had the opportunity since 1982 to make use of a standardised questionnaire to students to get feedback on their teaching. The questionnaire was developed and is organised in such a way that it may be used in promotion applications, as evidence of teaching ability in the annual appraisal of probationary staff by the head of department, and for personal feedback. After one year of operation interviews were held with all those who had used the questionnaire. Their attitude to evaluation of teaching was overwhelmingly positive and differed sharply from the way they perceived their department's and the University's attitude to be. Staff, on the whole, acted on the feedback received from their students by changing the course organisation and content, aspects of classroom teaching or their attitude. Many felt more confident about their teaching as a result of the evaluation, and for many the questionnaires were the only source of feedback and encouragement.     

Supervision of Higher Degree Students — Problem Areas and Possible Solutions

Supervision of postgraduate students remains an area of concern to university administration, to supervisors, to student unions and the individual research student. Many studies have examined student dissatisfaction with supervision. However, there is also considerable uneasiness among academic staff about the extent of their supervisory role and functions. In a series of workshops in several tertiary institutions problem areas were discussed with supervisors, both experienced and inexperienced; and practices and strategies were explored which facilitate effective supervision. Those provisions for and approaches to supervision which supervisors have found to be effective are presented and discussed as they apply at the institutional, departmental or individual level.     

Evaluation of engineering and technology activities in primary schools in terms of learning environment,attitudes and understanding

Because the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education continues to be recognised around the world, we developed and validated an instrument to assess the learning environment and student attitudes in STEM classrooms, with a specific focus on engineering and technology (E&T) activities in primary schools. When a four-scale instrument assessing classroom cooperation and involvement and student enjoyment and career interest was administered to 1095 grade 4–7 students in 36 classes in 10 schools, data analyses supported its factorial validity and reliability. When the new questionnaire and understanding scales were used to evaluate E&T activities, statistically-significant pretest–posttest changes in career interest and understanding (with large effect sizes ranging from 0.70 to 0.81 standard deviations) supported the efficacy of the instructional activities.     

The Ontogeny of Social Information Gathering

When facing the unknown, humans tend to consult others for guidance. This propensity to treat others as information sources has wide-ranging implications, being in part responsible for the breadth and depth of our world knowledge. As yet, little is known concerning when and how young children acquire this important skill. Social referencing and communicative abilities in infancy have been interpreted by many as reflecting precocious social information-seeking ability, but the evidence is far from compelling and equally compatible with an attachment regulation interpretation. While the evidence indicates that infants as young as 12 months are good consumers of social information, it falls well short of demonstrating that they are active seekers of that information. Moreover, genuine social information seeking requires an implicit conception of the knowledge-ignorance distinction, and existing research on children's theories of mind suggests that such a conception is most likely not available in infancy. For these reasons, we argue for a developmental account of social information-gathering ability, one that is consistent with the larger body of evidence concerning sociocognitive abilities in infants and young children.