Classroom Assessment and Large‐Scale Psychometrics: Shall the Twain Meet? (A Conversation With Margaret Heritage and Neal Kingston)

Classroom assessment and large‐scale assessment have, for the most part, existed in mutual isolation. Some experts have felt this is for the best and others have been concerned that the schism limits the potential contribution of both forms of assessment. Margaret Heritage has long been a champion of best practices in classroom assessment. Neal Kingston has been involved with the application of psychometrics to large‐scale assessments for four decades. Together they discuss what commonalities and differences exist between these two assessment contexts, whether the twain should meet, what impediments or concerns exist, and whether they expect the status quo will change at all in the near future. Based on their joint keynote address at the NCME Special Conference on Classroom Assessment and Large‐Scale Psychometrics, they have expanded and constructed this discussion piece.     

Classroom Management and Socioemotional Functioning of Burmese Refugee Students in Malaysia

ABSTRACT

Access to Malaysian government schools is prohibited for refugee children, and hidden refugee schools only reach a minority of Burmese students in Malaysia. This study used a participatory culture-specific consultation (PCSC) approach to examine the perspectives of Burmese refugee teachers on Burmese refugee student socioemotional issues and classroom management using interviews, observations, a preliminary refugee teacher focus group (N = 10: 4 men, 6 women; M age = 26 years), and a primary focus group with refugee teachers who were Burmese refugees (N = 9: 6 men, 3 women; M age = 30 years). First, themes suggested that societal pressures have an effect on the classroom environment. Second, refugee student behavior and emotions ranged from externalizing to internalizing. Third, refugee teachers relied on traditional Burmese methods for managing serious misbehavior. Fourth, with mild misbehaviors, teachers employed more “modern,” student-centered methods. Results inform culture-specific consultation designed to meet refugee education needs.     

How Tablets Are Utilized in the Classroom

New technologies are a large part of the educational landscape in the 21st century. Emergent technologies are implemented in the classroom at an exponential rate. The newest technology to be added to the daily classroom is the tablet computer. Understanding students' and teachers' perceptions about the role of tablet computers is important as this can provide information for future development and implementation of table technologies in the classroom. To gather users' perceptions, observations of eight classrooms and interviews with 23 students and three teachers were performed in a middle school that implemented 1:1 iPad program, toward the end of the first-year implementation. Themes elicited from the interviews included like/dislike of the iPad, iPad as an educational tool, iPad for play, iPad as a distraction and responsibility, and favorite apps and projects. Although most participants did like having the iPads and considered them useful for education, there were a number of concerns, particularly with learning to use the tablet technology and distractions created by having the device. The apps used in the classroom were limited, with the majority having been productivity apps. The need for teacher training for effective classroom applications of mobile devices is discussed. (Keywords: 1:1 iPad program, instructional use of tablets, student perceptions, tablet technology, teacher perceptions)     

The Impact of a Course on Nature of Science Pedagogical Views and Rationales

This study explored changes in preservice teachers’ (PSTs) nature of science pedagogical (NOSP) views and nature of science (NOS) rationales using pre- and post-course written responses as well as interview data. Through systematic analysis, themes were generated and compared to the NOS literature. Comparisons between pre- and post-course data demonstrate improved and deepened NOS views, NOSP views that are more aligned with NOS literature, and a greater number of rationales for including NOS. All participants were enrolled in the “Inquiry and Natures of Science, Technology, and Engineering” (INSTE) course. However, six participants were enrolled in INSTE as their first course in which NOS and NOSP were addressed. The other six participants were enrolled in INSTE as their second course in which NOS and NOSP were addressed, with science methods as their first course in which NOS and NOSP were addressed. By comparing participants enrolled in INSTE as their first course to those enrolled in INSTE as their second course, we observed that NOS understanding seemed to develop in a first experience alongside some NOS rationales, but NOSP views lagged for participants in INSTE as their first course. Participants enrolled in INSTE as their second course developed more robust and literature-aligned NOSP views and more multifaceted NOS rationales. Therefore, this study bolsters arguments that teachers need to receive extended NOS and NOSP instruction.     

Wearable Textiles to Support Student STEM Learning and Attitudes

Journal of Science Education and Technology - Electronic textiles, especially those that can be worn (wearable textiles) are gaining traction within the P12 education community. The technology...     

Dribble Deficit: A novel method to measure dribbling speed independent of sprinting speed in basketball players

Basketball tests assessing dribbling speed predicated on total performance times are influenced by sprinting speed. This study examines an approach termed Dribble Deficit to counter this limitation by examining the relationships between sprinting and dribbling speed during linear and change-of-direction (COD) tasks measured using total performance time and Dribble Deficit. Ten semi-professional basketball players completed linear sprints and COD sprints with and without dribbling. Dribble Deficit was calculated as the difference between the best time for each dribbling trial and corresponding non-dribbling trial for linear and COD sprints. Large to very large significant relationships (P < 0.05) were evident between linear sprint and dribble times (R = 0.64–0.77, R² = 0.41–0.59), and between COD sprint and dribble times (R = 0.88, R² = 0.77). Conversely, trivial-small relationships were evident between linear sprint time and linear Dribble Deficit (R = 0.01–0.15, R² = 0.00–0.02). A non-significant, moderate, negative relationship was observed between COD sprint time and COD Dribble Deficit (R = ?0.45, R² = 0.20). These findings indicate Dribble Deficit provides a more isolated measure of dribbling speed than tests using total performance times. Basketball practitioners may use Dribble Deficit to measure dribbling speed independent of sprint speed in test batteries.