Assessment activities at large,research universities

Assessment and outcomes measurement is receiving considerable attention in higher education nationwide. But what are colleges and universities doing and calling assessment? To answer these and other questions, a telephone survey was conducted with a sample of large, research universities. Responses to the survey are presented and discussed in this paper. Results indicated limited university involvement in activities commonly associated with the current assessment “movement,” i.e., measures of added value or student progress and growth. Instead, much of the reported activities are “traditional” testing and evaluation activities such as placement testing and student evaluation of instruction. In sum, assessmentis evaluation at large, research universities.     

Flavor- vs. tone-cued shock avoidance

In a direct comparison, flavor-cued rats learned to avoid shock in a two-way shuttlebox as well as, or better than, tone-cued rats. These results stand in contrast to the prevalent view that rats encounter difficulty in forming flavor-shock, but not tone-shock, associations. In attempting to account for this contrast, we note that experiments revealing cue-modality specificity employ an aversion paradigm and record ingestive behavior. It is argued that both the paradigm and the dependent variable are inappropriate for assessing shock-avoidance learning, and that cue-modality specificity in such a setting reflects paradigm and response choice rather than a general characteristic of rats.     

Minority students vs. majority faculty and administrators in teacher education: Perspectives on the clash of cultures

This paper strongly suggests that the views of minority students must be included in any meaningful assessment of teacher preparation programs' efforts to address racial diversity. The project was initiated during the 1990–91 academic year by interviewing minority juniors and seniors (total of 24), selected faculty, and administrators (deans, associate deans, department chairs) at two colleges of education as well as extensive document reviews. Intermittent follow-up interviews and document reviews continued through the 1993–94 academic year. These minority students did not feel that their teacher preparation programs had adequately prepared them to teach in racially diverse settings. Faculty and administrators agreed with the contention of the students but also pointed to a few tangible efforts that had been initiated to rectify this problem.     

An anthropometric analysis of elite Australian track cyclists

An anthropometric analysis was conducted on 35 elite male Australian track cyclists having a mean age of 22.6 years and who had been competing on average for 9 years. The relationship of anthropometric parameters to both bicycle saddle height and cycling performance was also investigated. Subjects were allocated, for purposes of comparison, to an endurance or sprint group on the basis of their competitive event. The group members in total were ectomorphic mesomorphs of height 178 +/- 4.8 cm and weight 72.5 +/- 6.6 kg on average. Percentage of saddle height to lower limb length averaged 99 +/- 1.6%, and significant correlations existed between strength and both body mass (r = 0.57) and thigh girth (r = 0.55). No significant correlation was seen between any anthropometric parameter and performance in an individual event. Cyclists in the spint group were heavier (76.2 +/- 7.4 vs. 70.0 +/- 4.7 kg, P less than 0.01) and stronger (258 +/- 44.4 vs. 216 +/- 30.5 Nm, P less than 0.01), and had larger chest (98.2 +/- 6.2 vs. 92.4 +/- 2.9 cm, P less than 0.01), arm (33.0 +/- 2.2 vs. 30.7 +/- 1.6 cm, P less than 0.01), thigh (57.5 +/- 3.4 vs. 54.3 +/- 2.5 cm, P less than 0.01) and calf girths (37.8 +/- 1.7 vs. 36.2 +/- 1.9 cm, P less than 0.05) than cyclists in the endurance group. They were also more mesomorphic (5.3 +/- 0.7 vs. 4.7 +/- 0.8, P less than 0.05) and less ectomorphic (2.3 +/- 0.9 vs. 2.9 +/- 0.6, P less than 0.05) than the endurance cyclists.     

Critical intercultural conversations: using activity systems analysis as a tool for educational ethnography

ABSTRACT

This paper explores the tensions that exist between the recognition of the importance of ethnicity and culture for individual and group identities without essentilisation, by reframing conceptualisations of multi- and interculturalism. Drawing from our ongoing ethnography conducted with a research community of Alaska Native PhD candidates involved in participatory action research, we examine how situated and multiple positionalities enacted through participation in Engeström’s concept of an ‘activity system’ can: (a) contribute to the ‘doing’ of ethnography and provide an analytic framework for ethnographic research; and, (b) contribute to understandings of multi- and intercultural education that promote the questioning of hierarchical power structures through dialogue aimed toward equity and social justice.     

Teaching anti-racist counseling theories: Black liberation narrative therapy

Counseling theories created by White theorists have traditionally failed to consider the religious or spiritual experiences of Black clients. Integration of Black liberation theology and narrative therapy provides a novel approach to support counseling trainees in meeting the needs of Black clients. Decolonizing therapeutic strategies are presented along with counselor educator recommendations.