Tutor Versus Peer Group Assessment of Student Performance in a Simulation Training Exercise

The performance of a group of third‐year higher diploma students from the Department of Hotel & Tourism in a simulation training exercise was assessed separately by the tutor and peer group, using an identical checklist. Ninety‐six pairs of tutor and peer group assessment marks were obtained and compared. Results showed that there was some degree of agreement between tutor and peer group markings, although the level of congruence was somewhat less than reported in earlier studies. However, when the tutor and peer group average marks were converted to grades, agreement was found in only 46.9% of the cases and the level of agreement between the two gradings was not statistically significant. Significant differences were also found in the variability of tutor and peer group markings. Furthermore, there were indications that peer group markings tended to be more stringent than tutor markings in the higher mark range, but relatively more lenient in the lower mark range. This trend was particularly obvious when the tutor and peer group marks were converted into grades. Implications of the findings are also discussed.     

How Sustainable Are In‐service Teacher‐training Courses?

The present research addressed the issue of ‘life after a course’. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of four in‐service teacher‐training courses at the Hong Kong Institute of Education in terms of their usefulness and relevance to the teachers’ needs on return to school. An end‐of‐course evaluation questionnaire and a follow‐up questionnaire were sent six months after the courses to see if there were any significant differences in the participants’ views on the effectiveness of a course at two different time points. Qualitative data collected from interviews between the tutors and participants six months after the courses were also analysed to find out which aspects of the courses were considered to be most useful to the teachers on their return to school, and why they were useful. The findings from the research give valuable insights into the design of teacher‐education courses.     

Defining the outcomes of teacher education: what's social justice got to do with it?

In the context of escalating criticism of university‐based teacher education across the world, a clear need exists for informed defence of the field and the profession as well as critical evaluation of both teacher education and schooling. This paper takes up the issue of the ‘outcomes question’ in this regard, arguing the case for a strong focus on social justice as the necessary complement to an ongoing concern with academic excellence and rigor. It argues the need for teacher educators and others to look closely at the different ways that educational outcomes are currently being defined and for these differences to be made more openly and widely available for criticism and discussion. The paper seeks to contribute to debate regarding the role and renewal of teacher education, in specific relation to widespread standards movements and the public good, and the conduct and governance of education more generally.