A new initiative in departmental reviews: annual meetings in the Faculty of Science

A profound change is now taking place in British universities which challenges the traditional academic values of autonomy and self-regulation: regular and systematic appraisal of both individual academics and departments. This case study reports an in-depth analysis of departmental appraisal in the Faculty of Science at the University of Birmingham. The different expectations, concerns and reactions of those directly involved are highlighted and explored. From this analysis a number of conclusions are drawn that might inform similar initiatives in other institutions.This is a revised and extended version of a paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Society for Research into Higher Education on Restructuring Higher Education, Birmingham Polytechnic, December 16–18, 1987.     

Amplitude of the rabbit’s unconditioned nictitating membrane response in the presence of a conditioned inhibitor

Using a light or backshock as the reinforced CS (A) and a tone or backshock as the conditioned inhibitor (X), rabbits experienced conditioned inhibition training in an A+/AX? paradigm. Following training, the amplitude of the unconditioned nictitating membrane response elicited by a mild (.5-mA) paraorbital shock was measured in the presence of X and AX and expressed as a percentage of the amplitude of the UR to the shock presented alone. In Experiment 1, the effect of X and AX on UR amplitude for conditioned inhibition animals was compared with that of control animals treated to a variety of pretest procedures. In general, UR amplitude in the presence of X exceeded that observed to the US presented alone. There was no consistent difference between the experimental and control groups. In Experiments 2–5, A test trials were added as an alternative reference point. Again, UR amplitude increased rather than decreased UR amplitude. In addition, X as a conditioned inhibitor enhanced the facilitating effect of A on UR amplitude in four out of five experiments. These findings have implications for theories of the “locus of action” of conditioned inhibitors.     

Higher and lower-order cognitive skills: The case of chemistry

A major driving force in the current effort to reform science education is the conviction that it is vital for our students to develop their higher-order cognitive skills capacity in order to function effectively in our modem, complex science and technology-based society. In line with this rationale, this study focuses on the use of examinations for studying student performance in chemistry examination on items that require higher-order cognitive skills (HOCS) or lower-order cognitive skills (LOCS). This usage of examinations is explored and demonstrated via “post-factum” data analysis of two case studies: the General Examination (in chemistry) and the Panhellenic Chemistry Competition administered natinally in Greece for secondary-school graduates in 1991. The main findings were: (a) students performed considerably lower on questions requiring HOCS than on those requiring LOCS; (b) performance on questions requiring HOCS may not correlate with that on questions requiring LOCS for which affective factors, LOCS-orientation in teaching and the extent of prior examination preparation may be responsible; and (c) examinations that contain intems of both types can be effectively used to identify HOCS- and LOCS- students within various contexts of chemistry teaching. Based on the above and previous related studies, the fostering of students' HOCS by appropriate teaching and assessment trategies is advocated.     

Board effectiveness: Identifying and measuring trustee competencies

What characteristics define and describe effective boards of trustees in colleges and universities? Do effective boards differ in any systematic ways from ineffective ones? The present paper traces the development and testing of a conceptual framework of board competencies and analyzes alternative approaches to measurement. We focus on issues of theory development, on the use of a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods, and on suggestions for further study of this crucial aspect of higher education.     

Senior secondary school assessment and standard-setting in Queensland,Australia: social context and paradigmatic change

ABSTRACT

This article draws on three assessment paradigms – psychometrics, outcomes-based and curriculum-based assessment – to discuss paradigmatic changes in senior school assessment and achievement standard-setting in Queensland, Australia, over the last 50 years. These include radical reforms in 1970 from university-controlled examinations to school-based assessments applying normative standard-setting, to subsequent reforms in 1978 introducing competence(curriculum)-based assessment and standards. From 2019, a new reform introduces a combination of school-based and external assessment with procedures for establishing standards still in progress.

Changes to Queensland assessment and standard-setting are discussed in terms of three preconditions for paradigm change – dissatisfaction, an alternative acceptable paradigm, and majority acceptance of change. Influence of paradigmatic origins of reformers is discussed. The amalgam of curriculum-based assessment and psychometric paradigms in the new Queensland system is considered in terms of theoretical compatibility and potential impact on the new standards.     

Early Childhood Teacher Education in Australia

The complexity of preparing personnel for early childhood services seems common to many countries of the world. Issues and problems include length of courses, pre‐requisites for entry to courses, core curriculum content, age range covered in courses, education and care elements and practicum requirements. This paper discusses early childhood teacher education provision in Australia and acknowledges that teacher educators in countries of the world have much to share and the discussion of solutions can only better the preparation of early childhood courses. A common theme is the need to raise the status and strengthen the early childhood profession by the provision of quality courses.     

Analysis of macroethics teaching practices and perceptions in engineering: a cultural comparison

ABSTRACT

Students must be taught to understand the ethical issues associated with engineering and technology, which includes microethics and macroethics. This research examined the influence of cultural environment by comparing ethics-related education outcomes between educators in (1) the United States, (2) non-US Anglo, and (3) Western European countries who teach engineering students. In an increasingly globalised world where companies and projects draw from talent across countries, it is important to understand how different cultures educate future engineers about their ethical responsibilities. Survey results revealed that a majority of educators in all three groups viewed undergraduate and postgraduate education on ethics as insufficient. A higher percentage of non-US Anglo and Western European educators taught sustainability and environmental issues in their courses compared to US respondents. US educators taught codes of ethics, ethics in design, and safety more than those in Western Europe. Open-ended responses illuminated challenges and opportunities to improve ethics education.     

The treatment of science discipline knowledge in primary teacher education

Whilst there is general agreement that primary teachers have a rather limited understanding of science, as Symington and Mackay (Note 1) have shown there is no universally accepted view amongst teacher educators in Victoria about the steps that need to be taken to improve their subject matter competence in science. This paper addresses the issue by taking a topic which is widely included in primary science programs, namely floating and sinking, and asking what knowledge primary teachers should have to enable them to handle the topic in a primary classroom in a way consistent with constructivist ideas. The paper will also address the issue of how that knowledge could be assessed. Specializations: learning theories, history and philosophy of science, chemical education. Specialization: primary school science.