Profiling Teacher/Teaching Using Descriptors Derived from Qualitative Feedback: Formative and Summative Applications

Considerable work has been done on student evaluation of teaching/teachers, but reservations remain about its use for summative purposes. Student ratings are not universally accepted as being reliable, nor can they provide really meaningful information. Qualitative comments can provide a better understanding but they tend not to be user-friendly from lack of structure and connectedness. This study attempts to devise a method for ‘quantifying’ students’ comments to increase their usefulness in complementing/confirming ratings. The quantified results enable the profile construction of what students regard as an effective/ineffective teacher, and enable identification of strengths and weaknesses. Our findings counter some commonly held assumptions, including those which held that high ratings are dependent on small class size and ‘dumbing down’ of courses and the consequent expectation of high grades. The findings also indicate that students value teaching quality more than teacher characteristics, suggesting their ability to make valid judgments about teaching effectiveness.

MTHFR (Ala 222 Val) polymorphism and AMI in patients with type II diabetes mellitus

The prevalent Ala222Val single nucleotide polymorphism of the MTHFR gene has been shown to be associated with type II diabetes. The objective of the present study was to find out whether there is genetic predisposition for development of acute myocardial infarction in type II diabetes mellitus among South Indian Tamil population. PCR-based restriction enzyme analysis was performed in DNA isolated from 120 acute myocardial infarction patients with diabetes mellitus and 100 non diabetic healthy individuals with no documented cardiovascular diseases. The results indicate that the MTHFR 677TT genotype is absent in both case and controls. The MTHFR 677CT genotype was observed among 32 (26.7 %) cases and 20 (20%) controls and the MTHFR 677CC genotype among 88 (73.3%) cases and 80 (80%) controls. The allelic frequencies were in accordance to Hardy Weinberg equilibrium. There was no statistical difference in genotype distribution between cases and controls. In conclusion, we suggest that the analysis of MTHFR genotyping for C677T polymorphism alone need not be considered to find out whether there is genetic predisposition for development of acute myocardial infarction in type II diabetes mellitus among South Indian Tamil population.     

Using Performance-Based Assessments to Prepare Safe Science Teachers

Standard 9 of the National Science Teachers Association Standards for Science Teacher Preparation is designed to ensure that science teacher preparation programs provide preservice science teachers with the knowledge and skills to understand and successfully engage students in a safe and ethical manner. This standard contains four components describing science teachers’ legal and ethical responsibilities, appropriate use of instructional materials (chemicals in particular), emergency procedures and safety equipment, and guidelines for proper use of living organisms in the classroom. In this article, we describe the requirements of Standard 9 and provide guidance on assessments that can be used to present evidence for preservice teachers’ competence in each of the four components.     

Presentation of a flashing light following one-trial fear conditioning enhances retention

Rats exposed for 60 sec to a flashing light stimulus following one-trial fear conditioning showed enhanced retention performance relative to controls not exposed to the flashing light. The results of a second experiment demonstrated a time-dependent gradient of the enhancement effect. In view of additional data indicating that the flashing light is not aversive, these results suggest that the presentation of an exteroceptive stimulus can influence memory processing.     

Lasting impressions: Hannah Arendt’s educational legacy

Hannah Arendt’s work is gaining increasing recognition in educational administration. But less has been written about her as an educator, colleague, and provocateur. Here, I explore the lasting impressions that Arendt had on former students, colleagues, and friends. This exploration is conducted through the lens of Arendtian narrative inquiry. For Arendt, narrative is fundamental to understanding lived experience, not least because stories provide us with a deeper understanding of an individual. She maintains, however, that it is the spectator, not the actor, who is better able to assess the ‘who’ of a person. Because each spectator has a particular viewpoint, I include diverse recollections that gathered together, create a silhouette of the ‘who’ of Hannah Arendt. I use the term ‘silhouette,’ purposefully, since this is not an in-depth portrait. Rather, it is an impressionistic account of the lasting effects she made on others. These lasting impressions serve to reaffirm Arendt’s belief in the value of storytelling as a powerful means of understanding.     

ID model construction and validation: a multiple intelligences case

This is a report of a developmental research study that aimed to construct and validate an instructional design (ID) model that incorporates the theory and practice of multiple intelligences (MI). The study consisted of three phases. In phase one, the theoretical foundations of multiple Intelligences and ID were examined to guide the development of such model. In phase two the model components were determined and an initial model was constructed. In phase three, the model was reviewed and validated by experts in the field of ID through a three-round Delphi study. The result was a revised and validated Multiple Intelligences Design Model. This paper presents the decision-making processes and procedures used in model development, and provides a framework for the internal validation of ID models using expert review procedures.