Interpersonal process recall: a novel approach to illuminating students’ software development processes

Background and Context: Encouraging undergraduate programming students to think more about their software development processes is challenging. Most programming courses focus on coding skill development and mastering programming language features; subsequently software development processes (e.g. planning, code commenting, and error debugging) are undervalued. Moreover, many of these processes involve tacit thinking that is often seemingly invisible, meaning it can be difficult for teachers to identify and address shortcomings in student processes.

Objective: In this paper, we employ a novel approach called Interpersonal Process Recall (IPR) to encourage students to think more about their software development processes.

Method: We conducted IPR sessions with five undergraduate programming students—we screen captured them working on programming assignments, and then used the screen captures to stimulate reflection. IPR is hallmarked by several key features, namely its developmental (rather than evaluative) focus, and the use of a facilitator to guide reflection in a structured way.

Findings: We found IPR was useful for both the teaching staff and the students, revealing incongruence between the value students placed on certain development processes and what they actually do in practice.

Implications: IPR is a novel approach for shining a light on student software development processes. We hope this paper encourages other practitioners to consider adding IPR to their toolbox of approaches for encouraging students to reflect on their software development processes.     

Using Patterns of Summed Scores in Paper-and-Pencil Tests and Computer-Adaptive Tests to Detect Misfitting Item Score Patterns

Two new methods have been proposed to determine unexpected sum scores on sub-tests (testlets) both for paper-and-pencil tests and computer adaptive tests. A method based on a conservative bound using the hypergeometric distribution, denoted p, was compared with a method where the probability for each score combination was calculated using a highest density region (HDR). Furthermore, these methods were compared with the standardized log-likelihood statistic with and without a correction for the estimated latent trait value (denoted as l*_z and l_z, respectively). Data were simulated on the basis of the one-parameter logistic model, and both parametric and non-parametric logistic regression was used to obtain estimates of the latent trait. Results showed that it is important to take the trait level into account when comparing subtest scores. In a nonparametric item response theory (IRT) context, on adapted version of the HDR method was a powerful alterative to p. In a parametric IRT context, results showed that l*_z had the highest power when the data were simulated conditionally on the estimated latent trait level.     

Teachers’ Goal Orientation Profiles and Participation in Professional Development Activities

Participation in professional development activities is important for teachers to continuously improve their knowledge and skills. However, teachers differ in their attitude towards learning activities. This paper examined how different goal orientation profiles are related to participation in professional development activities (acquiring information and asking feedback). To this end, we conducted latent profile analysis based on a sample of 984 teachers in vocational education. Five profiles were identified: diffuse (50.1%), moderate learning (12.3%), high avoidance (10.9%), performance oriented (15.9%) and success oriented (10.7%). Furthermore, means of acquiring information and asking feedback from teachers were compared across the profiles. Teachers with a success-oriented profile (high learning and performance approach goals) scored significantly higher while teachers with a high-avoidance profile scored significantly lower on asking for feedback and acquiring information. Exploration of background characteristics indicated that age, gender and work experience outside education were related to the goal orientation profiles. Our findings show that goal orientation profiles can be used to explain individual differences in teachers’ propensity to engage in professional development activities.     

Religious Education,Big Ideas and the study of religion(s) and worldview(s)

This article outlines the ‘Big Ideas’ approach to curriculum reform, as applied in the ‘Principles and Big Ideas of Science Education’ project. A critical analysis follows of the outcomes of the University of Exeter’s ‘Identifying Principles and Big Ideas for Religious Education’ project, which sought to apply the same approach to Religious Education (RE) in English schools. This project made great headway in generating ‘Big Ideas’ to inform and improve the selection and sequencing of RE curriculum content. However, its primary focus on subject content knowledge means that ‘Big Ideas’ about epistemology and methodology are lacking. The article recommends an additional focus on multi-disciplinary, multi-methodological, inquiry-based, reflexive learning, which would ask why, how, where and by whom our ‘knowledge’ of religion(s) and worldview(s) is generated. In this regard, the article posits four ‘Big Ideas about the study of religion(s) and worldview(s)’ to highlight the symbiotic relationship between knowledge and knower, and to reject the false dichotomy between the object of study and method of study. In so doing, it draws upon the theoretical framework underpinning the ‘RE-searchers approach’ to primary school RE, which correspondingly exemplifies how such ideas can be taught in practice.     

Energy system contribution to 400-metre and 800-metre track running

As a wide range of values has been reported for the relative energetics of 400-m and 800-m track running events, this study aimed to quantify the respective aerobic and anaerobic energy contributions to these events during track running. Sixteen trained 400-m (11 males, 5 females) and 11 trained 800-m (9 males, 2 females) athletes participated in this study. The participants performed (on separate days) a laboratory graded exercsie test and multiple race time-trials. The relative energy system contribution was calculated by multiple methods based upon measures of race VO2, accumulated oxygen deficit (AOD), blood lactate and estimated phosphocreatine degradation (lactate/PCr). The aerobic/anaerobic energy system contribution (AOD method) to the 400-m event was calculated as 41/59% (male) and 45/55% (female). For the 800-m event, an increased aerobic involvement was noted with a 60/40% (male) and 70/30% (female) respective contribution. Significant (P < 0.05) negative correlations were noted between race performance and anaerobic energy system involvement (lactate/PCr) for the male 800-m and female 400-m events (r = - 0.77 and - 0.87 respectively). These track running data compare well with previous estimates of the relative energy system contributions to the 400-m and 800-m events. Additionally, the relative importance and speed of interaction of the respective metabolic pathways has implications to training for these events.     

Emerging patterns of abstraction in environmental education: A review of materials,methods and professional development perspectives

The epistemic unconscious is the history of the field. And it is clear that, to secure some chance of really knowing what one is doing, one has to unfold what is inscribed in the various relations of implication in which the thinker and his thoughts are caught up, that is, the presuppositions he engages and the inclusions and exclusions he unwittingly performs. (Bourdieu, 2000, p. 99)     

The Need for Support in Secondary Schools in the Netherlands in the Implementation of Environmental Education

In 1993 a new comprehensive curriculum for secondary education was introduced in the Netherlands. In that curriculum learning objectives related to environmental education are formulated. This paper describes: (1) the present situation regarding EE in schools in the northern part of the Netherlands on the subject level, as regards the relative importance attributed by teachers to the different objectives of environmental education. (2) the constraints and the need for support when teachers want to pay more attention to the various objectives of environmental education. Teachers pay most attention to the objectives of EE that are aimed at improving the knowledge of the relationship between man and the environment and the environmental problems and their causes. They seem to underestimate the objectives aimed at skills and attitudes. Teachers show only a slight tendency to change their current practice towards more environmental education. The main reasons are described. A considerable number of teachers are willing to use support to implement environmental education if that is offered, but more than half have made no decision yet. The kind of support wanted by teachers differs with different objectives. The paper concludes with a discussion of the prerequisites of a supporting programme for the implementation of environmental education.     

Knowledge matchmaking in Learning Networks: Alleviating the tutor load by mutually connecting Learning Network users

Tutors have only limited time to support the learning process. In this paper, we introduced a model that helps answer the questions of students. The model invoked the knowledge and skills of fellow students, who jointly formed an ad hoc, transient community. The paper situated the model within the context of a Learning Network, a self‐organised, distributed system, designed to facilitate lifelong learning in a particular knowledge domain. We discussed the design of the model and explained how we selected and supported capable peers. Finally, we examined the calibration of the model and a simulation, which was intended to verify if the model is fit for use in experiments with students. The results indicate that, indeed, it is possible to identify and support capable peers efficiently and effectively.     

Statistical Properties of the K-Index for Detecting Answer Copying

We investigated the statistical properties of the K-index (Holland, 1996) that can be used to detect copying behavior on a test. A simulation study was conducted to investigate the applicability of the K-index for small, medium, and large datasets. Furthermore, the Type I error rate and the detection rate of this index were compared with the copying index, ω (Wollack, 1997). Several approximations were used to calculate the K-index. Results showed that all approximations were able to hold the Type I error rates below the nominal level. Results further showed that using ω resulted in higher detection rates than the K-indices for small and medium sample sizes (100 and 500 simulees).