Incorporating the Testlet Concept in Test Score Analyses1

How should we think about the concept of the testlet? How can testlets be better incorporated into test score analysis? Can there be a one‐item testlet?     

Inerter-like devices used for vibration isolation: A historical perspective

Recently, a lot of attention has been given to a mechanical device known as the inerter. It is a mechanical component that can be compared to a capacitor with two ungrounded terminals in the mechanical-electrical systems analogy. In this paper, it is shown that although the concept of an inerter as a separate mechanical element is relatively new, there are several well-established vibration isolation systems that exhibit similar behavior to a simple lumped parameter system containing an inerter. Through a review of the literature, a link is established between the old and new ideas. Furthermore, a comparison between the systems is carried out using the quantities of mechanical impedance and displacement transmissibility. The advantages and disadvantages of using the inerter in vibration isolation are discussed, and a simple way of improving the high-frequency performance without severely degrading the low-frequency performance is described.     

The Map of Medicine: a review of evidence for its impact on healthcare

Objectives: Map of Medicine is an evidence‐based online clinical knowledge resource. Procured at significant cost by healthcare providers in the UK, Sweden and Denmark, it is important to establish the beneficial impact that investment has had on healthcare practise and, ultimately, on patient outcomes. The objective of this study is to review the evidence for the impact of the Map of Medicine on clinical practice. Methods: A systematic review of peer‐reviewed and grey literature was conducted. Nine healthcare databases, Google Scholar and Google were searched for articles containing the terms ‘map of medicine’. Results: The search identified 133 articles. Eleven of the articles identified met the inclusion criteria. The main finding of the study is the paucity of evidence available on the impact of the Map of Medicine and the variable quality of that which does exist. There are some encouraging early indications for the Map of Medicine as a tool within service redesign, leading to an increase in appropriate referrals to secondary care, decreased patient waiting times and considerable cost savings. Conclusion: Further research with study designs that can generate high quality evidence for the impact of Map of Medicine is essential in order to support policy decisions.     

“But a champion comes out much,much later”: A sport development case study of the 1968 U.S. Olympic team

Increasing attention has been given to the effective development of elite athletes. In this inquiry, the authors used a historical case study to ascertain the ways elite athletes were developed in a different era of sport in the United States. Using the attraction, retention, and transition frameworks, the factors that fostered the development of athletes from the 1968 Summer Olympics were drawn out through oral history interviews. In total, interviews with 59 U.S. Olympians were conducted. The results reveal how the athletes experienced supportive recruitment and retention environments, were able to manage the difficulty of developing elite talent, and encountered both challenges and opportunities transitioning through and out of elite sport. This analysis demonstrates how sport development principles are diverse in their temporal relevance and reinforce the practical implications meant to serve the modern athlete. Further, at least some sport development principles could remain constant regardless of how context and elite athlete experiences evolve in the future.     

Modelling the mechanical characteristics and on-snow performance of snowboards

Models were developed for calculating the mechanical characteristics and the on-snow performance of snowboards.The snowboards are constructed of layers of materials which may include wood, foam, honeycomb, fibre-reinforced composites and polymeric materials.The models pertaining to the mechanical characteristics provide the bending and torsional stiffnesses, the flex and the twist.A computer code (Snowboard-MECH) was written which yields numerical values for these characteristics.The model for on-snow performance simulates the travel of a snowboarder of given height, weight and skill level, down an S-shaped course.A second computer code (Snowboard-TURN) was written in support of this model; this calculates the time it takes the snowboarder to complete the course.The two computer codes were verified by comparing their outputs with laboratory data and with data generated by a snowboarder completing a prescribed S-shaped course.The results generated by the models and the data are in agreement, lending support to the models and the corresponding computer codes.A procedure is described by which the computer codes developed in this study can be utilized in the design of snowboards.     

COMPARING QUALITY IN EUROPE

As higher education begins to operate increasingly in a European framework, consequences for the assurance of quality in higher education are bound to become evident. A pilot study to develop a methodology for the comparison of quality across different higher education systems is described. The project involved comparison of ten study programmes in economics in Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. A design derived from general considerations about the concept of quality and about the nature of higher education and different systems incorporated two stages. First was the collection of information and the processing of this information into manageable data sets; second was the assessment of the information by way of peer review. The proceedings and principal findings of both stages followed the overview of the project design. The article concludes by highlighting some implications of this pilot project for the future of quality assurance in higher education on a European scale.     

Presidential Communication

PRESIDENTIAL PRESS CONFERENCES: A CRITICAL APPROACH by Carolyn Smith (New York: Praeger, 1990—$45.00/16.95, ISBN 0-275-93574-4 hard, 0-275-93575-2 paper, 280 pp.)

THE SIX O'CLOCK PRESIDENCY: A THEORY OF PRESIDENTIAL PRESS RELATIONS IN THE AGE OF TELEVISION by Fredrik T. Smoller (New York: Praeger, 1990—$39.95, ISBN 0-275-93598-1, 176 pp.)

THE I'RESS & THE CARTER PRESIDENCY by Mark J. Rozell (Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1989—$32.50, ISBN 0-8133-0765-7, 235 pp.)

POLLING AND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION COVERAGE edited by Paul J. Lavrakas and Jack K. Holley (Newbury Park, CA: Sage, 1991—$36.00/17.95, ISBN 0-8039-4073-4 hard, 0-8039-4074-2 paper, 244 pp.)

LISTENING FOR A PRESIDENT: A CITIZEN'S CAMPAIGN METHODOLOGY by Ruth M. Gonchar Brennan and Dan F. Hahn (New York: Praeger, 1990—$42.95, ISBN 0-275-93245-1, 217 pp.)     

The Evidence Base for Mental Health Consultation in Early Childhood Settings: A Research Synthesis Addressing Children's Behavioral Outcomes

Research Findings: Early childhood mental health consultation aims to reduce problem behaviors and improve social skills in young children primarily through changes in the classroom environment and teacher practices. We conducted a systematic review of the literature and identified 14 rigorous studies that reported on child-level outcomes. These studies had at least one of the following characteristics: publication in a peer-reviewed journal, use of a randomized control trial design, or inclusion of a comparison group. Across these studies, there was variation in the approaches to consultation, qualifications of the consultants, and intensity of the services provided. Overall, early childhood mental health consultation services were consistently associated with reductions in teacher-reported externalizing behaviors. Findings related to reductions in internalizing behaviors were mixed. Teacher ratings of prosocial behaviors were improved in the majority of the studies that reported on this domain. Practice or Policy: This research synthesis underscores the importance of documenting the specific approaches to early childhood mental health consultation that are being implemented to allow for replication of effective models. Areas for future research improvement include increasing rigor through studies that contain independent assessments of children's behaviors, isolating key components of effective consultation, and identifying consultant qualifications and characteristics that lead to child behavior changes.