Validity of High‐Stakes Assessment: Are Students Engaged in Complex Thinking?

The validity of high-stakes assessments and accountability systems is discussed in relation to the requirements of No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The extent to which content standards and assessments are cognitively rich, the challenges in setting performance standards, and the impact of high-stakes assessments on instruction and student learning are addressed. The article argues for quality content standards, cognitively rich assessments, and a cohesive, balanced assessment system.     

Organizational identity challenges in a post-merger context: A case study of an information system implementation project

This study examines the effects of the differences in organizational identities that emerged during a post-merger project that aimed at unifying the laboratory services of a large healthcare center that resulted from the merging of three hospitals by supporting them with a unique information system. We draw on the concepts of organizational identity and sensemaking to analyze the laboratory information system implementation project. Organizational identity is conceptualized as the mental representation that organizational members have of themselves as a social group in terms of practices, norms, and values and how they understand themselves to be different from members of other organizations. Data analysis suggests that divergent organizational identities and team members’ alternative interpretations of others’ practices, norms and organizational symbols, coexist during the post-merger integration phase. These interpretations are reflected in the final functionality of the information system that was different from the planned one.     

Distributed fusion receding horizon filtering for uncertain linear stochastic systems with time-delay sensors

A new distributed fusion receding horizon filtering problem is investigated for uncertain linear stochastic systems with time-delay sensors. First, we construct a local receding horizon Kalman filter having time delays (LRHKFTDs) in both the system and measurement models. The key technique is the derivation of recursive error cross-covariance equations between LRHKFTDs in order to compute the optimal matrix fusion weights. It is the first time to present distributed fusion receding horizon filter for linear discrete-time systems with delayed sensors. It has a parallel structure that enables processing of multisensory time-delay measurements, so the calculation burden can be reduced and it is more reliable than the centralized version if some sensors turn faulty. Simulations for a multiple time-delays system show the effectiveness of the proposed filter in comparison with centralized receding horizon filter and non-receding versions.     

Integrated Reading and Writing Interventions for Students with Learning Disabilities: A Review of the Literature

In this systematic review of literature that spans 1975–2015, integrated reading and writing interventions for students with learning disabilities (LD) or students with academic difficulties were evaluated to understand the extant research, identify encouraging practices, and guide future research. Ten studies met inclusion criteria and each study was evaluated according to the relevant What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) design standards. Eight of the 10 investigations were conducted with students in grades 4–8. While only 4 of the 10 studies met WWC design with or without reservations, results from these studies are encouraging. Study findings suggest several areas for immediate future research relating to methodological and treatment variables and considerations for classroom instruction in order to respond to advanced expectations for the successful integration of reading and writing across subjects. In addition to employing stronger experimental designs and additional replications of encouraging studies, future research should explore the utility of integrated reading and writing interventions with secondary students with who have academic difficulties.     

儿童青少年运动员的营养需要

1. 儿童青少年运动员应该食用多样化的食物，其中，蛋白质应占膳食总能量的12％-15％，碳水化合物至少占55％，而脂肪至多占30％。日常生活中如何吃才能满足这些要求呢？膳食指南宝塔提供了一条可行之道。2.有些营养素对热爱运动的儿童青少年运动员非常重要，要保证摄入充足，这些营养素是碳水化合物（包括纤维素）、维生素B6、维生素D、铁、钙、镁、锌、铬。科学合理、包罗各类食物的平衡膳食，对青少年运动员最大程度地全面摄取各种营养素，满足生长发育和运动训练的需要，是非常必要的。3.鼓励儿童青少年运动员在运动训练前、中、后进行补液，以避免脱水的发生。4.如果膳食合理平衡，就没必要额外补充营养品。