Systems,ideologies and history: a three-dimensional absence in the study of assessment reform processes

This paper makes the case for the need to study assessment reform processes from a broader and more complex perspective that takes the historical, ideological and systemic aspects of assessment policies into account. It draws on a larger study to demonstrate how the understanding of Assessment for Learning (AfL) reforms is enriched by such a perspective, taking the Chilean case as an illustrative example. The study draws on polysystems theory as an overarching theoretical tool and on critical discourse analysis and intertextuality as a means to reconstruct the polysystem of assessment reforms. These tools are used to analyse two types of sources: documents from different periods of Chilean history of education where reforms relevant to assessment were carried out, and interviews with policy authorities involved in the AfL reform as well as with teachers from different backgrounds and contexts.     

An Example of the Informative Potential of Polar Coordinate Analysis: Sprint Tactics in Elite 1,500-m Track Events

Polar coordinate analysis is a powerful data reduction technique based on the Zsum statistic, which is calculated from adjusted residuals obtained by lag sequential analysis. Its use has been greatly simplified since the addition of a module in the free software program HOISAN for performing the necessary computations and producing easy-to-interpret results in the form of polar coordinate maps. In this study, we provide a simple and practical example of how this technique can be used to analyze tactical behaviors in sport and physical exercise. We studied 158 performances by 82 male runners in thirteen 1,500-m finals held at the Olympic Games, the World Championships in Athletics, and the European Athletics Championships between 2000 and 2012 to investigate associations between the initiation of sprints by race winners and other runners (focal behaviors) and the lap and zone of the track in which the sprints were initiated (conditional behaviors). The significant prospective/retrospective activating/inhibitory relationships shown in the polar coordinate maps confirm the decision to start a sprint is a tactical one and are consistent with a winning strategy consisting of avoiding giving rivals the benefit of the slipstream while conserving sufficient energy for a final winning burst. Polar coordinate analysis is a powerful technique for studying tactical behaviors in the field of sport.     

Modeling the Mediating Role of Volition in the Learning Process

According to action-control theory, volition plays a mediating role between the intention to learn (motivation) and goal-directed behavior (the use of learning strategies). Although extensive theoretical work has been done to document this flow of events, more empirical studies have been needed to identify the specific means by which volitional control protects the intention to learn and maintains the attempts to learn; our intention here was to address this gap in the literature. Using data from a sample of 487 college students in two different domains, we found that the positive effects of intrinsic goal orientation and self-efficacy on cognitive engagement were augmented by volitional control. We also found that the effects of volition differed by domain as well as by the type of learning strategy being considered. These results suggest that volitional control merits greater attention from those doing research in self-regulated learning.     

Strategies to regulate content development and interactivity in the classroom

The teaching-learning process is an interactive process controlled by a series of regulatory mechanisms. This article reports on a study of teacher regulation of classroom activity and teacher-student behavior. The analysis of this behavior can provide a better understanding of what happens during a class session, the context in which students construct meaning and progressively acquire greater control of their own learning process. The strategies employed by the teacher to regulate, the teaching-learning can be classified in two categories: those directed primarily towards regulating the social structure of participation and those directed primarily towards regulating content development and the learning task. This article identifies and analyzes instances of the second kind of strategy, though both kinds are often simultaneous, inter-related and mutually supportive. The investigation reported here was based on the observation, recording and analysis of teacher-student interaction in Social Studies classes in a secondary school in Spain.     

Teachers' Understandings of Dyslexia: Implications for educational psychology practice

This study examines teachers' understandings of dyslexia and its assessment by educational psychologists. Participants are 36 teachers in two focus groups. The results are discussed in the light of the Division of Educational and Child Psychology report on 'Dyslexia, Literacy and Psychological Assessment'. Proposals are considered for effective educational psychology practice and for further research useful to practice in this area.     

Experiences of Being Heterosexual Allies to Lesbian,Gay, and Bisexual People: A Qualitative Exploration

In this qualitative study, heterosexual professionals with an interest in lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) issues were surveyed about their ally work with LGB people. Data were analyzed to describe participants' experiences. Results are discussed in terms of implications for counseling and student affairs professionals who engage in LGB‐affirmative work.     

The relationship between the WISC-III and the WRAT3 in a sample of rural referred children

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between the Wechsler Intelligence Test for Children-III and the Wide Range Achievement Test, 3rd Edition. The study investigated the scores of 37 children in a rural Arkansas school district who were referred for evaluation because of academic difficulties. The children ranged in age from 6 to 16 years and included 35 Whites and 2 Blacks, with 22 males and 15 females. The findings indicated that the WRAT3 correlations with the WISC-III ranged from .42 to .66. These findings are consistent with others on the general correlations between IQ and achievement test scores.     

Assessing the effectiveness of the Eureka Program

The aim of this paper is to test whether participation in a European public initiative to support market-oriented R&D, such as the Eureka Program, has a positive impact on the performance of participating firms and, if so, how long it is before the impact becomes apparent. These issues are explored using a dynamic panel data model covering the period 1994–2003, for a sample of 866 European firms, 284 of which completed a Eureka project during the period of analysis. The results show how the completion of a Eureka project has a positive influence over firm performance measured as return over assets (ROA), although the effect does not manifest itself until a year after project completion. Nevertheless, when the sample is divided by sector, it is obtained that, while manufacturing firms follow the general pattern of a positive effect appearing a year after project completion, the effect in non-manufacturing firms is already apparent during the year of completion.