The Effect of Various Factors on Standard Setting

This paper reports two studies of standard setting using Angoff's method. Results of the first study suggest that specialization within broad content areas does not affect an expert's estimates of the performance of the borderline group. This is reassuring because the knowledge base of many professions is so large that no individual can be considered an expert in all aspects of it. Results of the second study support the recommendation that performance data be provided during the standard-setting process. They are frequently used by experts, but will not have an impact on the standard unless the distribution of item difficulties is skewed markedly. It also increases the correspondence between p-values and estimates of borderline group performance, thereby reducing errors in pass/fail decisions. Overall, the results support recommendations often made in standard-setting literature, but they need to be replicated with other groups of experts     

Cognitive restructuring as an early stage in problem solving

This article examines the hypothesis that there are preliminary stages in problem solving which most chemists neglect when trying to teach their students how to solve problems in introductory chemistry courses. It is during these early stages that relevant information is disembedded from the question and the problem is restructured. Unless students can successfully complete these cognitive restructuring stages, they cannot proceed on to the more analytic stages in problem solving that have received more attention from chemists. Preliminary evidence for this hypothesis consists of linear correlations between student ability to handle disembedding and cognitive restructuring tasks in the spatial domain and their ability to solve chemistry problems.     

Making Dutch pupils media conscious: preadolescents’ self‐assessment of possible media risks and the need for media education

Despite clear European and Dutch policies about media education, there is currently no media education curriculum in Dutch schools. A survey among preadolescents (n = 257) in six primary schools in the Netherlands included questions regarding media access, fears, risks, parental mediation of television and the internet, and the need for media education. Findings indicate an overall high saturation of media, but media choice depends on sociodemographic factors. Preadolescents are given rules for using the internet more often than for TV. Boys feel more confident about media use, and few participants report negative experiences or perceive risks while using the internet. Pupils feel a high need for media education, and those who are already thinking critically about media demand lessons more often. Therefore, both technical knowledge about media and critical awareness of the influence of media must be taught.     

Psychometric Properties of the Abbreviated Perceived Motivational Climate in Exercise Questionnaire

The purpose of this study was to develop an abbreviated version of the Perceived Motivational Climate in Exercise Questionnaire (PMCEQ-A) to provide a more practical instrument for use in applied exercise settings. In the calibration step, two shortened versions’ measurement and latent model values were compared to each other and the original PMCEQ using a three-group CFA invariance testing approach with previously collected exercise setting data (N = 5,427). Based on the model fit and reliability values, the 12-item version performed better than the 17-item version. The resultant 12-item PMCEQ-A’s CFA model estimates were then compared to the PMCEQ’s model values for two different, previously conducted studies of exercise settings (N = 414 and 770). The more parsimonious 12-item PMCEQ-A can be used by exercise psychology researchers to gain insight into members’ perspectives on the motivational climate and may lead to developing effective strategies to enhance members’ experiences and commitment.     

The boundaries of information sharing and integration: A case study of Taiwan e-Government

The paper explores boundaries of cross-boundary information sharing and integration in the context of Taiwan e-Government by using an integrated framework of boundaries adopted from the literature. The discussion of the various boundaries provides a thorough lens to understand the complexity of cross-boundary information sharing and integration. The adopted framework of boundaries is proved to be a useful analytical tool to perceive various vertical and horizontal boundaries in initiatives of cross-boundary information sharing and integration in different e-Government contexts. A new process boundary in the vertical dimension is also identified. In addition, the case shows that centralized information systems can help government agencies to cross the boundaries of information sharing and reduce the number of boundaries government agencies may encounter. Lastly, it is perceived that vertical boundaries are not always easier to cross than horizontal boundaries.     

Doctoral supervision in a cross-cultural context: issues affecting supervisors and candidates

This article presents an analysis of rich data, gathered from interviews with 46 candidates and 38 supervisors from three Australian universities, about experiences of doctoral supervision in cross-cultural situations. Our analysis shows that many of the issues reported by international candidates are the same as those encountered by domestic candidates. However, this study has identified eight intensifiers that make such situations more complicated or difficult for candidates in a cross-cultural context: language; cultural differences in dealing with hierarchy; separation from the familiar; separation from support; other cultural differences; stereotypes; time; and what happens when the candidate returns home. The two intensifiers mentioned by more than 50% of interviewees are separation from the familiar and language. Using intensifiers as a conceptual framework for self-examination may help universities to better understand the real issues, to target resources, to mitigate distress to international candidates and reduce pressure on supervisors.     

Not so silent after all: Examination and analysis of the silent stage in childhood second language acquisition

A period of silence has been advanced as a characteristic feature of childhood second language acquisition. Evidence is presented to document that the presumption of silence as the second of four typical stages of second language acquisition has influenced policy and practice in preschool classrooms. A narrative review examines the extent and quality of the evidence for a silent stage in second language acquisition in young children. Twelve studies meeting inclusion criteria were reviewed and evaluated. Evidence of a silent, non-verbal, pre-production, or receptive language stage was limited. Significant conceptual and methodological limitations within the largely qualitative studies were found. Four major issues raised by the studies are elaborated upon: the theoretical clarity and operational definitions of silence and stage, phase, or period; the psychological meaning and consequences of silence; the cross-context consistency of individual patterns of silence; and how adult language elicitation and support techniques may modulate silence. Recommendations based on contemporary evidence of language acquisition processes are made for the future study of (1) second language acquisition in preschool children and (2) pedagogical practice within preschool settings to promote second language acquisition. Finally, historical, theoretical, empirical, and contextual influences likely to have given rise to the appeal and ready endorsement of silence as a consistent and typical characteristic of childhood second language acquisition are presented.     

Young Children's Exposure to Mathematics: The Child Care Context

Four preschool teachers from two preschool settings were observed to explore the contribution of child care experiences on the development of young children's understanding of mathematics. Teachers were also interviewed regarding their attitudes and beliefs about the importance of early education, children's understanding of mathematics prior to formal schooling, and their role in facilitating mathematical knowledge. Although the programs and teachers differed in terms of program orientation, teaching style, student participation, and interactions with students, the programs did not differ in terms of the amount or content of mathematics presented to children. During the classroom observations that were conducted, very little mathematics was presented in any of the classrooms either directly or indirectly to students. In contrast, teachers said that they believed that mathematics was important and that they engaged in mathematical discussions in their classroom interactions. Discussion of the lack of math presented in the classroom and the discrepancy of teachers' beliefs and teaching behaviors are discussed.