Identifying differential item functioning in multi-stage computer adaptive testing

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of CATSIB (Computer Adaptive Testing-Simultaneous Item Bias Test) for detecting differential item functioning (DIF) when items in the matching and studied subtest are administered adaptively in the context of a realistic multi-stage adaptive test (MST). MST was simulated using a 4-item module in a 7-panel administration. Three independent variables, expected to affect DIF detection rates, were manipulated: item difficulty, sample size, and balanced/unbalanced design. CATSIB met the acceptable criteria, meaning that the Type I error and power rates met 5% and 80%, respectively, for the large reference/moderate focal sample and the large reference/large focal sample conditions. These results indicate that CATSIB can be used to consistently and accurately detect DIF on an MST, but only with moderate to large samples.     

A Written Knowledge Test for Postgraduate Medical Students: Reliability in Relation to Different Educational Goals

ABSTRACT

The use of written knowledge tests in (medical) education is widespread. Only few of them are thoroughly validated. Usually, validity studies are restricted to establishing ‘face‐validity’, the apparent similarity between test‐material and real life problems. Reliability studies are usually restricted to estimation of the coefficient alpha, representing the reproducibility of rank‐ordering of students at repeated test administration. This study addresses reliability from a broader perspective, using generalizability theory. The approach enables faculty to gain insight into the suitability of the test to serve different educational goals.

A written knowledge test was examined, applied in postgraduate training for general practice in the Netherlands. Test‐reliability was approached from different perspectives: the norm‐oriented perspective, aiming at rank‐ordering (groups of) students, the domain‐oriented perspective, aiming at determining the absolute score level of (groups of) students and the decision‐oriented perspective, aiming at taking pass‐fail decisions.

Reliability estimates differed for the different perspectives. The implication of the results and feasible options to increase reliability are discussed.     

论《红色中华》涉日报道内容及特征（1931-1934）

《红色中华》作为中华苏维埃共和国临时中央政府的机关报,在特定的历史条件下,凭借独特的信息渠道,大量报道了有关日本帝国主义的信息.内容涉及日本的侵华暴行、党的抗日救国主张、国民党的对日卖国政策及群众抗日斗争等方面.《红色中华》作为党的“喉舌”,负有特殊的政治使命,涉日报道必然存在一些不足,但与其卓著的功绩相比,这不足为人诟病.     

构建基于大数据的智能高校信息化管理服务系统

在大数据的背景下,结合对高校信息化中服务发展的需求,提出建立智能高校信息化管理服务系统的思路。依据大数据的基本思想,首先提出高校大数据的概念并分析其基本特征。对智能高校信息化服务具体体现方式进行研究,详细阐述建设智能高校信息化管理服务系统的原则和构架设计的逻辑框架,进一步探讨在实践中ETL、数据仓库建模等关键技术,以实例说明智能信息化管理中的数据应用服务和决策支持,为全面建立智能化的高校信息化管理服务系统提供探索和实践基础。     

语义Folksonomy实现方法研究

Folksonomy是一种自底向上、用户可以自由参与的分类方法,但随着标签数量的不断增加,Folksonomy的进一步发展受到制约,语义Folksonomy应运而生。语义Folksonomy是将标签的隐性语义信息显性化地表达出来,实现了标签之间的语义关联。目前,Folksonomy语义的实现主要从标签本体构建、词表语义关联、网络概念体系映射三方面展开,并且这三种方法相互结合可以构建出语义Folksonomy的实现框架。     

An Analysis of High School Students' Performance on Five Integrated Science Process Skills

This study determined Jamaican high school students' level of performance on five integrated science process skills and if there were statistically significant differences in their performance linked to their gender, grade level, school location, school type, student type and socio-economic background (SEB). The 305 subjects comprised 133 males, 172 females, 146 ninth graders, 159 10th graders, 150 traditional and 155 comprehensive high school students, 164 students from the Reform of Secondary Education (ROSE) project and 141 non-ROSE students, 166 urban and 139 rural students and 110 students from a high SEB and 195 from a low SEB. Data were collected with the authors' constructed integrated science process skills test the results indicated that the subjects' mean score was low and unsatisfactory; their performance in decreasing order was: interpreting data, recording data, generalising, formulating hypotheses and identifying variables; there were statistically significant differences in their performance based on their grade level, school type, student type, and SEB in favour of the 10th graders, traditional high school students, ROSE students and students from a high SEB. There was a positive, statistically significant and fairly strong relationship between their performance and school type, but weak relationships among their student type, grade level and SEB and performance.     

Using Human Givens therapy to support the well‐being of adolescents: a case example

This article outlines the use of Human Givens (HG) therapy with adolescents reporting poor subjective well‐being. HG therapy is based on the assumption that human beings have innate needs, which, if unmet, lead to emotional distress and mental health problems. Hitherto, there has been no independently published empirical research into the efficacy of HG as a therapeutic intervention with young people. The article examines the theory and background to HG therapy; the emotional well‐being of children; and young people and counselling and therapeutic interventions in schools, before describing an exploratory case study into the effectiveness of the HG approach. This involves assessing the efficacy of an individual HG intervention for three young people reporting high anxiety or depression and/or low self concept. The HG process and therapy structure are detailed through an illustrative case study regarding a 16‐year‐old girl with moderate levels of anxiety and low self‐concept. Positive outcomes are observed for all three young people, providing tentative evidence that HG therapy might be useful to practitioners delivering therapeutic interventions in schools, although limitations of the small‐scale research design are highlighted. Issues relating to the provision of individual therapeutic interventions in school are discussed more widely, as are other possible applications of the HG approach in schools.     

Internal and external influences on vocabulary development in preschool children

Competency in society's lingua franca plays a major role in the emergence of social disparities within education. Therefore, the present longitudinal study investigates vocabulary development and its predictors in preschool years. We focus on whether internal (phonological working memory) and external variables (preschool and home learning environment) have different impacts depending on parental native language. The study considers 547 children from 97 German preschools. Children's vocabulary was assessed at the ages of 3, 4, and 5 years. Latent growth curve models show that non-native German language children are characterized by reduced vocabulary at first assessment and lower progress compared to monolingual peers. Phonological working memory has a strong impact on all children's initial vocabulary but also on vocabulary growth in those whose parents speak German as an additional language. The effects of preschool and home learning environment are comparatively smaller.     

Implementation Effects of a Program for the Training of Coaching Skills with School Principals∗

In this study, the implementation effects of a program for the training of coaching skills to Dutch primary school principals are described. Coaching is a form of in‐class support intended to provide teachers with feedback on their own functioning, and thereby to stimulate self‐reflection and self‐analysis in order to improve instructional effectiveness. To assist school principals in their attempts to coach teachers, a training program was designed and evaluated. Based on the pre‐ and post‐training ratings of coaching conferences, a significant treatment effect was found for the coaching skills concerned with the development of autonomy (empowerment), feedback, and agreement on classroom observational goals. The pre‐ and post‐training ratings from the coached teachers themselves showed a significant treatment effect for the coaching skills concerned with the development of improvement plans. Although the training provided for the school principals was directed at the coaching functions of consulting and confronting, the majority of the school principals conducted coaching conferences that emphasized predominantly the function of consulting.