Examination standards and the limits of linking

There is a tendency in the literature to characterize linking as equating done somewhat less rigorously. The ambiguity of this conception can lead to confusion amongst policy‐makers and members of the public and can result in the proliferation of comparability myths. As the constructs assessed by two tests decrease in similarity, so the difference between equating and linking becomes one of kind rather than degree. To help make sense of linking in different contexts, a general model is proposed, based upon the idea of a ‘linking construct’. This general model is used to define the limits of linking and to clarify what users and stakeholders need to know about linking and linked scores. Finally, a distinction is drawn between judgemental linking as a method (e.g., social moderation) and judgemental linking as a theory (i.e., the value judgement theory of linking). The latter presents a challenge to the general model, which is defended.     

Cooperation and instruction in practical problem solving. Differences in interaction styles of mother-child dyads as related to socio-economic background and cognitive development

This article addresses the role of parents and children in the social construction of children's cognitive competence. A discussion of four approaches (i.e. Sigel, Wertsch, Wood, Diaz et al.) leads to the hypothesis that both the level of instruction content and the degree of cooperation in joint problem solving interactions with adults are related to children's cognitive development. This was tested in a study of 40 mothers and three-year-old children solving a practical problem. Coding videotaped interactions on a content and cooperation dimension yielded moderate to strong correlations with family's socio-economic status and children's cognitive level.     

EDUCATION AS INITIATION INTO PRACTICES

A bstract .  In this essay, Paul Smeyers and Nicholas Burbules reexamine the concept of "practice" and propose a new way of conceiving it that does justice to the idea that education is in some sense an initiation into practices without endorsing either the conservative and reproductive conception of what initiation entails or the radically social constructionist idea that all practices are arbitrary and groundless. First, drawing from the work of Ludwig Wittgenstein, Alasdair MacIntyre, and Charles Taylor, Smeyers and Burbules outline how the centrality of the concept of "practice" should be understood. Second, they indicate how the concept has come under pressure to the extent that one may doubt whether there are any "practices" left in contemporary society. Third, they differentiate between different kinds of practices in terms of how they are learned and how they are enacted, and suggest the central role that narrativization plays in these processes. They conclude that a theoretical focus on initiation into practices need not lead either to conservative or to relativistic conclusions.     

Spatial variation in accessibility of libraries in Hong Kong

Libraries play a significant role in supplying educational and cultural services. They are important public spaces that can contribute to creating social equality by providing unlimited access to information and public spaces for the community. In this research both the traditional measures (supply-to-demand ratio and straight distance) and advanced measures (population-weighted average nearest network distance and population-weighted average two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) score) are used to assess spatial inequity in the distribution of libraries throughout Hong Kong. How accessibility has been changed after the introduction of two strategies for improvement (community and mobile libraries) is also examined, as are spatial demographic and socioeconomic characteristics associated with library provision. The results indicate that there is a substantial heterogeneity of library provision in Hong Kong. Community and mobile libraries have significantly improved the library provision in several areas, although spatial inequality remains. Areas with demographic and socioeconomic groups with lower accessibility to library services were further identified. Data at multiple geographical scales were used, and consistent findings were obtained, confirming the robustness of the results.     

When Do Students Benefit From Performance Feedback? A Test of Feedback Intervention Theory in Speaking Improvement

This study reviews the important role of feedback in instructional communication Feedback Intervention Theory (FIT). FIT proposes that feedback efficacy is related to three primary constructs: message cues (locus of attention), personality traits, and the nature of the task to be learned. In an experimental design, the effect of grading, along with assessment of personality differences in feedback attributional sensitivity and perceptions of feedback utility are examined for their impact on feedback provided to student speakers. Changes in observed behavior for both eye contact and length of introduction are found. In addition, it is noted that traits and message cues function independently in predicting changes in behavior. Suggestions for future research are provided.