Distance mathematics teaching in Flanders,Germany, and the Netherlands during COVID-19 lockdown

Educational Studies in Mathematics - The COVID-19 pandemic has confronted mathematics teachers with the challenge of developing alternative teaching practices—in many cases at a distance...     

Assessment Practices and Students Knowledge Profiles in a Problem-based Curriculum

Learning Environments Research - Since the mid-1980s, many new terms have enriched the assessment literature, such as performance assessment, authentic assessment, direct assessment and...     

Sport als Medium zur sozialen Integration neuer Mitarbeiter in Betrieben?

It has been determined that businesses can influence organizational socialization of new employees by specific proactive measures (Hsiung & Hsieh, 2003). Social activities among peers such as sports participation have proven to be particularly worthwhile (Kim, Cable & Kim, 2005). Although it is indisputable that organized sports provide considerable opportunities for integration (Rittner & Breuer, 2004), this potential social integrative effect in the company setting has not yet been systematically investigated. Analysis of the literature showed that occupational and organizational psychology dealt resolutely with the theory of organizational socialization, but neglected to consider empirically the social integrative effect of physical activity programs. The field of sports science on the other hand has a general knowledge of sports and integration, but so far has not addressed this topic with respect to companies either from a theoretical or from an empirical point of view. With this in mind, potential research projects are suggested and discussed.     

An inventory of peer assessment diversity

Since Topping published his literature review on peer assessment in 1998 Topping, K. 1998. Peer assessment between students in colleges and universities. Review of Educational Research, 68: 249–76. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] [Google Scholar], the number of studies on this subject has doubled, if not tripled. However, along with this expansion, the diversity of peer assessment applications increased equally fast. Based on recent literature, this contribution focuses specifically on the diversity that has come to exist in order to update Topping's typology, adding eight variables, extending eight others with extra sub‐dimensions, and including the implementation factors. Five original variables were absorbed into larger entities, leaving 20 variables which were finally grouped into five clusters. For teachers or advisors, this inventory may be of interest as a source of inspiration or as a checklist of important decisions to make when working with peer evaluation. For researchers, it may be a guide towards covering the full scope of particularities when introducing their peer assessment design. Moreover, the framework developed in this paper might relieve the possible confusion originating from the use of a single term to cover a multitude of sometimes incompatible practices.     

New Learning Environments and Constructivism: The Students’ Perspective

Research into students’ perceptions of their learning environments reveals the impact of these perceptions on the way students cope with these learning environments. Consequently, students’ perceptions affect the results of their learning. This study aims to investigate whether students in a new learning environment (NLE) perceive it to be more constructivist when compared with the perceptions students have of a conventional lecture-based environment. Using a questionnaire consisting of seven key factors of constructivist learning environments, the results show that students in the NLE perceive it to be more constructivist when compared to the perceptions of students in a conventional lecture-based environment. The difference was statistically significant for four of the seven factors. According to the effect size, as measured by the d-index, the difference in perception between the two groups was greatest for the factor ‘conceptual conflicts and dilemmas’. in final form: 31 May 2005     

Student-centred learning environments: an investigation into student teachers’ instructional preferences and approaches to learning

The use of student-centred learning environments in education has increased. This study investigated student teachers’ instructional preferences for these learning environments and how these preferences are related to their approaches to learning. Participants were professional Bachelor students in teacher education. Instructional preferences and approaches to learning were measured by means of questionnaires. Results showed that most students preferred teacher direction, cooperative learning and knowledge construction, and adopted a deep approach. Moreover, significant correlations were found between approaches to learning and instructional preferences. Students adopting a deep approach preferred knowledge construction and cooperative learning, while students adopting a surface approach had a preference for teacher direction and passive learning.     

Students’ assessment preferences and approaches to learning: can formative assessment make a difference?

The purpose of this paper is to gain insight into the relationships between hands‐on experiences with formative assessment, students’ assessment preferences and their approaches to learning. The sample consisted of 108 university first‐year Bachelor’s students studying criminology. Data were obtained using the Revised two‐factor study process questionnaire (R‐SPQ‐2F) and the Assessment preferences inventory (API). The study shows that differences in assessment preferences are correlated with differences in approach to learning. Students’ preferences for assessment methods with higher‐order thinking tasks are significantly lower after actual experience with a formative assessment. Moreover, students also changed their approaches to learning after hands‐on experience with a formative mode of assessment. Surprisingly, this change evinced a more ‘surface approach’ to learning. Nevertheless, this is in line with other recent research findings. The paper ends with some possible explanations, and new directions for research are proposed.     

Quality standards for new modes modes of assessment. An exploratory study of the consequential validity of the OverAll Test

During the past decade, due to societal developments, methods of instruction as well as the assessment of students’ performances have changed to an important considerable extent. Two of the elements of this change are the accents on cognitive competencies such as problem solving and on learning in an authentic context. In conjunction with the development of such learning methods, new modes of assessment were implemented. It was expected that this change would have positive feedback effects on learning and teaching. These feedback effects are the central issue of this article. They are discussed in terms of the experiences of the Maastricht School of Economics and Business Administration. This school places the analysis of authentic problems at the core of the curriculum, including the learning process as well as the assessment system. The OverAll Test, a case-based assessment instrument aiming to assess problem solving skills, was implemented as part of this. Different quality issues related to the OverAll Test have been evaluated. This article presents the results of one of the four validity studies conducted; an exploratory study of the consequential validity of the OverAll Test. It starts with the an outline of the main features of the new modes of assessment and the OverAll test as an example. There is then a discussed discussion of effectively the OverAll test fits these features as well as the goals and characteristics of problem-based learning. The study of the consequential validity of the OverAll Test is then described in depth. The results of the survey, as well as the results of the semi-structured interviews with staff and students, indicate a friction between the intended characteristics of the learning and assessment environment and the practice of instruction and assessment.     

A typology of approaches to peer tutoring. Unraveling peer tutors’ behavioural strategies

Peer tutors’ behaviour has been stated to have the power to create and increase learning opportunities within peer tutoring programs. However, previous studies have shown that peer tutors struggle to adopt facilitative and constructivist-oriented strategies, as they lean more towards directive and knowledge-telling strategies. This study aims to explore a typology of approaches to peer tutoring by unraveling peer tutors’ behavioural strategies and related approaches. Furthermore, it aims to grasp peer tutors’ behavioural repertoire in-depth by shedding light on the concerns and challenges they experience while tutoring. Results showed that peer tutors used a variety of strategies but were mainly inclined to adopt answering and directive actions. Their questioning behaviour remained relatively low level in terms of quality. Moreover, three types of peer tutors could be discerned, i.e. questioners, informers and motivational organisers. Finally, although all peer tutors reported diverse organisational, social and didactical concerns and challenges, results showed that different types of tutors struggled with different approach-specific issues and experienced tutoring in a slightly different manner. Taking these issues into account seems crucial for peer tutoring to reach its potential. Implications for peer tutoring programs and training of peer tutors are discussed.