Applying Quality Indicators to Single‐Case Research Designs Used in Special Education: A Systematic Review

This study examined how specific guidelines and heuristics have been used to identify methodological rigor associated with single‐case research designs based on quality indicators developed by Horner et al. Specifically, this article describes how literature reviews have applied Horner et al.'s quality indicators and evidence‐based criteria. Ten literature reviews were examined to ascertain how literature review teams (a) used the criteria recommended by Horner et al. as meeting the 5‐3‐20 evidence‐based practice (EBP) thresholds (five studies conducted across three different research teams that include a minimum of 20 participants) to assess single‐case methodological rigor; and (b) applied the 5‐3‐20 thresholds to determine whether the independent variables reviewed qualified as potential effective practices. The 10 literature reviews included 120 single‐case designs. This study found that 33% of the reviewed single‐case designs met Horner et al.'s quality indicator criteria. Three of the literature reviews concluded that examined practices met criteria to qualify as an EBP. Recommendations related to quality indicator criteria and EBP established by the literature review teams as well as directions for future research are discussed.     

Fostering Instructor Knowledge of Student Thinking Using The Flipped Classroom

Abstract

In this article, we share a model of flipped instruction that allowed us to gain a window into our students’ mathematical thinking. We depict how that increased awareness of student thinking shaped our mathematics instruction in productive ways. Drawing on our experiences with students in our own classrooms, we show how flipped instruction can be used to design experiences that help students make sense of mathematics during class sessions.     

The 2010 Benjamin Franklin medal in Computer and Cognitive Science presented to Shafrira Goldwasser,Ph.D.

The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, awards the 2010 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Computer and Cognitive Science to Professor Shafrira Goldwasser for fundamental work contributing to the theoretical foundation of modern cryptography and leading to techniques that mathematically guarantee secure access to the internet. More precisely, she is recognized for key contributions in provable security and in particular for interactive and zero-knowledge proofs and their application to cryptography and complexity theory.     

Generating Random Parallel Test Forms Using CTT in a Computer-Based Environment

This paper describes a procedure for automated test forms assembly based on Classical Test Theory (CTT). The procedure uses stratified random content sampling and test form pre-equating to ensure both content and psychometric equivalence in generating virtually unlimited parallel forms. The procedure extends the usefulness of CTT in automated test form construction, yielding classical item statistics based on representative sample distributions and pre-equated test forms with known psychometric characteristics. A rationale for the procedure is presented followed by an example application and discussion of psychometric considerations related to its use.     

Open publishing

There is increasing pressure from academia to make the results of publicly funded research freely available to all. Preprint archives have grown up in some disciplines, and institutional archives are now being developed. While openly accessible preprints seem to have damaged publishers less than was originally feared, the final published versions of articles – when combined with sophisticated retrieval software – may turn out to be a different matter. Publishers have already done much to make their content more accessible through bundling, consortia licensing, access for less‐developed countries, more liberal customer and author agreements, and collective licensing. Some are experimenting with open access journals, although this may not work in all disciplines. It seems clear, however, that there are elements of value in journals themselves, and in the functions performed by journal publishers, which should survive.