Rating scale instruments and measurement

The article examines theoretical issues associated with measurement in the human sciences and ensuring data from rating scale instruments are measures. An argument is made that using raw scores from rating scale instruments for subsequent arithmetic operations and applying linear statistics is less preferable than using measures. These theoretical matters are then illustrated by a report on the application of the Rasch Rating Scale Model in an investigation into elementary school classroom learning culture.     

英语口语教学环境的培育

提高学生的口语水平，可以通过培育课堂教学环境、课外练习环境以及社会实践练习环境等途径来实现。     

中国封闭式基金折价特征的实证分析

封闭式基金折价交易在各国资本市场普遍存在。中国也不例外。不同的投资者结构,不同的市场环境均会导致封闭式基金折价不同的波动。文章通过构造基金折价指数、价格指数、净值指数和上证综合指数,利用相关性检验,分析在不同市场环境下封闭式基金折价特征,并对结论进行解释。     

Developing a Primary Science Methods Classroom

The purpose of this paper is to describe how and why a primary science methods classroom was conceived, designed, and developed for preservice and inservice teachers. Just as science educators believe that students learn best by constructing their knowledge of the natural world with the aid of a teacher and colleagues, science educators also believe that preservice and inservice teachers should learn in a collaborative and constructivist environment. Multiple dimensions relating to the dynamic processes of learning to teach, a ‘technical factor’ related to the physical and resource constraints that exist within a school, and sociocultural theory were used for the theoretical framework. A survey was given to 97 students who took a course in the classroom, six instructors were given a questionnaire, and three of these instructors were interviewed. These data sources sought to determine the effect of design features on student learning and instructor teaching. The results of the evaluation suggest students who used the classroom found their learning positively affected by the room design and instructors who taught in the classroom benefited by being able to teach in an inquiry and constructivist manner.     

A multi-peer assessment platform for programming language learning: considering group non-consensus and personal radicalness

Multi-peer assessment has often been used by teachers to reduce personal bias and make the assessment more reliable. This study reviews the design and development of multi-peer assessment systems that detect and solve two common issues in such systems: non-consensus among group members and personal radicalness in some assessments. A multi-peer assessment model is proposed to address these issues. The model captures roles, activities, and data structures in a typical multi-peer assessment setting that can be generalized to other scenarios. We implemented the model in a multi-peer code review system and conducted several empirical experiments in programming language classes. The studies showed that the model can significantly improve student learning outcomes than in a single-peer assessment. Also, we used statistical measures to detect non-consensus and radicalness issues that often occur in the model. The results reveal many insights and provide valuable guidance for teachers to implement a multi-peer assessment system.     

Understanding the relationship between ICT and education means exploring innovation and change

This paper sets the debates of the other papers in the context of a benchmark in time that is after four decades of deliberations about the relationship between ICT and education. The environment for and deliberations about this relationship has been one of rapid change in perspectives, most characterised as a shift of focus from the technology to learning. While contemplating the future however, a number of enduring issues remain, including understanding how learning occurs, learning with or about the technology, and the role of the teacher and professional development. The papers address these issues, as well as exploring national policies and software learning environments; all reflect on the growing complexity of the situation and the conundrum of failure to achieve ‘lift-off.’ Key phrases for debates in the future include lifelong learning, the commonplace of ICT in society, the digital world of the young, and the digital ethical dilemmas. In addition I suggest that the key word of change could be paid more attention.     

Learner vs. System Control in Using Online Support for Simulation-based Discovery Learning

Learning in discovery environments, such as simulations, requires both planning and complex inference processing from learners. Studies evaluating simulations learning have indicated that, without added instructional support, simulation learning knowledge gains are disappointing and/or unclear. With regard to the problems that learners could encounter, we feel, on the one hand, that learners should be supported in their discovery processes whenever possible. On the other hand, we believe that learners' own responsibility in the learning process should be emphasised. The discovery environment in the present study is called CIRCUIT, in which the behaviour of current and voltage sources in electrical circuits is simulated. CIRCUIT includes three main types of instructional support: model progression, assignments, and explanations. Two experimental conditions were created. Although these conditions were similar with respect to the support, they differed with respect to the amount of freedom given to the subjects. That is, the first group of subjects was free to choose their own sequence exploring the simulation environment. In the second group, the sequence was largely controlled by the environment. In determining the instructional value of the interaction, special attention is paid to acquiring intuitive knowledge as compared to definitional knowledge. The evaluation followed a pretest-posttest design. Results showed no gain in definitional knowledge but a gain in intuitive knowledge. No major differences between the experimental groups were detected in the posttest results or in the interaction processes, a cognitive load measure, and the subjective ratings. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Design and implementation of an intelligent virtual environment for improving speaking and listening skills

In this paper, we present an intelligent architecture, called intelligent virtual environment for language learning, with embedded pedagogical agents for improving listening and speaking skills of non-native English language learners. The proposed architecture integrates virtual environments into the Intelligent Computer-Assisted Language Learning. This architecture supports visual, auditory, and haptic channels of interaction. It allows pedagogical ideas about language skills to be implemented and validated with a minimum design time. Moreover, we design a computational model to evaluate learner's proficiency level, and an automatic adaptation mechanism which adjusts to the learner's learning curve. We have implemented two scenarios based on the proposed architecture to teach learners how to communicate in public places such as airports and TV stores. Inputs to this system include learner's speech and hand motion, and outputs include graphical scenes, force feedback, and speech by a few embodied agents. Throughout interactions, agents discover the proficiency level of the learner and customize the level of communication complexity accordingly. The system is tested on 10 subjects. Experimental results show 14% increase in the number of proper replies, 3% decrease in grammatical errors, 16% decrease in pronunciation duration, and 11% increase in learners' proficiency level within three trials.     

Conceptualisation,Development and Validation of an Instrument for Investigating the Metacognitive Orientation of Science Classroom Learning Environments: The Metacognitive Orientation Learning Environment Scale – Science (MOLES-S)

Metacognition refers to an individual's knowledge, control and awareness of his/her learning processes. An important goal of education is to develop students as metacognitive, life-long learners. However, developing students' metacognition and evaluating whether classrooms are oriented to the development of students' metacognition are difficult and often time-consuming tasks. Further, no instruments that measure key dimensions related to classroom factors that specifically influence the development of students' metacognition have been available. This article describes the conceptualisation, design, and validation of an instrument for evaluating the metacognitive orientation of science classroom learning environments. The metacognitive orientation of a learning environment is the extent to which that environment supports the development and enhancement of students' metacognition. Social constructivism was the guiding referent informing the instrument's orientation and development. This instrument measures students' perceptions of the extent to which certain psychosocial dimensions, evident in learning environments where interventions have resulted in enhanced student metacognition, are evident in their science classrooms. Findings from the use of this instrument complement what is already known from research studies to be generally the case in relation to science classrooms' metacognitive orientation. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

福建省民营经济发展政策环境研究

福建民营经济起步较早,但近年发展有减缓的趋势。通过对发展福建地方民营经济的政策环境和发展趋缓原因的分析,在借鉴发迭国家政府对民营经济扶持措施的基础上,理顺福建省完善政府对民营经济的服务思路。