The judgement processes involved in the moderation of teacher-assessed projects

Classroom-based assessments have the potential to enhance validity by facilitating the assessment of important skills that are difficult to assess in written examinations. Such assessments tend to be marked by teachers. To ensure consistent marking standards, quality assurance procedures are needed. In the context of continued debate over the robustness of assessment by teachers, this research aimed to provide insights into the cognitive and social processes involved in the moderation of project work in General Certificate of Secondary Education qualifications (taken by many 16 year olds in England). The research involved nine examiners across three subject areas ‘thinking aloud’ whilst moderating the marks given to six students (treated as a mock school). The participants were also interviewed. These methods were chosen to provide an in-depth look at the judgement processes involved. The research provides an improved understanding of moderation judgements and how aspects of this process relate to existing theories of judgement. Improving our understanding of the judgement processes involved when an examiner moderates teacher marking can help to evaluate the appropriateness of this assessment method, may contribute to debate on whether teacher marking can be sufficiently well verified by quality assurance procedures, and may inform moderation practice.     

《孙子兵法》的美学价值

兵法是艺术。《孙子兵法》作为兵法经典,也是兵法艺术美的代表,对中国古典美学具有突出的贡献。从兵法是艺术、孙武的诗人气质、孙武的审美理想、读《孙子兵法》是审美享受等四个方面,第一次对《孙子兵法》的美学价值作了有益探讨。     

加拿大高校学生学习成果评估的内容、方法及启示

作为全球第二个实现高等教育普及化的高等教育强国,加拿大高校学生学习成果评估体系富有特色:在评估内容方面,构建起了高等教育系统、院校以及学科(专业)等不同层面的学生学习成果体系;在评估方法方面,形成了由标准化测试、评价量规、表现性评估以及问卷调查等四种类型构成的多元化学生学习成果评估方法体系。其对我国的启示是:构建和完善高校学生学习成果评估的内容体系,为学生学习成果评估奠定共识基础;开发多元化的学生学习成果评估方法与工具,提高评估活动的科学性;加强以结果为导向的评估制度建设,促使学习成果评估常态化。     

留洋学者与南雍学术

在南京高等师范学校、东南大学时期,学校的学术研究极为活跃。究其原因,主要是占全校师资三分之二的留洋学者发挥了中坚作用。南高、东大作为“中国科学社的大本营”,“展开了中国科学的奠基工作,成为中国科学发展的一个主要基地”。以留洋学者为骨干的“学衡派”主张“昌明国粹,融化新知”;参与创办《新教育》,为中国教育界开辟了一条研究、借鉴西方教育的重要渠道;竺可桢、熊庆来、秉志、茅以升、胡刚复等一批科学大师将西方现代科学引进国内。     

A model for making decisions about ethical dilemmas in student assessment

In this mixed-methods study we investigated the development of a generalized ethics decision-making model that can be applied in considering ethical dilemmas related to student assessment. For the study, we developed five scenarios that describe ethical dilemmas associated with student assessment. Survey participants (i.e., educators) completed an online survey to express their decision-making process when faced with ethical dilemmas relating to student assessment. Based on the literature and the educators’ written responses to the scenarios, elements to consider in an ethics decision-making model related to student assessment include the following: (1) the critical incident giving rise to the ethical dilemma; (2) identification of the conflict elements; (3) decisions about the ethicality of the elements; (4) justification of the decisions; (5) implications; and (6) alternative suggestions. This model offers guidance to educators in considering the dimensions of an ethical dilemma in assessment prior to making a decision.     

An ecological approach to the on-line assessment of problem-solving paths: Principles and applications

In this paper, we propose a theoretical framework for designing on-line situated assessment tools for multimedia instructional systems. Based on an ecological psychology approach to situated learning, a graph theoretic methodology is applied to monitor students' performance (solution paths) throughout the learning activity. Deviation of the student's path from the target (expert) path generates indicators which can function as alerts to the student and to the instructor. The information collected in the dribble files and presented visually enables the instructor to identify problems quickly and intervene appropriately. The feasibility of the methodology is explored in case studies describing three instructional systems that teach (1) critical thinking and problem-solving skills, (2) principles of hemodynamic monitoring and treatment, and (3) orthodontic treatment, respectively.     

从火攻谋略看孙子对战争复杂性的认识

《火攻篇》是《孙子兵法》十三篇这个恢弘体系中一个非常重要的有机组成部分。火攻不仅是古代战争中非常重要的作战方式,同时也是以较少代价夺取更大胜利的重要作战方式之一,更是一种能够体现战争指挥者驾御人与自然的各种复杂关系的作战方式之一。《火攻篇》对我们的启迪是:大千世界的事事物物,都可能是我们手中的一种武器,或成为我们战胜敌人的一个重要因素和条件,而不应当只把自己手中的武器看成是武器。《火攻篇》的慎战思想是孙子对战争复杂性认识的进一步深化,体现了孙子对战争本身复杂性和后果严重性的双重忧虑。     

用正确的评价激励学生走向成功

为了激励学生走向成功,要学习和研究新课程标准和教改实验区的先进经验,确立新的正确评价理念,引导家长改变子女成材观,重视形成性的评价作用,尝试评价内容的多元化,以及开展多主体评价和建立学生档案柜等。     

Chinese award-winning tutors’ perceptions and practices of classroom-based assessment

This study examines Chinese tertiary award-winning tutors’ perceptions and reported practices of classroom-based assessment. Seventeen tutors in the final stage of a national university teaching contest were individually interviewed. An interview framework was developed using three process dimensions of assessment for learning (AfL). A sequential and iterative analysis of resulting data was conducted based on Miles and Huberman’s protocols for qualitative analysis. Participants demonstrated a complex set of connections between perceptions and practices around issues of sharing standards, delivering feedback and response to external assessments. Results deviate from widely promoted principles of AfL and classroom-based assessment espoused in the international literature; in doing so, they challenge existing research and assumptions about the standardised and international nature of award-winning instructors’ assessment practices. Findings are discussed in relationship to understanding best practices in tertiary assessment, given emerging tertiary education markets. Practical implications for the further development of learning and assessment practices and theoretical implications for the AfL theory are also discussed.     

Validating a computerized scoring system for assessing writing and placing students in composition courses

How do scores from writing samples generated by computerized essay scorers compare to those generated by “untrained” human scorers and what combination of scores, if any, is more accurate at placing students in composition courses? This study endeavored to answer this two-part question by evaluating the correspondence between writing sample scores generated by the IntelliMetric™ automated scoring system and scores generated by University Preparation English faculty, as well as examining the predictive validity of both the automated and human scores. The results revealed significant correlations between the faculty scores and the IntelliMetric™ scores of the ACCUPLACER™ OnLine WritePlacer Plus test. Moreover, logistic regression models that utilized the IntelliMetric™ scores and average faculty scores were more accurate at placing students (77% overall correct placement rate) than were models incorporating only the average faculty score or the IntelliMetric™ scores.