Assessing and developing critical-thinking skills in higher education

Generic skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, and communication are essential for students' success in higher education and their careers. This article presents findings from an international study of students' (n ≈ 120,000) generic skills from six countries using a performance-based assessment. Results indicate that higher education students, on average, gain generic skills between entry and exit. However, learning gain is less marked than could be expected and varies significantly among country samples. Various background variables such as gender, ethnicity, parental level of education, and primary language are also explored. The authors conclude that it is feasible to reliably and validly measure generic skills in a cross-cultural context and that assessment of these skills is an essential component of best practices in higher education.     

A large-scale donor attempt to improve educational status of the poor and household income distribution: The experience of PEDC in Vietnam

In 2003, donors combined together in Vietnam to support the provision of quality primary schooling for 226 disadvantaged districts (about a third of the country). US$160 million was invested in infrastructure, materials and training across the 226 districts. The programme has been commended by donors and received good press inside Vietnam. Comparison of achievement surveys in 2001 and 2007 showed, however, that there had been a decline in performance in the targeted districts. This article explores various hypotheses as to how this could have happened; and in particular the increasing amounts spent by better-off households on their children's education.     

Professional and Technical Communication in a Web 2.0 World

This article reports on results of a nationwide survey of alumni in professional and technical communication. It presents a series of snapshots from the results, including the types of texts written and valued, where those types are written, with and for whom, and with what technologies. A range of implications are explored.     

Major Survey Findings of Listening to MothersSM III: New Mothers Speak Out: Report of National Surveys of Women’s Childbearing Experiences ? Conducted October–December 2012 and January–April 2013

To understand the experiences and views of childbearing women in the United States and trends over time, Childbirth Connection carried out the third national Listening to Mothers survey among 2,400 women who gave birth in U.S. hospitals to a single baby from mid-2011 to mid-2012 and could participate in English. A follow-up survey directed to the same participants explored postpartum experiences, in depth and well into the second year after birth; views about maternity care; and some additional pregnancy and birth items. Harris Interactive conducted the surveys using a validated methodology that includes data weighting to ensure that results closely reflect the target population. The follow-up survey was reported in Listening to Mothers III: New Mothers Speak Out.     

大学生和中学生对肿瘤早期检查认知状况的比较分析

目的:对比分析大中学生对肿瘤早期检查的认知和需求。方法:选取金华市1所中学和1所大学学生共568名进行调查与分析。结果:中学生对肿瘤相关的健康生活方式水平认知程度比大学生的认知程度低,中学生在对肿瘤可防可治和肿瘤早期筛查项目的认识程度低,大学生对肿瘤早期检查的态度比中学生更积极。结论:大中学生对肿瘤早期检查的认知程度较低,有关学校尤其是中学应重视开展肿瘤早期发现的健康教育工作。     

港口吞吐量抽样调查方案设计

讨论了抽样调查在港口吞吐量调查中的应用前景，分析了港口吞吐量抽样调查方案设计的各个环节，包括：方案设计的原则、技术方法、抽样公式、调查时间、分层确定、季节变动处理和非抽样误差控制等。     

Foundation degrees

Despite numerous criticisms of the UK National Student Survey (NSS) institutional managers still strongly support its use in informing student choice, quality and assurance and quality enhancement activities. This article outlines a granular and nuanced benchmarking system for the NSS which provides both a ‘raw’ score (weighted student satisfaction score) and a normalised quotient (weighted student satisfaction quotient) to enable users to take a more considered approach to the absolute and relative strengths and weaknesses of individual course programmes.     

The Ultimate Survey: Asking One Question at a Time to Get Feedback from Library Users

ABSTRACT

Libraries use surveys and other instruments to gather feedback from their users. However, with competition from many other campus entities requesting input, how can survey fatigue be avoided? To gather this feedback, the Social Sciences Reference Desk utilized a short, fun and easy method. Each week for 10 weeks during the fall semester of 2017, the reference assistants wrote a survey question on a whiteboard and provided sticky notes for patrons to write their answers. The survey provided valuable information about patrons’ needs and expectations. It also fostered changes that were easily implemented to improve the delivery of library services.     

Long Distance Relationships: Assessing the Library Service Needs of Rural Students in eLearning Courses

ABSTRACT

In states with limited road accessibility, rural students can feel isolated from library services. This article explores the creation, implementation, and results of an on-going longitudinal study assessing the library service needs of rural students in eLearning courses. To align with current practices in online pedagogies, including the Association of College and Research Libraries' Standards for Distance Learning Library Services and recent revisions to the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education, this survey has been designed to help the library identify and improve services to enhance rural student success.     

Determining validity and identifying nonresponse bias in a survey requesting income data

Two procedures for validating incomes self-reported in ranges by University of Kentucky doctoral graduates, one comparing grouped data to income data collected by the National Academy of Sciences (1974) for the same year, 1973, the other comparing individual self-report data in a double-blind process to state income tax records, indicating that the self-report data were generally accurate. A check of respondents versus nonrespondents in various categories (sex, age, graduation year, Holland type, Biglan type) showed no difference in the proportion of response in any category. Comparison of nonrespondent income with respondent income in state income tax records revealed that nonrespondents averaged almost $3,500.00 less income during that year than did respondents. This finding held true across all categories but two.