Delving deeper into the black box: formative assessment,inclusion and learners on the autism spectrum

This paper explores the implementation of formative assessment through the ‘autism lens’ in order to analyse why the process can be exclusionary for some learners on the autism spectrum. The central thesis of the paper is that, where teachers have no understanding of the autism learning style, they are likely to revert to a normative, ‘majoritarian’ construction of learning. Two problems may flow from this. First, majoritarian assumptions about learning could dominate the inferential process that is the foundation stone of formative assessment. This could lead teachers to mis-read what is going on inside the heads of learners on the autism spectrum, and cause them to make partial and inaccurate inferences about their learning. Second, majoritarian assumptions may also inform the interactive process that underpins formative assessment. Social interaction can be challenging for learners on the autism spectrum and can limit or exclude their participation unless sensitive modifications are made to the social and communication environment. The case is, therefore, made for teacher awareness of a ‘minoritarian’ perspective that foregrounds knowledge and understanding of the autism learning style. Arguably, this knowledge and understanding could enable teachers to adapt the formative assessment process so that it is more effective and inclusive for this group of learners.     

Leadership and The Effective School

The article examines the origins and purposes of assessment for learning (AfL) within the National Curriculum Assessment context in England. As a part of the Primary Strategy, AfL became part of the government's drive to improve standards through measuring school outcomes. The authors describe their investigation into teachers' understandings of AfL, how AfL has influenced teaching, learning and assessment in the intervening six years and whether it has established a presence as part of teaching pedagogy.     

Teacher views on the effects of the change from coursework to controlled assessment in GCSEs

When General Certificates of Secondary Education (GCSEs) were introduced in the late 1980s, coursework was included as a requirement in many subjects. Coursework was intended to help best represent students' attainments, but concerns about various issues (e.g., tasks becoming formulaic, authenticity of student work, workload) led to a review and ultimately to its replacement with “controlled assessments”. This research investigated the effects of this change. A questionnaire was completed by 346 teachers across 6 subjects. Most teachers felt the risks of plagiarism are similar or have reduced. Two thirds of teachers reported that the introduction of controlled assessment has affected the way they teach, and around 60% feel it has affected the nature of the knowledge and skills learnt by students. There are reportedly practical challenges relating to timetabling, student absence, and increased administration. However, over 70% of teachers consider it “important” or “very important” to have some form of internal assessment in their subject.     

Predicting teachers' intentions to implement school-based assessment using the theory of planned behaviour

The theory of planned behaviour (TPB) was used to explore the Hong Kong teachers' intentions to implement school-based assessment (SBA) and the predictors of those intentions. A total of 280 teachers from Hong Kong secondary schools who had been involved in SBA were surveyed. Rasch-calibrated teacher measures were calculated for each of the 6 variables – affective and instrumental attitude, subjective norm, self-efficacy, knowledge, and intention – regarding SBA. The results of hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that instrumental attitude and self-efficacy made significant contributions to predicting intentions to implement SBA. These 2 predictors explained 55.2% of the variance in intentions. The other 3 variables, that is, affective attitude, subject norm, and knowledge, did not have significant predictive power on the formation of intentions to implement SBA. Possible explanations and implications of the findings are discussed.     

Culture and Technology: implications for multicultural teacher education

ABSTRACT

American classrooms are experiencing a rapid growth in cultural and ethnic diversity, as well as an increase in educational classroom computing. Because culture directly affects classroom organisation and classroom learning, teachers need to understand, incorporate, and support their students’ cultures. Furthermore, since educational computing is not culturally neutral, teachers in culturally diverse settings must integrate the computer culture, the classroom culture, and students’ learning preferences. To meet the need for culturally and technologically competent multicultural teachers, teacher education programs must first define both cultural competency and computer competency. After examining the relationship between culture and educational computing, the paper explores some essential components of cultural and technological competency for multicultural teachers. Finally, it indicates the need for further research on the interaction of culture and technology in the multicultural classroom.     

英国职业教育学业成就评价的质量保障研究

为提供高质量的职业教育学业成就评价,英国构建了职业教育学业成就评价的质量保障机制.该机制涵盖对核实评价结果、评价行为、评价记录和评价不当与申诉四个方面的规定和要求,重点凭借内部核查、评价实施以及评价记录三项措施起到质量保障作用.由此,我国职业院校可以通过构建或完善学业成就评价的标准化程序,寻求监控评价过程及结果的有效手段以及从促进学习和进步这一最终目标来看待学业成就评价这三方面来完善学业成就评价质量保障体系.     

基于模糊综合评价下体育赛事评价及考核体系研究

现阶段,体育赛事与社会、经济、文化等层面正形成日益紧密的联系。在对体育赛事评价和考核过程中,体育赛事属性、特征的识别、界定,对于体育赛事的价值评判和考核具有重要影响。根据模糊数学的隶属度理论,基于模糊数学的综合评标方法把定性评价转化为定量评价,从而较好地解决模糊的、难以量化的问题,适合各种非确定性问题的解决。将模糊综合评价法适用于大型体育赛事评价机制考核体系研究,可以更加科学、综合、客观地探讨体育赛事评价和考核体系。     

“绿色经济”浪潮下企业提升环境竞争力的思考

伴随人们的环境意识不断增强,环境因素对企业竞争力的影响越来越大,绿色消费浪潮呼唤企业提升环境竞争力,绿色贸易壁垒的多样化要求企业提升环境竞争力,企业环境竞争力的强弱构成了企业核心竞争力的重要内容。因此,企业家必须着眼于推行"绿色管理"保障企业提升环境竞争力。