Psychometric properties of the ProficiencyIn+E rubric: Self-evaluation of teaching skills

The aim of this article is to present the results of the empirical validation of the PROFICIENCyIn + E rubric for teacher self-evaluation, which allows us to know to what extent primary and secondary teachers consider themselves competent in eleven of the key competencies that have been identified through the review of the literature. The rubric has an online format and digital access through a learning management system aimed at schools. After completing it, teachers receive a personalized report on their competence profile. The reliability results show acceptable indices of internal consistency and empirical validation through the Multidimensional Non-Metre Scaling (PROXSCAL) procedure, suggesting that the rubric is an effective tool to evaluate teaching skills in non-university teaching. The use of this tool offers real opportunities for self-improvement and reflection amongst teachers related to their competencies and how to plan their professional development.     

Validating the Digital Games Motivation Scale for Comparative Research Between Countries

Researchers interested in motives for playing digital games can draw on a variety of measurement instruments. When the aim is to compare between groups, however, instruments need to show certain psychometric properties. Specifically, an instrument needs to be invariant. Without such properties, comparisons between groups run the danger of yielding invalid results. The current study investigates to what extent the Digital Games Motivation Scale (DGMS) can be used to compare motivations between cultures by testing it in four different countries. Results indicate configural, metric, and partial scalar invariance for the cross-cultural comparisons. In conclusion, this study presents a psychometrically sound measurement instrument that can be used in cross-cultural settings.     

Lie Acceptability: A Construct and Measure

People likely hold different opinions about deceptive communication. Lie acceptability refers to an individual's attitude about deceptive communication. A self-report measure of lie acceptability was updated and refined, and preliminary data (N = 312) consistent with validity were reported. CFA indicated acceptable fit to the a priori unidimensional model. As anticipated, the lie acceptability scale was positively related to narcissism and negatively associated with religiosity. The scale also predicted likelihood of use ratings of equivocal messages, deceptive omissions, and outright lies. An anticipated sex difference, however, was not replicated. The potential utility of the scale in communication research is discussed.     

Editorial

Along with the narrative turn in social sciences, the quality of research has become a more and more intricate issue. Action research reports are often narratives, located in the context of the evolving experiences of those involved. In this paper, the problem of quality in action research narratives is addressed, and some principles for assessing the quality of narrative research reports are proposed. The issue is explored both at a theoretical‐conceptual level and through a number of practical cases from the narrative‐biographical research project TeacherLife. As narrative researchers, the authors are not willing to accept an extremely relativistic stand. They argue the need for conceptual tools to grasp the problem of quality of narratives, but tools different from the traditional concepts of validity and reliability, which harbour markedly positivistic connotations. They propose five principles for judging the quality of action research from a narrative point of view. According to these principles, a good action research narrative firstly acknowledges the past course of events that have shaped the present practices (the principle of historical continuity). Secondly and thirdly, it is reflexive (the principle of reflexivity) and elaborates the story dialectically (the principle of dialectics). Fourthly, a decisive criterion for successful action research is that it produces some useable practices that, in one way or another, can be regarded as useful (the principle of workability). The authors agree with Aristotle, who claims that a good narrative involves a balance between ‘logos’, ‘ethos’ and ‘pathos’. They place emphasis on ‘ethos’ and ‘pathos’ through a principle of evocativeness. These criteria are not proposing as an established checklist, and the authors point to the overlap between some of them. They are drawn from experience in supervising action research projects, evaluating narrative reports and encouraging people to write authentic narratives of their research work.     

浅谈《企业会计准则——资产减值》的适用范围和主要特点

2006年2月15日财政部颁布了新的企业会计准则体系，其中资产减值准则是将我国原固定资产准则、无形资产准则中的有关内容整合修改而成的，变化较大。本文就资产减值准则的适用范围和主要特点进行分析。     

RegCM3 模式对中国近10 年来气温变化的模拟实验及检验

利用区域气候模式RegCM3模拟了2000年-2009年全国的气温及其变化,并通过地面气象观测资料对模拟结果进行了初步检验和分析。结果表明：模式总体上能模拟出全国的气温分布、梯度变化以及较为明显的高温中心,对中东部地区的模拟效果优于西部的青藏高原、新疆等地区。代表性气象站点2005年-2009年较2000年-2004年气温变化趋势的观测结果与模拟一致,模式具有一定的区域气候变化模拟能力。利用各区域气象站观测资料对模拟结果进行检验,进一步模拟出气温的年度和季节变化,对东北和华北的模拟效果优于其它地区,但模式对气温的模拟存在系统性偏低现象,特别是北方地区的高温季节、西南-长江流域一线的低温季节气温偏低较为明显。在全球气候变化背景下极端气候事件频繁发生,因此未来对模式模拟性能会有更高要求,在提高模式分辨率、改进模式物理化学机制,以及使用更多的地面观测资料等方面需要进一步深入研究。     

Self-assessment instrument to measure the competencies of Namibian graduates: Testing of validity and reliability

Namibia has been reported to be one of the countries with the highest unemployment rates. In this work, the reliability and validity of the self-assessment instrument used to measure competencies of graduates in Namibia were assessed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and second-order confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The EFA results demonstrated that the twenty indicators can be categorized into five factors, namely, “management and resilience”, “professional and communication”, “teamwork and critical thinking”, “self-control”, and “achievement motive”. The CFA results showed that all of the factors and indicators are highly reliable with good construct validity. Students and graduates could employ this validated self-assessment instrument to assess or diagnose a pattern of strengths and weaknesses in their own competencies and provide themselves with a realistic and objective estimate of their employability, as well as help them increase effectiveness in their workplace.     

The development and use of an instrument to measure willingness to seek help from peers and teachers when studying college mathematics

As part of a three-phase study, 18 items were developed to measure aspects of a student’s willingness to seek help from and/or work with peers and teachers when studying college mathematics. In the first phase, 24 items were developed and administered to 165 undergraduate college students. During the second phase, 20 items, modified from the first instrument, were completed by a sample of 314 undergraduate college students. The sample was randomly divided in half and principal factor analysis with varimax rotation was performed on the first half. Two factors emerged and were interpreted as: Willingness to Work with Students (nine items); and Willingness to Seek Help from Teachers (nine items). Based on the results of the exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis was performed on the second half of the sample. Coefficient α estimates were calculated to assess internal consistency. In the third phase, the final 18-item survey was given to 140 undergraduate college students and confirmatory factor analysis was again performed based on the results of the exploratory factor analysis from Phase II. Recommendations for future uses of these scales are given.     

Comparing age-wise reference intervals for serum creatinine concentration in a “Reality check” of the recommended cut-off

An increase in the communication within the healthcare services, both nationally and internationally, has strengthened the need for harmonization of measurements and reference intervals in laboratory medicine. In the present report, the calculated reference interval for serum creatinine (sCr) levels of healthy normal individuals (n=1121) in different sex and age groups are compared with the established interval. The calculated reference interval for sCr level was 0.4–1.3 mg/dL and 0.6 to 1.3 mg/dL in the age groups of 21–40 and 41–60 years respectively. The difference between the mean sCr values in total males and total females (age range 21–60 years) was statistically significant (p<0.0001); When male and female subjects were analyzed age-group wise, the data showed a significant difference in mean sCr values (p<0.0001) in three age groups (21–30, 31–40 and 41–50 years) however, in older age group (51–60 years), the difference was non-significant (p=0.07). The reference ranges were 0.7–1.3 and 0.4–1.0 mg/dL for males and females respectively where the lower limit was 0.1–0.2 units less than that of standard limits. An increase in the mean value of sCr was observed particularly in females with an increase in age. Hence it is of interest to validate an age specific reference ranges for sCr in our population.     

Patent validation at the country level—The role of fees and translation costs

One feature of the European patent system that is heavily criticized nowadays is related to its fragmentation and the induced cost burden for applicants. Once a patent is granted by the EPO, the assignee must validate (and often translate) it and pay the renewal fees to keep it in force in each country in which protection is sought. The objective of this paper is to assess to what extent validation and renewal fees as well as translation costs affect the validation behavior of applicants. We rely on a gravity model that aims at explaining patent flows between inventor and target countries within the European patent system. The results show that the size of countries, their wealth and the distance between their capital cities are significant determinants of patent flows. Validation fees and renewal fees further affect the validation behavior of applicants. Translation costs seem to have an impact as well. The implementation of cost-reducing policy interventions like the London Protocol will, therefore, induce a significant increase in the number of patents validated in each European country.