The promise and reality of formative assessment practice in a continuous assessment scheme: the case of Trinidad and Tobago

Continuous Assessment (CA) systems are externally directed, curriculum-based assessment schemes used for both summative and formative purposes within classrooms. CA has been implemented as national policy in several postcolonial developing countries and is believed to hold great promise for improving education outcomes. This theory-driven evaluation (TDE) used a mixed methods research design to interrogate the nature of CA practice. The focus was on stakeholders’ understanding and practice of formative assessment in the CA Programme (CAP) of Trinidad and Tobago. The integrated findings suggest that the programme planners’ formative intent was often not fulfilled. Instead, teachers routinely recorded assessment marks without using the data. There is evidence that formative assessment practice was not congruent with teachers’ pedagogical beliefs and practices. Although the design of CA schemes suggests the possibility of synergy between formative and summative purposes, in reality this ideal is rarely achieved in these particular contexts.     

Financial information management for university departments,using open-source software

This paper presents a model to analyse the different outcomes generated by the application of Task-Technology Fit (TTF) theory to economic and financial information management in university departments. This model extends that proposed by Goodhue (1995), in two ways: (i) a key role is played by the manager in designing the technology and in performing the task in question. Both of these aspects can be modified, depending on the evaluation made of a series of characteristics (or dimensions) inherent to the model. (ii) The free dissemination of the source code of the application not only allows the transfer of knowledge, but also creates virtual communities which, through collaborative work and the exchange of experiences, can achieve a better fit of the technology to the task at hand. This model has been introduced in several departments at the University of Granada (Spain), and evaluated in terms of the results obtained at both individual and group levels. This evaluation was conducted by means of in-depth interviews with departmental managers.     

中外智慧农业的历史演进与政策动向比较分析*

基于政府引导视角,通过梳理主要发达国家与中国在支持智慧农业发展的相关战略与政策,考察中外智慧农业的支持重点与方向。研究表明,全球智慧农业经历了“探索萌芽—起步发展—理论形成—数据驱动”4个阶段,主要发达国家重点围绕农业传感器、农业大数据、智慧农业集成应用与示范等进行战略布局,我国政策演变逻辑表现为从“强基础”转向“重示范”和从“汇聚部门数据”转向“数据驱动决策”,针对现阶段我国智慧农业研发应用水平与强国目标不匹配问题,建议充分把握新阶段农业高质量发展对智慧农业科技的需求,分类有序推动智慧农业工程落地与产业化发展。     

中外体育管理专业发展的历史与启示

采用文献资料、比较和逻辑推理等研究方法，分析国外体育管理专业形成和发展的历史，指出国内体育管理专业发展历程中所出现的问题。认为，应加强专业培养与职业联系，完善我国体育管理专业发展组织结构，重视志愿者活动与实习等环节。     

第12届欧洲足球锦标赛决赛阶段各队进球统计与分析

通过对第12届欧洲足球锦标赛决赛阶段31场比赛的77个进球情况进行统计分析,结果显示,下半场的进球数高于上半场,比赛的开始时段是进球的低谷,75～90min时段是进球的高峰;进球的主要射门区域是在罚球区内;进球射门方式以脚射为主;中路进攻和边路进攻相结合才是进球的有效手段;各位置进球最多的是前锋运动员。     

欧洲篮球的飞跃与中国男篮的发展

运用文献资料、数理统计和录像观察法,对第28届奥运会和近年世界男篮高水平比赛的资料进行分析整理,发现欧洲男篮进步的原因及中国男篮存在的问题,提出了相应的建议,为促进中国男篮的发展提供参考.     

Examining the moderating effect of individual-level cultural values on users’ acceptance of E-learning in developing countries: a structural equation modeling of an extended technology acceptance model

In this study, we examine the effects of individual-level culture on the adoption and acceptance of e-learning tools by students in Lebanon using a theoretical framework based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). To overcome possible limitations of using TAM in developing countries, we extend TAM to include subjective norms (SN) and quality of work life constructs as additional constructs and a number of cultural variables as moderators. The four cultural dimensions of masculinity/femininity (MF), individualism/collectivism, power distance and uncertainty avoidance were measured at the individual level to enable them to be integrated into the extended TAM as moderators and a research model was developed based on previous literature. To test the hypothesised model, data were collected from 569 undergraduate and postgraduate students using e-learning tools in Lebanon via questionnaire. The collected data were analysed using the structural equation modelling technique in conjunction with multi-group analysis. As hypothesised, the results of the study revealed perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), SN and quality of work life to be significant determinants of students’ behavioural intention (BI) towards e-learning. The empirical results also demonstrated that the relationship between SN and BI was particularly sensitive to differences in individual-cultural values, with significant moderating effects observed for all four of the cultural dimensions studied. Some moderating effects of culture were also found for both PU and PEOU, however, contrary to expectations the effect of quality of work life was not found to be moderated by MF as some previous authors have predicted. The implications of these results to both theory and practice are explored in the paper.     

新贸易壁垒:欧盟生质燃料可持续标准研究

在气候变化应对背景下,生质燃料被多国寄予厚望,但生质燃料的生产具有一定的负面影响,为此发达国家纷纷建立可持续标准。欧盟是生质燃料可持续标准立法的先行者,欧盟可持续标准是迄今为止最为详细的可持续标准。从WTO有关相同产品和贸易歧视的规定来看,欧盟生质燃料可持续标准存在违法之嫌。为保护发展中国家的利益,国际社会应该加强合作,推动可持续标准的一体化。     

经济全球化下发展中国家企业发展生态

发展中国家在现代经济全球化中面对一个几乎是完全陌生的生态环境，充满着机遇，更充满着风险，如何趋利避害是发展中国家面对的根本问题。对现代经济全球化产生的背景，内涵，特别是对发展中国家企业发展面对的国际生态环境进行浅探。