Deconstructing test anxiety

Recent changes to educational policy which have focused attention on the use of high stakes testing as performance and accountability measures have renewed interest in test anxiety both in the UK and the USA. The aim of this paper is to provide a critical examination of the test anxiety construct, and explore the ways in which test anxiety is written about and conceptualised in the existing literature. It is intended that this paper would provide a companion to the comprehensive reviews that already exist, to provoke scholarly thought and debate around the existing literature, than to provide an additional review. Discussion is based around five themes: (1) how test anxiety is differentiated from the anxiety construct in general; (2) the differing conceptions of test anxiety in the literature; (3) the relationship between test anxiety and other, related constructs; (4) how measurement concerns have driven development of the test anxiety construct; and (5) the focus on worry and performance deficits leading to definitional problems. Two directions for future work are highlighted: first, to continue the exploration of test anxiety with other related constructs; and second, to develop qualitative approaches to the study of test anxiety.     

The sub‐culture of music and ICT in the classroom

In this paper the authors utilise findings from the Economic and Social Research Council‐funded InterActive Education project to present a characterisation of the sub‐culture of school music with Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in England. They consider the opportunities and challenges ICT presents to the teaching of primary (ages 4–11) and secondary (ages 11–18) classroom music through an investigation of the perceptions, personal philosophies and pedagogical styles of seven teachers with whom they worked over a period of three years. Their work is underpinned by Goodson and Mangan’s definition of subject sub‐culture and they draw on Shulman’s notion of ‘knowledge bases’ in order to categorise and discuss the data. Through the identification and elaboration of key themes, the authors provide a snapshot of the emerging sub‐culture of music and ICT in schools.     

Using digital technologies and contemporary psychometrics in the assessment of performance on complex practical tasks

There is a critical need for research into the use of digital technologies to support the assessment of performance on complex tasks in schools. This paper reports on a component of a pilot study aimed at investigating the use of digital forms of performance assessment, manageable within schools, with high levels of reliability and capable of being scaled up for statewide implementation. Student practical performances were represented in digital files, placed in an online repository and marked using both a standards‐reference and comparative pairs method. It was found that the short performance tasks exam was readily implemented and the work easily marked. The resulting scores were shown to be highly reliable and well correlated when compared with the other case studies and suitable for ranking students. However, the limitations of the tasks, time and scaffolding of the tasks reduced the study’s validity in assessing student capability in the course. Overall the results were encouraging and provide a basis for a larger and longer study that has commenced.     

Book Reviews

Abstract

This article reports on the distribution of the use of graphic calculators over the whole secondary school population in a Local Education Authority (LEA) in the United Kingdom. Quantitative and qualitative census data on the extent and nature of graphic calculator use have been obtained. A feature of this project is in the use of a teacher research team to gather data naturalistically. This work was designed to augment previous work in this area by providing census details for an entire LEA and by including reasons why graphic calculators are not used. The authors found that the key factors which contributed to use were: expertise within mathematics departments; regard for graphic calculators as learning aides from mathematics staff and as information and communication technology from senior staff; a ‘critical mass’ of older/higher attaining students. Key factors which inhibited use of graphic calculators were: lack of time to learn how to use the calculator and how to teach with it; concern over recent examination restrictions; perceptions of computers being a resource priority     

CCD杨氏模量调节若干问题的探讨

介绍了CCD杨氏模量调节方法,对在实验中经常出现的问题进行了分析讨论,并提出了解决的办法。     

跨文化交际中的文化定势及其对外语教学的启示

文化定势是跨文化交际中一种普遍存在、不可避免的认知方式,它是直接影响交际效果的重要因素之一。基于高校学生对文化定势和跨文化交际认知的调查,分析文化定势对跨文化交际产生的影响,尝试从教师和学生的角度提出解决办法,以帮助学生更好地进行跨文化交际。     

话本小说中高僧坐化的叙事效应

明清话本小说有诸多作品叙写了高僧坐化一事。从坐化特点看,高僧坐化吻合了人类学中“通过礼仪”理论,是一个通过仪式,象征了一个人生命修炼的过程。这一行为仪式具有塑造人物的立体性格、扩张故事的叙述方式、强化作品的教化功能等叙事效应。     

中小城镇高中教师压力现状调查及对策研究——以陕西省安康市为例

高中教师压力巨大,不仅影响教师自身身心健康,还会影响学生的健康成长。经对安康市四所中学100名高中教师进行问卷调查及分析,结果显示,当地高中教师普遍压力很大,压力源主要为教师、学生、硬件设施等资源分配不均,社会期望值过高,以及福利待遇与工作付出不成正比等。     

高校学生考试成绩分布的正态性检验

结合教学实际阐述了成绩正态分布检验的意义,用拟合优度的χ2检验法对成绩分布进行正态性检验。指出经过完善后的拟合优度χ2检验法更加合理,更具有实际意义。     

跨文化意识与公示语的汉英翻译

公示语汉英翻译时译者必须要有跨文化意识,才能使译文为目的语受众所接受,达到有效交际的目的。本文在分析公示语语言特点及公示语翻译中的文化失误表现的基础上,从跨文化意识的角度出发,提出相应的翻译策略。