The key role of representativeness in evidence-based education

ABSTRACT

Within evidence-based education, results from randomised controlled trials (RCTs), and meta-analyses of them, are taken as reliable evidence for effectiveness – they speak to “what works”. Extending RCT results requires establishing that study samples and settings are representative of the intended target. Although widely recognised as important for drawing causal inferences from RCTs, claims regarding representativeness tend to be poorly evidenced. Strategies for demonstrating it typically involve comparing observable characteristics (e.g., race, gender, location) of study samples to those in the population of interest to decision makers. This paper argues that these strategies provide insufficient evidence for establishing representativeness. Characteristics typically used for comparison are unlikely to be causally relevant to all educational interventions. Treating them as evidence that supports extending RCT results without providing evidence demonstrating their relevance undermines the inference. Determining what factors are causally relevant requires studying the causal mechanisms underlying the interventions in question.     

绘本写话教学的有效性探究

写话教学要求激发学生写话兴趣并引导其掌握语言表达基本方法,借助文字表达思想。在核心素养教育的背景下,如何提高低年级绘本写话教学水平,成为语文教师的教学创新渠道之一。文章结合具体教学实践,从绘本的特点出发,结合学情提出绘本写话教学的新思路:图文并茂,强化语言建构;开放思维,搭建绘本写话桥梁;仿写续写,在迁移运用中实践提高。     

试析大学英语口语考试的效度和信度

从大学英语口语考试的考试形式、信息输入及评分标准等方面分析了其效度和信度,并对其潜在问题提出了一些建议。     

Name writing ability not length of name is predictive of future academic attainment

Background: The Performance Indicators in Primary Schools On Entry Baseline assessment for pupils starting school includes an item which aims to assess how well a pupil writes his or her own name. There is some debate regarding the utility of this measure, on the grounds that name length may constitute bias.

Purpose, method and design: The predictive validity of this item and its link to name length was investigated with a view to using this item in further assessments. Previous modest scale work from the USA, suggests that name writing ability is a robust indicator which correlates substantively with other known indicators of later reading whilst remaining independent of name length. This paper greatly expanded the sample size and geographical coverage and, rather than concurrent measures, the predictive validity of the item is assessed. The sample includes children from England, Scotland and Australia (N = 14932), assessed between 2011 and 2013. Potential confounding factors that are analysed include age, geographical region and ethnicity.

Findings and conclusions: The evidence suggests that the name writing item is a robust measure, with good predictive validity to future academic outcomes in early reading, phonological awareness and mathematics. The length was not related to the ability to write one’s own name nor was it predictive of future outcomes.     

One size fits all? The limitations of standardised assessment in critical thinking

In today’s market-driven educational culture, universities are coming under increasing pressure to justify funding through the disclosure of measurable outcomes in education and research. One educational objective that receives particular attention is critical thinking, regarded as an essential skill in both academic and work environments. The assessment of critical thinking has become a significant enterprise, with a number of standardised tests available for both individuals and organisations. While these tests are based on well-known taxonomies of critical thinking, this paper argues that institutions should be wary of using them as a means to measure educational outcomes. First, they fail to take into account fundamentally contested issues within conceptions of critical thinking. They also have significant weaknesses in terms of validity and reliability. Finally, and most importantly, they provide only a limited assessment of critical thinking, failing to evaluate the skills exercised in real-life academic tasks. A more effective approach to critical thinking testing would be one implemented at a faculty level, with assessments carried out on coursework integral to the curricula of specific academic disciplines.     

对课程考试成绩有效性的定量分析

在教学评价体系当中,教学效果的评价很大程度上就是对课程考试成绩作统计分析.要使评价公平、公正,前提条件就是课程考试成绩必须是有效的,是能够真实反映学生的学习水平的.如何在实际考试成绩的基础上,运用教育测量与统计的方法和理论,查找出当中无效的、不能真实反映学生学习水平的课程考试成绩在研究中是十分重要的.     

释义推理效度信度——兼读格特《翻译作为语际间阐释之用》

文章在通过对关联理论及厄恩斯特·奥古斯特·格特的关联翻译介绍的基础上,来分析关联翻译理论的贡献与不足,使读者更好的了解此理论,以期获得一些新的启示.     

Core stability training on lower limb balance strength

This study aimed to assess the effects of core stability training on lower limbs’ muscular asymmetries and imbalances in team sport. Twenty footballers were divided into two groups, either core stability or control group. Before each daily practice, core stability group (n = 10) performed a core stability training programme, while control group (n = 10) did a standard warm-up. The effects of the core stability training programme were assessed by performing isokinetic tests and single-leg countermovement jumps. Significant improvement was found for knee extensors peak torque at 3.14 rad · s^?1 (14%; P < 0.05), knee flexors peak torque at 1.05 and 3.14 rad · s^?1 (19% and 22% with P < 0.01 and P < 0.01, respectively) and peak torque flexors/extensors ratios at 1.05 and 3.14 rad · s^?1 (7.7% and 8.5% with P < 0.05 and P < 0.05, respectively) only in the core stability group. The jump tests showed a significant reduction in the strength asymmetries in core stability group (?71.4%; P = 0.02) while a concurrent increase was seen in the control group (33.3%; P < 0.05). This study provides practical evidence in combining core exercises for optimal lower limbs strength balance development in young soccer players.     

GT3X+ accelerometer placement affects the reliability of step-counts measured during running and pedal-revolution counts measured during bicycling

Accelerometers provide a measure of step-count. Reliability and validity of step-count and pedal-revolution count measurements by the GT3X+ accelerometer, placed at different anatomical locations, is absent in the literature. The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability and validity of step and pedal-revolution counts produced by the GT3X+ placed at different anatomical locations during running and bicycling.

Twenty-two healthy adults (14 men and 8 women) completed running and bicycling activity bouts (5 minutes each) while wearing 6 accelerometers: 2 each at the waist, thigh and shank. Accelerometer and video data were collected during activity.

Excellent reliability and validity were found for measurements taken from accelerometers mounted at the waist and shank during running (Reliability: intraclass correlation (ICC) ≥ 0.99; standard error of measurement (SEM) ≤1.0 steps; Validity: Pearson ≥ 0.99) and at the thigh and shank during bicycling (Reliability: ICC ≥ 0.99; SEM ≤1.0 revolutions; Validity: Pearson ≥ 0.99). Excellent reliability was found between measurements taken at the waist and shank during running (ICC ≥ 0.98; SEM ≤1.6 steps) and between measurements taken at the thigh and shank during bicycling (ICC ≥ 0.99; SEM ≤1.0 revolutions). These data suggest that the GT3X+ can be used for measuring step-count during running and pedal-revolution count during bicycling. Only shank placement is recommended for both activities.