Education Commons^™

Group Of National Experts On The Ahelo Feasibility Study : Engineering Assessment Framework : Ahelo Feasibility Study, Hamish Coates, Sarah Richardson, Jacob Pearce, Julian Fraillon

Julian Fraillon

This AHELO Engineering Assessment Framework describes and illustrates the domain of engineering competency that is used in the AHELO Feasibility Study. The framework gives an organisational structure for the domain in terms of engineering knowledge, processes and contexts; describes the types of assessment items that have been developed; and details how reporting will be carried out. - p.4

The Mathematics Education Of Future Primary And Secondary Teachers : Methods And Findings From The Teacher Education And Development Study In Mathematics, Maria Tatto, Sharon Senk, Glenn Rowley, Ray Peck

Ray Peck

In 2005, the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), Michigan State University, and the Australian Council for Educational Research took an important step in advancing the field of education by partnering to develop and implement the first international and comparative study of mathematics teacher education. The study was made possible by the substantial funding received from the National Science Foundation, the IEA, and the collaboration of 17 participating countries. The purpose of this article is to illustrate the methodology used in this major cross-national study of teacher education—the IEA Teacher Education and Development Study in Mathematics, known …

Scaling Procedures For Iccs Test Items, Wolfram Schulz, Julian Fraillon

Julian Fraillon

This chapter describes the procedures used to analyse and scale the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS) international and regional test items that were administered to measure students’ civic knowledge. The chapter covers the following topics: the scaling model used to analyze and scale the test items; test coverage and item dimensionality; assessment of item fit; assessment of scorer reliabilities for open-ended items; differential item functioning by gender; review of cross-national measurement equivalence; international item adjudication; international item calibration and test reliability; international ability estimates (plausible values and weighted likelihood estimates); estimation of changes in civic content knowledge between …

The Development Of Regional Instruments, David Kerr, Wolfram Schulz, Julian Fraillon

Julian Fraillon

The International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS) included regional modules for Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Thirty-five of the 38 countries that participated in ICCS opted to be involved in these regional modules. Twenty-four countries participated in the European module, six in the Latin American module, and five countries in the Asian module. Regional instruments were developed for each module and were administered to students after they had completed the international assessment. These instruments were designed to address aspects of civic and citizenship education specific to each region. The results of these additional data collections are reported in a …

Overview Of The Iea International Civic And Citizenship Education Study, John Ainley, Wolfram Schulz

Dr John Ainley

The International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS) studied the ways in which young people are prepared to undertake their roles as citizens. ICCS was based on the premise that preparing students for citizenship roles involves developing relevant knowledge and understanding as well as helping them form positive attitudes toward being a citizen and participating in activities related to civic and citizenship education. It also examined differences among countries in relation to these outcomes of civic and citizenship education, and it explored how differences among countries relate to student characteristics, school and community contexts, and national characteristics. This technical report …

Translation And National Adaptations Of Iccs 2009 Instruments, Barbara Malak, Alana Yu, Wolfram Schulz, Tim Friedman

Dr Tim Friedman

In close collaboration with the participating countries, the international study center (ISC) developed an international English version of the ICCS assessment and questionnaires. These materials were subsequently translated and adapted by countries to their languages of instruction. Throughout this translation and adaptation process, the overarching aim was to create high-quality instruments that were internationally comparable yet also appropriate to each country’s national context and education system. The ICCS instruments were administered in 31 languages, the most common being English and Spanish. Even when the language of testing was English, adaptations were still required to suit the cultural setting and the …

Enhancing Education, Sheldon Rothman, David Slattery, Sarah Buckley, John Ainley

Dr Sheldon Rothman

The Analysis Of Measurement Equivalence In International Studies Using The Rasch Model, Wolfram Schulz, Julian Fraillon

Julian Fraillon

When comparing data derived from tests or questionnaires in cross-national studies, researchers commonly assume measurement invariance in their underlying scaling models. However, different cultural contexts, languages, and curricula can have powerful effects on how students respond in different countries. This article illustrates how the application of the Rasch item response theory (IRT) model (Rasch, 1960) can be used for assessing differences in measurement properties of tests and questionnaires with reference to examples from the field trial analyses for the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS). It also discusses the general …

Experiences In The Field: The Evolution Of A Teacher Technology Professional Development Model, M. Robertshaw, Andrew Walker, Mimi Recker, Heather Leary, Linda Sellers

Linda Sellers

The New Science of Learning: Cognition, Computers and Collaboration in Education deftly explores the multiple relationships found among these critical elements in students’ increasingly complex and multi-paced educational experience. Starting with instructors’ insights into the cognitive effects of digital media—a diverse range of viewpoints with little consensus—this cutting-edge resource acknowledges the double-edged potential inherent in computer-based education and its role in shaping students’ thinking capabilities.

Tool Use And The Effect Of Action On The Imagination, D. Schwartz, Doug Holton

Douglas L Holton

Three studies examined the claim that hand movements can facilitate imagery for object rotations but that this facilitation depends on people's model of the situation. In Experiment 1, physically turning a block without vision reduced mental rotation times compared with imagining the same rotation without bodily movement. In Experiment 2, pulling a string from a spool facilitated participants' mental rotation of an object sitting on the spool. In Experiment 3, depending on participants' model of the spool, the exact same pulling movement facilitated or interfered with the exact same imagery transformation. Results of Experiments 2 and 3 indicate that the …

Using Moodle To Teach Constructivist Learning Design Skills To Adult Learners, Doug Holton

Douglas L Holton

As instructors move further into the incorporation of 21st century technologies in adult education, a new paradigm of digitally-enriched mediated learning has emerged. 'Adult Learning in the Digital Age: Perspectives on Online Technologies and Outcomes' provides a comprehensive framework of trends and issues related to adult learning for the facilitation of authentic learning in the age of digital technology. This significant reference source offers researchers, academicians, and practitioners a valuable compendium of expert ideas, practical experiences, field challenges, and potential opportunities concerning the advancement of new technological and pedagogical techniques used in adult schooling.

Designing To Learn About Complex Systems, Cindy Hmelo, Doug Holton, Janet Kolodner

Douglas L Holton

Complex systems are commonly found in natural and physical science. Understanding such systems is often difficult because they may be viewed from multiple perspectives and their analysis may conflict with or extend beyond the range of everyday experience. There are many complex structural, behavioral, and functional relations to understand as well. Design activities, which allow explorations of how systems work, can be an excellent way to help children acquire a deeper, more systemic understanding of such complex domains. We report on a design experiment in which 6th grade children learned about the human respiratory system by designing artificial lungs and …

Developmental And Educational Perspectives On Theory Change: To Have And To Hold, Or To Have And Hone?, Richard Duschl, Gedeon Deaak, Kirsten Ellenbogen, Doug Holton

Douglas L Holton

Eric Schwitzgebel presents an attractive argument for the use of affective indicators to both assess and extend the ''theory theory'' research agenda. A key component of his argument is an account of explanation that can be applied to both children and adults, few of whom possess the attributes and behaviors that warrant being called scientists. The core features of his account include 1) regarding a set of propositions as a theory and 2) subscribing to a theory by accepting and employing this set of propositions to explain events within the theory''s domain. We will argue that this account, while potentially …

Towards A Nation Of Educoders: A Roadmap For Sustainably Broadening And Improving Open Source Educational Software, Doug Holton

Douglas L Holton

The goal of this chapter is to review the history of educational software development and propose specific strategies for expanding the development of educational software that is free, open source, and more effective for learning. These strategies would make it easier for teachers, students, and other non-programmers to modify or design their own educational applications and better educate software programmers about how people learn.

How People Learn With Computer Simulations, Doug Holton

Douglas L Holton

Not only have educators and trainers alike begun to harness the power of instructional technology and human performance techniques, but now businesses and industries have incorporated these technologies for training development and performance improvement. The 'Handbook of Research on Human Performance and Instructional Technology' provides theoretical understanding of the essential link between education, training development, organization development, performance improvement, and instructional technology. An innovative publication useful to worldwide businesses, industry, schools, and higher academic institutions, this Handbook of Research is instrumental in providing the latest knowledge related to instructional technology and human performance in order to meet the needs and …

Designing Animated Simulations And Web-Based Assessments To Improve Engineering Education, Doug Holton, A. Verma

Douglas L Holton

Rapid advances in computer technology and the internet have created new opportunities for delivering instruction and revolutionizing the learning environment. This development has been accelerated by the significant reduction in cost of the Internet infrastructure and the easy accessibility of the World-Wide-Web. 'Web-Based Engineering Education: Critical Design and Effective Tools' evaluates the usefulness of advanced learning systems in delivering instructions in a virtual academic environment for different engineering sectors. This reference source aims at providing a deep probe into the most relevant issues in engineering education and digital learning and will offer a survey of how digital engineering education has …

Report On The Development Of The University Experience Survey, Ali Radloff, Hamish Coates, Richard James, Kerri-Lee Krause

Ali Radloff

In 2011, the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) commissioned a Consortium led by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and including the University of Melbourne’s Centre for the Study of Higher Education (CSHE) and the Griffith Institute for Higher Education (GIHE) to develop an instrument and methodology for a new national survey of the experience of university students—the University Experience Survey (UES). The University Experience Survey (UES) is one of a number of initiatives being developed by the Australian Government to help ensure the ongoing improvement in the quality of teaching and learning in Australian universities. …

Group Of National Experts On The Ahelo Feasibility Study : Engineering Assessment Framework : Ahelo Feasibility Study, Hamish Coates, Sarah Richardson, Jacob Pearce, Julian Fraillon

Dr Jacob Pearce

This AHELO Engineering Assessment Framework describes and illustrates the domain of engineering competency that is used in the AHELO Feasibility Study. The framework gives an organisational structure for the domain in terms of engineering knowledge, processes and contexts; describes the types of assessment items that have been developed; and details how reporting will be carried out. - p.4

Whole-School Mental Health Promotion In Australia, Phillip Slee, Katherine Dix, Helen Askell-Williams

Dr Katherine Dix

Students With Special Needs: State Of The Nation, Katherine Dix

Dr Katherine Dix

Mobile Devices As Assistive Technologies, Sacha Develle

Dr Sacha DeVelle

As mobile devices continue to make inroads into educational environments in low-resource settings, it is ever more important that learners with disabilities be considered and included in the productive use of these technologies. Indeed, as innovations in mobile technologies continue to proliferate and lead to greater affordability, opportunities abound for providing these learners, long too often forgotten, with the tools and services they need in order to benefit from access to rich educational experiences. This session will explore innovative uses of mobile technologies for inclusive education efforts, including efforts by Cambridge to Africa in using mobile phones to improve education …

Codebook: The Lsay 1998 Year 9 Sample Wave 4 (2001) Technical Report No. 26, Kylie Hillman

Kylie Hillman

The 1998 Year 9 Cohort (Y98) In 1998, a nationally representative sample of approximately 14,000 Year 9 students was selected to form the second cohort of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth. The sample was constructed by randomly selecting two Year 9 classes from a sample of schools designed to represent state and sector. Reading and numeracy tests were administered to students in their schools to provide information on early school achievement for use in later analyses of educational and labour market participation. Students also completed a background questionnaire about their educational and vocational plans and attitudes to school. Details …

The Migration Of Non-Metropolitan Youth Towards The Cities, Kylie Hillman

Kylie Hillman

Rural communities in Australia have long felt concern about the rate at which young people leave home to head for major cities, many never to return. Kylie Hillman explores the extent of this problem. The latest results from the long-running Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY), published in late February, show that more than one third of young Australians from non-metropolitan areas relocate to a major city in the years immediately after leaving school. Although some return in the years to come, non-metropolitan areas experience a net loss of a quarter of their young people.

Attitudes, Intentions And Participation In Education: Year 12 And Beyond, Kylie Hillman

Kylie Hillman

This briefing paper synthesis findings from several LSAY Research Reports (5, 27, 31, 33 and 41) which report on how student attitudes and engagement in the formative school years influence subsequent participation in post-compulsory education and training.

Codebook: The Lsay 1998 Year 9 Sample Wave 6 (2003) Technical Report No. 30, Kylie Hillman

Kylie Hillman

In 1998, a nationally representative sample of approximately 14,000 Year 9 students was selected to form the second cohort of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth. The sample was constructed by randomly selecting two Year 9 classes from a sample of schools designed to represent state and sector. Reading and numeracy tests were administered to students in their schools to provide information on school achievement for use in later analyses of educational and labour market participation. Students also completed a background questionnaire about their educational and vocational plans and attitudes to school. Details on the 1998 survey are provided in …

Codebook: The Lsay 1995 Year 9 Sample Wave 10 (2004) Technical Report No. 33, Kylie Hillman

Kylie Hillman

In 1995, a nationally representative sample of approximately 13,000 Year 9 students was selected to form the first cohort of the new Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth program. The sample was constructed by randomly selecting two Year 9 classes from a national sample of 300 schools designed to represent state and sector. Reading and numeracy tests were administered to students in their schools to provide information on school achievement for use in later analyses of educational and labour market participation. Students also completed a background questionnaire about their educational and vocational plans and attitudes to school. In 1996, these students …

Lsay Cohort Report The Year 9 Class Of 1998 In 2002, Kylie Hillman, Sheldon Rothman

Kylie Hillman

This report provides details of the experiences of the 1998 cohort of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (abbreviated to LSAY Y98) at a single point in time. Information on this cohort was first collected in 1998, when these young people were Year 9 students in Australian schools. The reference period for this report is October 2002. Most members of the cohort were in their first post-school year, having completed their secondary schooling at the end of 2001. Information about the cohort's activities in previous years is available in earlier reports in this series.

Becoming An Adult : Leaving Home, Relationships And Home Ownership Among Australian Youth, Kylie Hillman, Gary Marks

Kylie Hillman

Most studies on the transition from school implicitly assume that adulthood is reached upon gaining full-time work. This report focuses on other aspects of adulthood: moving out of home, establishing a relationship, and buying a house. The report documents the incidence of these events over time and analyses their relationship with social background, demographic and labour market factors. The study uses data from the four Youth in Transition cohorts born in 1961, 1965, 1970 and 1975. [Author abstract]

Career Advice In Australian Secondary Schools: Use And Usefulness, Sheldon Rothman, Kylie Hillman

Kylie Hillman

This report examines young people’s participation in career advice activities while at school and their perceptions of the usefulness of the advice they receive. The data are from the 2003 15 yearold cohort of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY). Most members of this LSAY Y03 cohort were in Year 10 in 2003. The present report examines how much career advice students accessed in Years 10, 11 and 12 across three years of data collection (2003–2005). A smaller group of the cohort is followed each year; this group was in Year 10 in 2003, Year 11 in 2004, and …

Pathways From School To Work., Phillip Mckenzie, Kylie Hillman

Kylie Hillman

Drawing on data from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth, this paper examines the main pathways by which young Australians move from school to work. It identifies which young people take which pathways, discusses the mapping of pathways to work using longitudinal data, and outlines some policy challenges.