Education Commons^™

The Contribution Of Iea Research Studies To Australian Education, John Ainley, John Keeves, Jan Lokan, Petra Lietz, Geoff Masters, Sue Thomson

Prof Geoff Masters AO

This chapter is concerned with the contribution of the research studies conducted by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) to Australian education. During a period of 50 years education across the world has undergone a remarkable transformation. Many of the changes that have occurred have been initiated by the United Nations Organization and its agen¬cies, particularly UNESCO. From its origins within the UNESCO Institute in Hamburg, IEA and its programs have evolved to develop the worldwide conduct of research in education both through the undertaking and reporting of studies as well as the informal training of …

A Slow Burn: The Impact Of Ials In Australia, Juliette Mendelovits

Juliette Mendelovits

Australia Australia has put its hand up to participate in all the international literacy surveys on offer: IALS in the second wave (1996), the ALL Survey in the second wave (2006), and PIAAC in 2011-12 – in the field right now. Nevertheless, until very recently Australia’s general response to the surveys can best be described as inert: more in the vein of our habitual “she’ll be right” than the “clever country” that our prime minister of the 1980s urged us to become. For most of the period since the IALS results were published in 1997, Australia paid little attention to …

Which Form Of Assessment In A Chemistry Examination Best Describes Student Understanding?, Ross Hudson

Dr Ross Hudson

No abstract provided.

Assessing Student Learning: Why Reform Is Overdue, Geoff Masters

Prof Geoff Masters AO

Student Affairs Program Evaluation: A Factor Analytic Solution, Oscar T. Mcknight

Oscar T McKnight Ph.D.

This program and presentation addresses the use of factor analysis in program evaluation. Specific focus will highlight the development and selection of marker items. The goal is to label and interpret factors according to targeted questions of interest. Therefore, results are not only descriptive, but predictive - with practical application to student retention and satisfaction. Process is useful for benchmarking best practices; measuring student satisfaction and learning; tracking student participation; evaluating program results; determining future program or service needs; and, assessing effectiveness of delivered programs.

Cleveland Schools Social Skills Training Program Showing Positive Results, David Volosin, Oscar T. Mcknight, John Sikula

Oscar T McKnight Ph.D.

This article reports on research conducted in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District by the Society for Prevention of Violence (SPV). A total of 1500 students and 150 teachers participated in a social skills training program. Statistically significant positive results were found over the course of the 2009 - 2010 school year. A positive change in the school environment was documented via a thirty-five item learning survey. Because of the positive results, during the 2010 - 2011 school year, SPV's social skills training program is being implemented in all three Parma middle schools.

Assess Without Distress, Susan Adams, Trish Mullaney

Susan Adams

Workshop presented at the 2011 Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages Conference, New Orleans, LA, March 16-19, 2011.

Strategic Marketing For Economic Development: A Comparative Study, Megan Polak, Oscar T. Mcknight, Ronald Paugh

Oscar T McKnight Ph.D.

This study surveyed economic development directors from 118 cities from within the continental United States. The research concern was their strategic economic development plan. Electronic surveys asked participants to identify strategic components of their economic development plan; first, by intent of focus and second by rank-order. Designated areas of economic development included: Retail, Commercial, Residential or Industrial. In addition, the survey inquired as to their planned marketing communication channel and expected reach (i.e. footprint). Findings suggested that most cities were seeking to promote "all areas equally" - industrial development surfaced as the area of economic development listed with the highest …

Queensland Teachers’ Conceptions Of Assessment: The Impact Of Policy Priorities On Teacher Attitudes, Gavin Brown, Robert Lake, Gabrielle Matters

Dr Gabrielle Matters

The conceptions Queensland teachers have about assessment purposes were surveyed in 2003 with an abridged version of the Teacher Conceptions of Assessment Inventory. Multi-group analysis found that a model with four factors, somewhat different in structure to previous studies, was statistically different between Queensland primary and (lower) secondary teachers. Primary teachers agreed more than secondary teachers that ‘assessment improves teaching and learning’, while the latter agreed more that it ‘makes students accountable’. The inter-correlation of ‘assessment is irrelevant’ to ‘makes students accountable’ was statistically stronger for primary teachers. Teacher beliefs reflected the differing practices of assessment by level of schooling.

Between The Ideal And The Practical: Using Assessment To Find The Balance, Rishi Sriram, Laine Scales, Meghan Oster

Rishi Sriram, Ph.D.

Rishi Sriram, T. Laine Scales, and Meghan Oster share how the assessment efforts of Baylor University’s Engaged Learning Groups have led to effective advocating for program improvement as well as increased administrative support.