Education Commons^™

Reading And Engagement, Nicole Wernert

Nicole Wernert

In order to learn, students need to have some level of engagement in their classroom activities, including engagement in reading, as Nicole Wernert explains.

Making A Difference In Developing Countries, David Tout

David (Dave) Tout

The work of ACER in education is making the difference in educational outcomes for students across the world, particularly in developing countries.

Questioning The Standards Of Literacy And Numeracy, David Tout, Juliette Mendelovits

David (Dave) Tout

David Tout and Juliette Mendelovits examine why we receive such differing reports on the literacy and numeracy skills of young Australians.

Questioning The Standards Of Literacy And Numeracy, David Tout, Juliette Mendelovits

Juliette Mendelovits

David Tout and Juliette Mendelovits examine why we receive such differing reports on the literacy and numeracy skills of young Australians.

Towards A Growth Mindset In Assessment, Geoff Masters

Prof Geoff Masters AO

Assessment and reporting processes shape student, parent and community beliefs about learning – sometimes in unintended ways.

Informing Policy In Developing Countries, Petra Lietz, Mollie Tobin

Dr Petra Lietz

Petra Lietz and Mollie Tobin discuss the impact of large-scale assessment programs on education policy in developing countries.

Changing Revealed Comparative Advantage Of Textile And Clothing Sector Of Pakistan: Pre And Post Quota Analysis, Nawaz Ahmad

Nawaz Ahmad

Abstract Many Asian countries have been beneficiaries of quota abolition for textile and clothing sector since 2005. After the implementation of the Agreement on Textile and Clothing (ATC) in December 2004, member countries of World Trade Organization (WTO) have quota-free trade except People’s Republic of China (PRC). It was expected that Pakistan will be beneficiaries in textile and clothing due to expected superior export performance in this sector. Therefore, this study aims estimating revealed comparative advantage (RCA) of textile and clothing sector of Pakistan at HS-2digit level and SITC-3 digit level. It reveals Pakistan has comparative advantage in textile sector …

Barriers To Behavior-Based And Outcome-Based Evaluations Of Workplace Training, Perri Kennedy, Seung Youn Chyung

Seung Youn (Yonnie) Chyung

Most workplace learning professionals understand the need to evaluate the training interventions they develop for their organizations. A behavior-based evaluation examines the merit of the training and its relevance to organizational outputs, while a results-based evaluation measures actual outcomes against iexpected benefits. In short, did the training intervention meet its objectives, and did it have the desired impact on workplace performance? In this era of shrinking budgets, it's critical for learning departments to prove their value to their organizations. However, surveys reveal that only about half of workforce training interventions are evaluated on the on-the-job behaviors they generate, and even …

Information Literacy Assessment: Keep It Simple, Keep It Going, Larry Sheret, John A. Steele

Larry Sheret

Is it possible to administer an information literacy assessment in only a few classes that would provide essential, adequate, data from semester to semester? In a college with a student body of about 2,000, would it be possible to obtain actionable assessment results if only 150 to 200 students were assessed each semester? This article is the result of the creation and implementation of the information literacy assessment that was launched in the fall of 2009 by Savage Library at Western State College of Colorado (WSC). WSC changed its name to Western State Colorado University on August 1, 2012. The …

The Impact Of National And International Assessment Programmes On Education Policy, Particularly Policies Regarding Resource Allocation And Teaching And Learning Practices In Developing Countries, Maura Best, Pat Knight, Petra Lietz, Craig Lockwood, Dita Nugroho, Mollie Tobin

Dr Petra Lietz

There is a documented global rise in the number of countries undertaking national learning assessments, as well as international and regional learning assessments. Much of this growth, especially in national learning assessments, has occurred in economically developing countries. Little is known, however, on how these assessments affect education policy and practice in developing countries. This review examined the impact of national and international assessment programmes on education policy, particularly policies regarding resource allocation and teaching and learning practices in developing countries. This particular focus on policies regarding resources and teaching and learning practices stemmed from an observation that, particularly in …

Collaborative Research Network: An Institutions Perspective, Darren Gibson

Darren Gibson

No abstract provided.

Academic Characteristics Among First-Generation And Non-First-Generation College Students, Catrina G. Murphy, Terence Hicks

Terence Hicks, Ph.D., Ed.D.

The present study involved a sample (n = 203) of college students and investigated the differences in academic expectations of first-generation and non-first-generation undergraduates who attended a doctoral-granting public four-year historically Black university on the eastern shore of Maryland. There were 133 first-generation and 70 non-first-generation students. This study focused on the expressed needs of first-generation and non-first-generation college students to determine whether differences exist in academic expectations. In addition, this study sought to lead to an increase in the understanding of the academic expectations shared by first-year first-generation and non-first-generation college students. This study used an ex post facto …

Public School Religion Education And The 'Hot Potato' Of Religious Diversity, Cathy Byrne

Dr Cathy Byrne

Religiously marked intercultural conflict is on the rise in Australia (HREOC, 2007; Dreher, 2006). In addition, intolerant and religiously discriminating sentiment has re-emerged in Australia's debate on migration (Schech & Haggis, 2001; Cratchley, 2007). However, inter-religious education as a remedy is not a high priority. Independent and governmental reviews recommend intercultural and interfaith education to address ignorance and intolerance (Erebus, 2006; HREOC, 2004). Australia appears more focused on the development of values and citizenship courses which assume shared heritage and promote uniformity ( Halafoff, 2006). In public education, religious diversity is a 'hot potato' — no one wants to touch …

Blended, Online Learning And Distance Education (Bolde) Research Bank, Lance Deveson

Lance Deveson

BOLDE – the Blended, Online Learning and Distance Education research bank, is a resource created and managed by librarians at ACER that tackles the mass of information on distance and online education. BOLDE analyses, orders, selects, indexes and distributes this research information for the benefit of the global distance and online education community.

Bolde Research Bank - Blended, Online Learning & Distance Education (Power Point Presentation), Lance Deveson

Lance Deveson

A power point presentation describing the history and features of the Blended, Online Learning and Distance Education (BOLDE) research bank.

Mental Health Promotion And Early Intervention In Rural And Remote Australia Through The Kidsmatter Initiative, Katherine Dix, Stephen Mcdonald

Dr Katherine Dix

Towards A Growth Mindset In Assessment, Geoff N. Masters

Prof Geoff Masters AO

The Contribution Of Work-Integrated Learning To Undergraduate Employability Skill Outcomes, Denise Jackson

Denise Jackson

WIL has attracted considerable attention as an instrument for enhancing professional practice and developing work-readiness in new graduates. It is widely considered as a point of difference in developing graduate employability by enhancing skill outcomes, such as team-work, communication, self-management and problem solving, employment prospects and student understanding of the world-of-work. This paper investigates the role of WIL in improving undergraduate employability skills; gauging its impact on a range of skills; and identifying variations in outcomes for certain demographic, study background and placement characteristics using survey data from 131 WIL students in an Australian university. Results indicate a significant improvement …

Testing A Model Of Undergraduate Competence In Employability Skills And Its Implications For Stakeholders, Denise Jackson

Denise Jackson

Despite the development of employability skills being firmly entrenched in higher education’s strategic agenda worldwide; recent graduates’ standards in certain skills are not meeting industry expectations. This paper presents and tests a model of undergraduate competence in employability skills. It highlights those factors which impact on competence in employability skills and identify ways in which stakeholders can adjust curricula and pedagogy to enhance graduate skill outcomes. Data was gathered from an online survey of 1008 business undergraduates who self-rated their competence against a framework of employability skills typically considered essential in graduates. The data was analysed using multiple regression techniques. …

Self-Assessment Of Employability Skill Outcomes Among Undergraduates And Alignment With Academic Ratings, Denise Jackson

Denise Jackson

Despite acknowledgement of the benefits of self-assessment in higher education, disparity between student and academic assessments, with associated trends in over- and underrating, plagues its meaningful use, particularly as a tool for formal assessment. This study examines self-assessment of capabilities in certain employability skills in more than 1000 Australian business undergraduates. It evaluates the extent to which student self-assessments differ from academics, in what ways and the influence of certain individual and background characteristics - such as stage of degree, gender and academic ability - on rating accuracy. Explanations for documented disparities are presented, in addition to implications and strategies …

Business Graduate Employability – Where Are We Going Wrong?, Denise Jackson

Denise Jackson

Persistent gaps in certain non-technical skills in business graduates continue to impact on organisational performance and global competitiveness. Despite business school’s best efforts in developing non-technical skills, widely acknowledged as fundamental to graduate employability, there has been considerably less attention to measuring skill outcomes and even less on their subsequent transfer to the workplace. It appears stakeholders are assuming transfer occurs automatically in graduates, neglecting the influence of learning program, learner and workplace characteristics on this complex process and its potential impact on graduate employability.

This paper unpacks the concept of transfer and proposes a model of graduate employability which …

Session B - Measuring Learning In Complex Environments, Michael Timms

Dr Michael J Timms

Concurrent Session Block 1

Session O - Do Boys And Girls Read Differently Online? Evidence From Pisa 2009 Digital Reading Assessment, Tom Lumley, Dara Ramalingam, Juliette Mendelovits

Dr Tom Lumley

Concurrent Session Block 3

Reading In Online Environments, Juliette Mendelovits

Juliette Mendelovits

Juliette Mendelovits examines the results of an international assessment of 15-year-old students’ ability to read digital texts.

Session O - Do Boys And Girls Read Differently Online? Evidence From Pisa 2009 Digital Reading Assessment, Tom Lumley, Dara Ramalingam, Juliette Mendelovits

Juliette Mendelovits

Concurrent Session Block 3

Session P - Challenges And Opportunities For Neuroscience : How To Explain The Connection Between Socio-Cultural Practices And Cognition?, David Clarke, Hilary Hollingsworth

Dr Hilary Hollingsworth

Concurrent Session Block 3

Cultural Differences In Teaching And Learning, Hilary Hollingsworth

Dr Hilary Hollingsworth

People in different cultures might learn in fundamentally different ways, Hilary Hollingsworth explains.

A Teacher's Guide To Pisa Mathematical Literacy, Sue Thomson, Kylie Hillman, Lisa De Bortoli

Kylie Hillman

This report focuses on mathematical literacy and is one of a series of three reports on Australian students' performance in PISA. The report provides an overview of the PISA mathematics framework and Australia's results in the PISA 2003 international assessment. Also included are mathematics items released for public viewing after the PISA 2003 assessment and examples of responses, marking guides and comparisons of results with other countries. The context behind achievement, e.g. attitudes, engagement and learning strategies, is also presented.

A Teacher's Guide To Pisa Scientific Literacy, Sue Thomson, Kylie Hillman, Lisa De Bortoli

Kylie Hillman

This report focuses on Australian students' performance on the PISA items that have been released in Scientific Literacy. It includes an overview of the PISA Scientific Literacy Framework, Australian students' results in the 2006 international assessment, examples of responses and marking guides and the context behind achievement, e.g. attitudes, engagement and motivation, and recognition of environmental issues.

A Teacher's Guide To Pisa Reading Literacy, Sue Thomson, Kylie Hillman, Lisa De Bortoli

Kylie Hillman

This report focuses on Australian students' performance on the PISA items that have been released in reading literacy. It includes an overview of the PISA Reading Framework, Australia's results in the PISA 2009 international assessment , examples of responses and marking guides, and the context behind achievement, e.g. enjoyment of reading, how often they read and high-level strategies for learning.