Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Diving Deeper With Assessment, Hilary Hollingsworth

Dr Hilary Hollingsworth

ACER is helping educators to understand and implement assessment practices for positive classroom change and improved learning.

Attracting Top Teaching Talent, Geoff Masters

Prof Geoff Masters AO

In some of the world’s highest-performing countries, entry to teaching is now as competitive as courses such as engineering, science, law and medicine.

Quality Assurance In Gp Training, Daniel Edwards

Dr Daniel Edwards

An annual survey is collecting information about the postgraduate training experiences of General Practice registrars across Australia.

Work Integrated Learning: A Lesson In Good Wil, Daniel Edwards

Dr Daniel Edwards

Successful and sustainable work integrated learning programs share a number of key elements, as Daniel Edwards explains.

Creating Equitable Classrooms Through Action Research, Cathy Caro-Bruce, Ryan Flessner, M. Klehr, K. Zeichner

Ryan Flessner

Despite the best intentions of reform efforts, educational inequity continues to exist in public schools. Creating Equitable Classrooms Through Action Research confronts this challenge head-on and shows educators how they can use action research confronts this challenge head-on and shows educators how they can use action research to both raise student achievement and strengthen instruction leadership. Ideal for both a first-time action research endeavor or one already in progress, this practical guidebook helps practitioners formulate specific research questions, collect and analyze data, and communicate their findings. Invaluable for school district leaders, teachers, professional development schools, and preservice teachers, this resource …

The Rationale For And Use Of Assessment Frameworks: Improving Assessment And Reporting Quality In Medical Education, Jacob Pearce, Daniel Edwards, Julian Fraillon, Hamish Coates, Benedict Canny, David Wilkinson

Julian Fraillon

An assessment framework provides a structured conceptual map of the learning outcomes of a programme of study along with details of how achievement of the outcomes can be measured. The rationale for using frameworks to underpin the targeting of essential content components is especially relevant for the medical education community. Frameworks have the capacity to improve validity and reliability in assessment, allowing test developers to more easily create robust assessment instruments. The framework used by the Australian Medical Assessment Collaboration (AMAC) is an interesting and relevant case study for the international community as it draws and builds on established processes …

The Rationale For And Use Of Assessment Frameworks: Improving Assessment And Reporting Quality In Medical Education, Jacob Pearce, Daniel Edwards, Julian Fraillon, Hamish Coates, Benedict Canny, David Wilkinson

Dr Jacob Pearce

An assessment framework provides a structured conceptual map of the learning outcomes of a programme of study along with details of how achievement of the outcomes can be measured. The rationale for using frameworks to underpin the targeting of essential content components is especially relevant for the medical education community. Frameworks have the capacity to improve validity and reliability in assessment, allowing test developers to more easily create robust assessment instruments. The framework used by the Australian Medical Assessment Collaboration (AMAC) is an interesting and relevant case study for the international community as it draws and builds on established processes …

Completing University In Australia: A Cohort Analysis Exploring Equity Group Outcomes, Daniel Edwards, Julie Mcmillan

Julie McMillan

This briefing paper provides initial analysis of national data on university enrolments, tracking students from commencement to completion of university. The Research Briefing focuses on the completion of university among key equity groups in higher education, offering new insight into the outcomes for a number of groups underrepresented in the higher education sector. This work is part of a larger project funded by a research grant from the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE). The project explores the outcomes of equity groups using complex administrative data that allows for the tracking through university of all undergraduates enrolled …

International Student Guide, Jo Doyle

Jo Doyle

University Completions And Equity, Daniel Edwards

Dr Daniel Edwards

University students from disadvantaged groups have a lower completion rate than their more advantaged peers, but most disadvantaged students do complete their degrees, research reveals.

A Comparison Of The Mystery Motivator And The ‘Get ’Em On Task’ Interventions For Off-Task Behaviors, Elisabeth Kraemer, Susan Davies, Kelli Arndt, Sawyer Hunley

Susan C. Davies

Attending to instruction is a critical behavior for academic success. Many elementary school teachers, however, identify disruptive and inattentive classroom behaviors as key barriers to students' successful educational performance. This study examined the impact of two class-wide positive behavior support programs. The Mystery Motivator and Get 'Em On Task interventions were implemented in an alternating treatments design with fifth grade participants to decrease off-task behaviors. Results indicated that both interventions effectively decreased off-task behavior at the class-wide level. Implications and suggestions for future research on evidence-based behavioral interventions are discussed.

Self-Management And Peer-Monitoring Within A Group Contingency To Decrease Uncontrolled Verbalizations, Susan Davies, Raymond Witte

Susan C. Davies

This study examines the efficacy of an intervention designed to improve the classroom behavior of children identified with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The intervention entailed training a class of third-grade students, including four students diagnosed with ADHD, to use self-management and peer-monitoring strategies embedded within a group contingency to decrease inappropriate verbalizations during class time. Findings indicated that the self-monitoring/group contingency intervention substantially decreased inappropriate talking-out behavior in all four subjects along with their matched controls. Implications as well as limitations within the study are discussed.

At-Risk Students In After-School Programs: Outcomes And Recommendations, Susan Davies, Lindsay Peltz

Susan C. Davies

No abstract provided.

Traumatic Brain Injury Interest Group, Susan Davies, Paul Jantz

Susan C. Davies

No abstract provided.

Effects Of A Self-Monitoring Intervention On Children With Traumatic Brain Injury, Susan Davies, Kevin Jones, Mary Rafoth

Susan C. Davies

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a self-monitoring intervention on teachers’ direct behavior ratings of 3 students with traumatic brain injury. The authors used a multiple-baseline-across-participants design to evaluate the effect of the strategy on each child's classwork and classroom behavior. The self-monitoring strategy included 3 components: self-ratings, matching self-ratings and teacher ratings, and teacher feedback. Results indicated that the strategy improved performance for all three children, as well as self-monitoring accuracy. The authors discuss the implications for future research, including the need for a component analysis of self-monitoring treatments.

Concussion Awareness: Getting School Psychologists Into The Game, Susan Davies

Susan C. Davies

Concussions have been called a "silent epidemic" because symptoms can be subtle and covert (Langolis, Rutland–Brown,& Thomas, 2006). However, several high–profile concussion cases involving professional athletes have turned media attention to concussions. Those stories, coupled with stories on the more than 300,000 troops who have sustained concussions during recent combat (Hoge, Goldberg,& Castro, 2009), have helped to increase our awareness of the potential impact of concussions. However, in the sports world, it is not just NFL football players sustaining concussions: It is school–age athletes knocking heads in soccer, knocking helmets in hockey, getting slammed to the mat in wrestling, and …

Concussions: Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries That Can Occur On And Off The Field, Susan Davies

Susan C. Davies

No abstract provided.

Improving Assessment Processes And Quality In Medical Specialisations, Daniel Edwards

Dr Daniel Edwards

ACER’s work for a number of specialist colleges in medicine is contributing to higher quality education, as Daniel Edwards explains.

Remember The Students: Lessons For Learning Outcomes Assessments, Jacob Pearce, Daniel Edwards

Dr Jacob Pearce

Assessments of student learning outcomes are important for institutional and system-level quality assurance, but should also help students improve their knowledge and skills.

Remember The Students: Lessons For Learning Outcomes Assessments, Jacob Pearce, Daniel Edwards

Dr Daniel Edwards

Assessments of student learning outcomes are important for institutional and system-level quality assurance, but should also help students improve their knowledge and skills.

Improving Engineering Work And Study, Daniel Edwards, Jacob Pearce

Dr Jacob Pearce

Daniel Edwards and Jacob Pearce discuss a study that explores the perceptions of the engineering workforce, including engineering education and barriers to participation and career advancement.

Assessing Vocational Competencies In Civil Engineering: Lessons From Ahelo For Future Practice, Jacob Pearce

Dr Jacob Pearce

There has been much interest in the notion of vocational competencies of late. The pressing question, however, is how to measure vocational competencies. In order to contribute to this ‘how’, the results of the Civil Engineering strand of the recent Assessment of Higher Education Learning Outcomes (AHELO) Feasibility Study are discussed. The focus of the assessment instrument was explicitly on “above content” areas of the domain, and the assessment framework provides an example of a construct which articulates certain domain-specific competence components. This paper draws specific attention the Constructed Response Tasks (CRTs) in the instrument and discusses the results of …

Exploring Anomalies In Indigenous Student Engagement : Findings From A National Australian Survey Of Undergraduates., Ali Radloff

Ali Radloff

Increases in participation by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in higher education across Australia continue to be promising. However, it is also known that Indigenous students' attrition, retention and completion rates remain areas of concern. In this paper, the author authors report findings from an analysis of Indigenous student responses to the 2009 Australasian Survey of Student Engagement. Overall, Indigenous Australian students express positive responses in relation to engagement, but are more likely than non-Indigenous students to be planning to depart. The authors explore this somewhat unexpected anomaly, whilst also suggesting that much more needs to be known about …

The Rationale For And Use Of Assessment Frameworks: Improving Assessment And Reporting Quality In Medical Education, Jacob Pearce, Daniel Edwards, Julian Fraillon, Hamish Coates, Benedict Canny, David Wilkinson

Dr Daniel Edwards

An assessment framework provides a structured conceptual map of the learning outcomes of a programme of study along with details of how achievement of the outcomes can be measured. The rationale for using frameworks to underpin the targeting of essential content components is especially relevant for the medical education community. Frameworks have the capacity to improve validity and reliability in assessment, allowing test developers to more easily create robust assessment instruments. The framework used by the Australian Medical Assessment Collaboration (AMAC) is an interesting and relevant case study for the international community as it draws and builds on established processes …

University Admissions In Australia: Multiple Pathways To The Same Destination, Daniel Edwards

Dr Daniel Edwards

The undergraduate population in Australian universities is a diverse group. A mixture of age cohorts, and relatively large numbers of international students, as well as an increasing variety of entry pathways mean that examining policy and practice in admissions to university in Australia is very interesting while at the same time substantially complex. This chapter offers a background on the Australian university student population in order to highlight this diversity, and then explores different approaches to admissions within the university sector. Exploration of admissions policies and outcomes in Australia is timely. In recent years an emphasis on growth in the …

Can They Teach Each Other? : The Restructuring Of Higher Education And The Rise Of Undergraduate Student “Teachers” In Ontario, Jennifer Massey

Jennifer Massey

Changes to public funding regimes, coupled with transformations in how universities are managed and measured have altered the methods for educating undergraduate students. The growing reliance on teaching fellows, teaching assistants, and increasingly undergraduate peer educators (administering Supplemental Instruction [SI] programs) is promoted as a means to achieve a greater “return on investment” in the delivery of postsecondary education. Neoliberal discourses legitimating this downloading of teaching labour suggest it offers a “win-win” solution to the “problem” of educating growing numbers of undergraduate students. It proposes universities can deliver the same curricula, and achieve the same “outcomes” (primarily measured through grades …

Ieaa International Employability Guide: International Students, Jo Doyle

Jo Doyle