Education Commons^™

Assessing Creative Thinking Skills - An Interdisciplinary Approach, Mark Butler

Mark Butler

The Australian Council for Educational Research (A.C.E.R.) is a not-for-profit organisation that works with Australian and international governments to develop and improve learning and assessment practices. In 2012 A.C.E.R. was contracted by the Victorian government to undertake research in the assessment of critical and creative thinking skills for students aged 8 to 18. Over 300 test items were developed for this purpose and these items were used to form a developmental scale for thinking. The research highlights the how critical and creative thinking skills can be incorporated into lessons which transcend traditional subject boundaries. This presentation focuses on the process …

Assessing Skills For Success In Tertiary Education, Doug Mccurry, Graham Orpwood

Dr Doug McCurry

In almost all countries, significant assessment activities are located at the interface between secondary and tertiary education. Of course, their structure, purpose, and form of organisation vary enormously around the world. In some countries, they are part of a comprehensive ‘baccalaureate’ that marks the completion of the secondary phase of schooling. In others, such as the UK, students take examinations in a smaller number of subjects they have chosen to study. In some jurisdictions, formally constituted examinations boards organise common assessments for all students. In others, such as in many parts of North America, the final assessments are set, organised …

Ict Research Comes Of Age, Gerry White

Dr Gerald K. White

That is not to suggest that teachers and students do not use ICT. In fact, they are two of the highest ICT user categories reported by ACMA and ABS. However, the combination of ICT and education programs in classrooms and courses is a situation where issues about pedagogy and the benefits to learning with ICT continue to be debated.

Priorities For Civic And Citizenship Education In Europe, David Kerr, Linda Sturman, Tim Friedman

Dr Tim Friedman

The International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS) focused on the ways in which young people are prepared to undertake their roles as citizens. Preparing students for citizenship involves developing relevant knowledge and understanding as well as encouraging the formation of positive attitudes toward being a citizen. The conceptual background for, and the design of ICCS were described in the assessment framework (Schulz, Fraillon, Ainley, Losito, & Kerr, 2008) and the international results were reported in its international reports (Schulz, Ainley, Fraillon, Kerr & Losito, 2010a & 2010b). This paper provides an overview of the results from the regional assessment …

Is There A Relationship Between Chemistry Performance And Question Type, Question Content And Gender?, Ross Hudson

Dr Ross Hudson

This research inquires into the effectiveness of the two predominant forms of questions - multiple-choice questions and short-answer questions - used in the State University Entrance Examination for Chemistry including the relationship between performance and gender. It examines not only the style of question but also the content type examined (recall and application questions). The research involves class trial testing of students with structured questions that examine the same material content with each type of question (multiple-choice or short-answer) and also examines the different type of content (recall or application) and finally the influence of student gender. Rasch analysis of …

National Assessment Program : Ict Literacy Technical Report, Eveline Gebhardt, Julian Fraillon, Wolfram Schulz, Kate O'Malley, Chris Freeman, Martin Murphy, John Lindsey

Martin Murphy

This report is concerned with procedures, processes and technical aspects of the National Assessment Program - ICT Literacy 2011 Literacy (NAP - ICTL 2011) and should be read in conjunction with the Public Report from Literacy NAP - ICTL 2011 which focuses on results and interpretation of results from that assessment. The first cycle of the NAP - ICTL was held in 2005 and provided the baseline against which future performance would be compared. The second cycle of the program was conducted in 2008 and was the first cycle where trends in performance were able to be examined.

Ten Hypotheses About Tolerance Among Latin American Adolescents, Daniel Caro, Wolfram Schulz

Dr Wolfram Schulz

Discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, race, mental and/or physical disability, religious background, HIV/AIDS status, and ethnic origin affects the well-being of minorities and society in general. Recent research in North America underscores the importance of contact with diverse networks, intergroup discussions, a social dominance orientation, religious beliefs, and the school climate, among other factors, to explain tolerance for minorities. Theoretical and empirical work in Latin America is less extensive and has been limited by the lack of quantitative data. This article evaluates 10 different hypotheses about tolerance, using data from eighth-grade students in six Latin American countries that …

Student Reactions To Learning With Technologies: Perceptions And Outcomes, Kathryn Moyle

Professor Kathryn Moyle

While the creation and adoption of new technologies has increased in recent years, the educational sector often limits technology use. Despite this, many researchers are convinced of the vital role that technologies can play in learning and teaching. Student Reactions to Learning with Technologies: Perceptions and Outcomes brings together recent research findings about the views and expectations of students when including technologies in their studies. The chapters in this book suggest that the use of technologies in teaching not only makes learning more interesting but also offers possibilities for variations in the learning processes. While this book does not offer …

Technology Enhanced Learning: Students' Views, Eileen O'Donnell, Mary Sharp

Eileen O'Donnell

User feedback is very important in all areas of computer science especially in the development of computer applications. Hence, student feedback on the use of technology enhanced learning in higher education in Ireland is relevant to the quality of the learning resources to be created by learning designers and academics in the future. The book “Student Reactions to Learning with Technologies: Perceptions and Outcomes” (Moyle & Wijngaards, 2012) was published by IGI Global in October 2011. This book includes contributions from various authors who are interested in students’ feedback regarding how technology has impacted on their educational experience. This book …

Mind The Gap: How Law Professors, Academic Support Professionals, And Students Can Fill In The Formative Assessment Gap, Heather Zuber-Harshman

Heather Zuber-Harshman

This article serves to accomplish three things. First, to provide students with feedback tools that will help them achieve academic success and improve the quality of their law school experience. Students who do not receive feedback or receive inadequate feedback should use the provided forms to proactively and creatively find ways to obtain feedback. They should never be afraid or too proud to ask others for assistance with generating this feedback.

Second, to encourage professors and Academic Support professionals who believe students should receive adequate feedback to take steps towards providing the feedback.

Third, to provide Academic Support professionals with …

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

Dr Ross Hudson

No abstract provided.

Students With A Disability: The Potential Of Kidsmatter, Katherine Dix

Dr Katherine Dix

Students' Overview: The Impact Of Technology On Learning In Higher Education, Eileen O'Donnell, Mary Sharp

Eileen O'Donnell

This research explores students’ views on the impact and transformations that technology has brought to the learning experience of students in higher education. The students who kindly participated in this study are from: The School of Computer Science and Statistics, Faculty of Engineering, Mathematics and Science, Trinity College Dublin and The Faculty of Business, Dublin Institute of Technology, both based in Dublin City, Ireland. The use of technologies in third level education facilitates flexible learning environments. The pedagogic approach employed by e-learning development officers or lecturers when designing e-learning platforms or learning management systems has the capability to transform student …

What Do Students Say About Learning With Technologies?, Kathryn Moyle

Professor Kathryn Moyle

This paper outlines some of the findings from Australian research which listened to and analysed the views and expectations of students within Australian education and training institutions about learning with technologies. Students in primary and secondary schools, vocational education and training (VET) institutions, international students studying education in universities, pre-service teacher education students and teachers in their first five years of teaching contributed to a national 'student voice' research project based upon their current experiences and views. Data was collected through online surveys and focus groups. The research shows that students and early career educators have access to and use …

The Kodaly Method In The Twenty First Century, Sharon Lierse

Dr. Sharon Lierse

Music methodologies provide educators with a defined curriculum which transpires students to a level of musical proficiency. They are often designed for young children and can be adapted to different cultures. The Kod_a_ly Method was developed in Hungary during the 1940s and is based on the premise that children should acquire music skills from an early age. It was first used in Hungarian schools and subsequently has been used in training institutions around the world. Since the implementation of the Kod_a_ly Method there have been many social, economic and political developments which have impacted arts and education. A group of …

Indigenous Literacy Policy Implementation In Queensland Schools : An Evaluation, Pauline Taylor

Associate Professor Pauline Taylor-Guy

Learning To Teach With Technologies What Pre-Service Teachers Say About Their Experiences, Kathryn Moyle

Professor Kathryn Moyle (consultant)

It is the intention of the Australian Government, that over the next five years, as a result of the Digital Education Revolution, all secondary schools in Australia will have achieved computer to student ratios of one-to-one. This investment in infrastructure brings with it many challenges. Two of these facing Australian educators are: In what ways can advantage be made of such a significant investment in schools’ infrastructure?; and What preparation do pre-service teachers require to enable them to meaningfully include technologies in their classroom activities? To provide some insights into these two questions, this paper draws on data collected from …

Secondary Education In The United States: What Can Others Learn From Our Mistakes?, John H. Bishop , Ferran Mane, Michael Bishop

John H Bishop

Secondary schools are the least successful component of the U.S. education system. Students learn considerably less than in other industrialized nations and dropout rates are significantly higher. This paper provides an explanation for this failure, describes the standards based reforms strategies that many states are implementing to attack these problems, and evaluates the success of these efforts.

National Conversations: Listening To Students’ Views Of Learning With Technologies, Kathryn Moyle

Professor Kathryn Moyle (consultant)

The Digital Education Revolution is a key policy plank of the Rudd government. It is intended to develop students’ capabilities to learn with technologies. Little Australian research though, has focused upon the views and expectations of students about their learning that includes technologies. This paper draws on the findings from the 2008 research project, Listening to students and educators views of learning with technologies. This Australian national research project, funded by the Department for Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) set out to listen to and analyse what Australian students in primary and secondary schools, in vocational education and training …

What Information From Pisa Is Useful For Teachers? How Can Pisa Help Our Students To Become More Proficient?, Juliette Mendelovits, Dara Searle, Tom Lumley

Dr Tom Lumley

A frequent objection to large-scale testing programs, both national and international, is that they are used as an instrument of control, rather than as a means of providing information to effect change. Moreover, concerns about large-scale testing often take the form of objection to the specific characteristics of the assessments as being prescriptive and proscriptive, leading to a narrowing of the curriculum and the spectre of 'teaching to the test' to the exclusion of more important educational content. Taking PISA reading literacy as its focus, this paper proposes, on the contrary, that a coherent assessment system is valuable in so …

Listening To Students' And Educators' Voices : The Views Of Students And Early Career Educators About Learning With Technologies In Australian Education And Training : Research Findings, Kathryn Moyle, Susanne Owen

Professor Kathryn Moyle

This report outlines findings collected from listening to and analysing the views and expectations of students within Australian education and training institutions about learning with technologies. The overarching question for this research was: 'what are the views of students and early career educators, about learning with technologies in Australian education and training?' In 2008, students in primary and secondary schools, vocational education and training (VET) institutions, international students studying education in universities and pre-service teacher education students contributed to the research based upon their current experiences and views. Early career teachers were asked to reflect on their experiences as pre-service …

Learning For Teaching: Building Professional Knowledge On A National Scale, Elizabeth Hartnell-Young

Dr Elizabeth Hartnell-Young

This paper takes a large-scale social perspective in describing a national project in Australia that was premised on local school communities working together and contributing ideas for the benefit of their students, and potentially, the whole country. The project was intended to improve schools’ capacity for educating boys, and in the long-term, the learning outcomes of under-performing boys, using evidence-based and action research methods. It was supported by the web spaces and tools of the National Quality Schooling Framework and Think.com. This paper emphasises the structures and processes teachers engaged in while building knowledge through their daily work, where the …

Learning Mathematics For Life : A Perspective From Pisa, Jan De Lange, Alla Routitsky, Kaye Stacey, Ross Turner, Margaret Wu, Andreas Schleicher, Claire Shewbridge, Pablo Zoido, Nicola Clements

Dr Alla Routitsky

People from many countries have expressed interest in the tests students take for the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). This book examines the link between the PISA test requirements and student performance. It focuses specifically on the proportions of students who answer questions correctly across a range of difficulty. The questions are classified by content, competencies, context and format, and the connections between these and student performance are then analysed. This analysis has been carried out in an effort to link PISA results to curricular programs and structures in participating countries and economies. Results from the student assessment reflect …

Peer Relationships In The Mathematics Classroom : A Social Network Approach To Understanding Anxiety And Motivation, Sarah Buckley

Dr Sarah Buckley

The influence of the social context on learning and the motivation to learn are neglected areas of educational research. Peer relationships, particularly in early adolescence, are an important part of this social context and shape school development. In the present project, a social network approach was adopted to explore peer influences on adolescent students' motivation and anxiety in mathematics. Two types of relationships were investigated – time spent between peers in class and specific help-seeking interactions. Two hundred and twenty-three Year 8 students from two schools completed measures of mathematics anxiety and motivation, and a social network questionnaire. Social Influence …

What Is The Value Of Educational Technologies In Schools?: Initial Findings From The International Research Project ‘Measuring The Value Of Educational Technologies In Schools’, Kathryn Moyle

Professor Kathryn Moyle

Understanding the costs as well as the value of educational technologies in schools is important for school leaders to be able to strategically lead school development processes. This paper outlines some of the findings from the first case studies emerging from the international project, Measuring the value of educational technologies in schools, involving a school in each of USA, UK and Australia. The Measuring the value of educational technologies in schools research project is examining the relationships that exist in schools between educational technologies or ‘tangible information technology (IT) assets’, and ‘intangible assets’ such as the capabilities of teachers and …

Perceptions Of Parental Involvement In Schooling, Student Milieu And Student Achievement In Mathematics, Nicole Wernert

Nicole Wernert

This study builds on recent research that has found that teacher perceptions of parental involvement in schooling are an important influence on student outcomes, in addition to the effects of parent reports of their involvement. Using data from TIMSS 2003, this study explores the relationship between principal perceptions of parental involvement and student milieu and the impact of both on student achievement in mathematics. Moderated multiple regression analyses were used to explore these relationships. A significant relationship was found for mean school mathematics achievement regressed on principals’ perceptions of parental support and involvement at both Grades 4 and 8. However, …

Selecting Open Source Software For Use In Schools, Kathryn Moyle

Professor Kathryn Moyle

Schools are places where the choices made about computing technologies not only reflect their technical requirements but also reflect the philosophical priorities directing those choices. Schools can deploy a startling range of software (i.e., operating systems, databases, office productivity software, and applications software) for specifc teaching and learning purposes. Applications software deployed in schools must be suitable for use by students who are young and often have limited reading and fine motor skills. Back-end software must be robust enough to handle hundreds and sometimes thousands of users concurrently. One issue that faces schools interested in deploying open source software is …

Building Sustainable Networks For Young Women And Icts Throughout Australia, Kathryn Moyle

Professor Kathryn Moyle

No abstract provided.

The Transformation To A Learner-Centered Community As A Result Of University-Wide Assessment, Michele Kieke, Karen Moroz, Amy Gort

Karen Moroz

A Longitudinal Study Examining The Impact Of Ict Adoption On Students And Teachers, Katherine Dix

Dr Katherine Dix