Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Learning Assessments: Designing The Future, Geoff N. Masters

2009 - 2019 ACER Research Conferences

Processes for assessing student learning are undergoing fundamental transformation.This presentation will consider three developments which can be expected to shape how student learning is assessed in the future. First is fundamental change in how assessment is conceptualised and approached, with a focus on monitoring learning. Second is growing interest in the assessment of a broader range of skills and attributes than those addressed in most current assessment efforts. Third is advances in technology which are opening the door to new ways of gathering information about student learning, including through records of real-time interactions in online learning environments. In ACER’s Centre …

The Predictive Power Of Community, Family, And School Variables On Student Achievement On The Nj Ask Language Arts Literacy In New Jersey In Grades 6 And 7, Meredith Fox

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This non-experimental, correlational, explanatory, cross-sectional study using quantitative methods sought to determine which combination of 20 out-of-school community demographic factors, while controlling for two school level variables, predicted and accounted for the most variance in New Jersey schools’ percentages of students scoring Proficient or above on the 2010 NJ ASK Language Arts Literacy in sixth and seventh grades. This study focused on both community variables and school level variables to determine whether the current federal and state evaluation policies in place for schools and school personnel that utilize student outcomes on high-stakes standardized assessments are reasonable. The study examined over …

Creating Stealth Assessments, Val Shute, Michael Timms

2009 - 2019 ACER Research Conferences

In this workshop, participants will learn how to create stealth assessments to measure student performance during interactions within computer-based learning environments, like digital games or intelligent tutoring systems. These measures are then used to estimate various competencies, including hard-to-measure constructs like creativity, persistence, problem-solving and systems thinking. First, we will explain how evidence-centred design can be used as a theoretical approach to designing such assessments. Next, we’ll illustrate how evidence-centred design was applied in the development of stealth assessment within a particular game (using the example of Plants vs. Zombies 2). Participants will have a chance to create their …

Improving Assessment For Indigenous Students, Alison Quin

2009 - 2019 ACER Research Conferences

This workshop will introduce a teaching scenario and existing unit of work built around Indigenous culturally inclusive practices. Participants will work in small groups to devise assessment items in a scaffolded process. The development of assessment tasks will be informed by clarifying Indigenous education, the process of building relationships between schools and Indigenous communities that contribute to co-developed units of work, and principles of Indigenous culturally inclusive practice such as place-based, community-grounded and group production practices.

Assessing Young Children's Literacy And Mathematics Understandings, Collette Taylor, Joanne Mulligan, Maurice Walker, Prue Anderson, Marion Meiers

2009 - 2019 ACER Research Conferences

Current research indicates that young children are capable of developing mathematical concepts and reasoning much earlier than previously considered. Moderated by Professor Collette Tayler, this symposium on assessing young children's literacy and mathematics understandings is in three parts. Firstly the authors explore the Pattern and Structure Assessment (PASA). PASA is an early mathematical assessment interview which focuses on a range of concepts and processes and is linked with mathematical attainment in the ACER Progressive Achievement Tests in Maths (PATMaths). Secondly, the authors report on the piloting of an early-years technology-based tool called the Digital Early Reading and Mathematics Assessment (DERMA). …

New Measures For An Old Friend: A Learning Progression For Ict Literacy, Mark Wilson

2009 - 2019 ACER Research Conferences

This workshop will present new thinking and new results from the work of the Assessment and Teaching of 21st-Century Skills (ATC21S) project, on the learning progression for information and communications technology literacy — learning in digital networks. This project, initially sponsored by Cisco, Intel and Microsoft, aimed to help educators around the world enable students with the skills to succeed in future career and college goals. The workshop will be structured to show the how the development of the new ideas and measures for ICT literacy followed the logic of the assessment system developed by the Berkeley Evaluation and Assessment …

Acer Research Conference Proceedings (2015), Acer

2009 - 2019 ACER Research Conferences

It is indeed timely that Research Conference 2015 addresses the theme Learning Assessments: Designing the future. It is six years since our Research Conference considered issues in assessment, and the landscape is being significantly transformed. Not only is Australia’s school curriculum changing, but related issues of teaching quality and assessment practice are hot topics here and in many other countries. This transforming landscape includes changes in thinking about the fundamental purposes of assessment; growing demands for the assessment of a broader range of student skills and capabilities; and new technologies that allow us to gather and visualise information about student …

An Investigation Of Differences In Reading Achievement Of Students Who Attend Full-Day Kindergarten Versus Half-Day Kindergarten Using Dibels Next, Jamie P. Giaquinto

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Kindergarten policies at both the state and local levels differ significantly, including areas such as availability, length of day, entry assessments, quality of instruction, class size, funding, teacher preparation and licensure, and curriculum. Despite this, the nation’s governors and education commissioners came together to approve the Common Core State Standards, a set of clear college-and career-ready standards for kindergarten through 12th grade in English Language Arts and Mathematics.

This research was designed to investigate the difference, if any, in the reading achievement of students who attended full-day kindergarten versus students who attended half-day programs. Data included results of the Dynamic …

‘Big Five’ Challenges In School Education, Geoff N. Masters Ao

Teacher columnist – Geoff Masters

Real reform and significant progress in improving the quality and equity of Australian schooling depend on tackling our deepest and most stubborn educational challenges, writes Professor Geoff Masters AO.

Social Justice And Technocracy: Tracing The Narratives Of Inclusive Education In The United States, Scot Danforth

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Over the past two decades, the percentage of American students with disabilities educated in general classrooms with their nondisabled peers has risen by approximately fifty percent. This gradual but steady policy shift has been driven by two distinct narratives of organisational change. The social justice narrative espouses principles of equality and caring across human differences. The narrative of technocracy creates top-down, administrative pressure through hierarchical systems based on quantitative performance data. This article examines these two primary policy narratives of inclusive education in the United States, exploring the conceptual features of each and initiating an analysis of their application in …

Gaise Into The Future: Updating A Landmark Report For An Increasingly Data-Centric World, Michelle Everson, Paul Velleman, Beverly Wood, John Gabrosek, Megan Mocko, Robert Carver

Publications

Ever since its official endorsement by the American Statistical Association in 2005, the Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE) College Report has had a profound impact on the teaching of statistics. Now, a decade later, it is important to recognize the changing nature in what and how we teach our introductory statistics students. Changes in technology and assessment practices, just over the past 10 years, have made it possible to do new and exciting things in our courses, in very different ways than were envisioned by the authors of the original GAISE College Report. Further, our world …

Catholic Teachers’ Postgraduate Qualifications And Students’ End Of Schooling Outcomes: A Large Scale Queensland Based Comparative Study, Judy Smeed, Beryl Exley

eJournal of Catholic Education in Australasia

Abstract

A key feature of the current era of Australian schooling is the dominance of publically available student, school and teacher performance data. Our paper examines the intersection of data on teachers’ postgraduate qualifications and students’ end of schooling outcomes in 26 Catholic Systemic Secondary Schools and 18 Catholic Independent Secondary Schools throughout the State of Queensland. We introduce and justify taking up a new socially-just measurement model of students’ end of schooling outcomes, called the ‘Tracking and Academic Management Index’, otherwise known as ‘TAMI’. Additional analysis is focused on the outcomes of top-end students vis-à-vis all students who are …

Chemical Oxygen Demand Reduction Using The Algae Dunaliella Primolecta And Chlorella Vulgaris, Angeles L. Mora, Alejandro Hernandez, Alejandro Calderón-Urrea

STAR Program Research Presentations

Farm industry wastewater is characterized by high organic materials and by high chemical oxygen demand (COD). Farms with large livestock and poultry operations can be a major source of wastewater thus a major concern for effective environmental and industrial management. Effective environmental and industrial management are high in cost therefor biofuels produced from plants have a potential of replacing a portion of fossil fuel consumption with a renewable efficient alternative. Due to California’s water crisis in the recent years, it is questioned if a biological treatment system that uses algal growth to create renewable energy in the form of biodiesel …

Comprehensive School Reform: A Study On The Effectiveness Of The High Schools That Work Program In Texas, Kimberley Michelle Irving-Conaway

Theses & Dissertations

This mixed methods, sequential explanatory research study evaluated the effectiveness of a comprehensive school reform program titled High Schools That Work (HSTW). High schools were tasked with having students meet passing standards on high-stakes assessments or face sanctions. This study was necessary because, as Herman et al. (2008) said, “unfortunately, the research base on effective strategies for quickly turning around low-performing schools is sparse” (p. 4). Quantitative and qualitative data were collected to determine if schools improved after the HSTW program was implemented. First, Academic Excellence Indicator System reports on Texas HSTW program schools were downloaded from the Texas Education …

School Psychologists’ Training And Knowledge Of Tourette Syndrome, Leticia Cornejo

Educational Studies Dissertations

A web-based survey was conducted that included 97 practicing school psychologists in California. The results from the survey indicated that the majority (88%) of respondents were knowledgeable about Tourette Syndrome. Many respondents (28%) had never worked with a student with Tourette’s, 20% had at least one case, and 52% indicated that they had worked with more than two cases in their careers as school psychologists. The majority of respondents indicated that their school psychology program did not adequately train them to assess or counsel students with Tourette’s. The majority of participants also did not feel confident to work with students …

The Mental Health Of Children And Adolescents : Report On The Second Australian Child And Adolescent Survey Of Mental Health And Wellbeing, David Lawrence, Sarah Johnson, Jennifer Hafekost, Katrina Boterhoven De Haan, Michael Sawyer, John Ainley, Stephen R. Zubrick

Wellbeing

Based on a survey conducted in the homes of over 6,300 families with children and/or adolescents aged 4 to 17 years, this report presents a comprehensive picture of the mental health of young Australians. It documents the prevalence and type of mental health problems, the impact of those problems on families and young people themselves and the role of health and education services in providing assistance. While the primary sources of information were parents and carers, the survey also engaged directly with young people 11 years and older who completed their own survey. This information provides unique insights about aspects …

Teaching & Learning Workshops At The Center For Teaching & Learning At Thomas Jefferson University Ay15-16, Center For Teaching And Learning

Academic Commons and Scott Memorial Library Staff Papers and Presentations

No abstract provided.

One Academic Year Study Of Experiences Of One Cohort Of Graduates From A Midwestern University’S Teacher Education Program, Chris Albers

Dissertations

Teacher attrition is a growing problem within the education system in the United States. A study that tracked the experiences of graduates of a particular program was designed to gauge the program’s success. There were three research questions. The first asked, What are the first year teaching experiences of Midwestern University educator preparation program graduates? The second question was in two parts and asked, What do graduates of Midwestern University educator preparation program perceive as the strengths and weaknesses of their ability to carry out their duties as a first-year teacher? How does this change from August to May? The …

Exploring An Act Preparation Course As An Intervention Method For African American Students, Theresa Linette Harris Badgett

Dissertations

In recent years, there has been an interest in the effectiveness of college assessment preparation, which has prompted many studies. The majority of these studies researched instruction/coaching on the Scholastic Assessment Tool (SAT). Notably, the college entrance exam has become a growing concern for minorities, particularly African American students. Prior research by ACT, Inc. (2012, p. 2) has shown African American students rank the lowest in American College Test (ACT) scores of all racial groups. Between 2006 and 2011 the average ACT composite scores increased for White, Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, and American/Pacific Islanders. Hispanic scores remained unchanged and the …

Study Of The Theory Of Mattering And Marginality In Relation To Nontraditional College Students In A Private, Midwestern, Single-Purpose College, Sonya M. Hayter

Dissertations

The demand for individuals holding a college degree is expected to increase by 16% by the year 2018 with approximately 66% of all jobs requiring some form of posthigh school training (Kelly & Strawn, 2011). Also increasing in numbers is the number of nontraditional college students seeking a degree. Nontraditional students returning to school often have outside barriers that can challenge degree attainment, placing them at risk for dropping out. Using Schlossberg’s (1989) theories of mattering and marginality as a guide and through a qualitative approach to research, data were collected from a private, Midwestern, single-purpose college to explore what …

The Development Of Intercultural Competency In School Psychology Graduate Students, Susan C. Davies, Abigail A. Lewis, Amy E. Anderson, Elana R. Bernstein

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

School psychologists often have the opportunity to work with students and families from varied backgrounds and cultures. While this can be an exciting and enriching part of the job, it can also be daunting for some practitioners, particularly those who are inadequately prepared. A number of strategies have been implemented in school psychology training programs to improve students’ intercultural competency.

This exploratory study investigated the results of one university’s short-term study abroad program for school psychology graduate students. Pre- and post- intercultural development assessments were given to school psychology graduate students who completed a course abroad; results were compared to …

Investing In Workforce Literacy Pays: Building Employer Commitment To Workplace Language, Literacy And Numeracy Programs, Justin Brown, Michael Taylor, Phillip Mckenzie, Kate Perkins

Vocational, adult and professional education research

In September 2012 the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) contracted the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) to conduct this study into the financial return to employers from investing in workplace literacy training programs. The Australian Government, through its Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIISRTE), contracted the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) to manage the project. Over 2013-14, this study developed and trialled a set of data collection instruments in pilot mode with seven training programs funded under the Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL) program. This report presents the results from the study in the …

Determining The Academic Achievement Of English Language Learners (Ells) By Using Additional Measures Of Growth, Adriana Maria Marin

Dissertations

Accountability measures employed in the country to determine the academic achievement of all the student population rely solely on the results obtained on the standardized tests. Such measures have often placed English language learners’ (ELLs) at risk of academic failure despite the fact that research on second language acquisition (SLA) has stated the complexity involved in the learning/acquisition process of a target language. Scholars have also discussed the influence accountability measures and the issues with the validity of the tests implemented to assess ELLs may have on such results. Therefore, in an effort to obtain a more comprehensive idea of …

Campus Writing Centers, Student Attendance, And Change In Student Writing Performance, Suzana G. Brown

Dissertations

This dissertation examined the relationship between students attending a writing center and the change in students’ writing performance over the course of a semester. The study also sought to determine whether demographics (age, gender, ethnicity, marital status, and whether a student is a first-generation college student) were related to students’ change in writing after they attended a college writing center.

Five Mississippi colleges and universities participated in the study. The study began with 110 students; however, only 78 students submitted two essays during the semester. Of those, 34 reported that they attended the writing center, 28 reported that they did …

International Computer And Information Literacy Study: Icils 2013: Technical Report, Julian Fraillon, Wolfram Schulz, Tim Friedman, John Ainley, Eveline Gebhardt

ICT - Digital Literacy

The International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) studied the extent to which young people have developed computer and information literacy (CIL) to support their capacity to participate in the digital age. ICILS systematically investigated differences in CIL outcomes across the participating countries and looked at how these countries provide CIL-related education. The study also explored differences within and across countries with respect to the relationship between the outcomes of CIL education and student characteristics and school contexts. Chapter 1 of this report presents an overview of the International Computer and Information Literacy Study. Chapters 2 and 3 are concerned …

Analyzing Students’ Personal Characteristics To Determine Study Outcomes, Jennifer L. Maloney

Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify the personal characteristics that predicted the study outcome of students in higher education. Study outcome was defined as a student’s grade point average and re-enrolling for the following semester. Multiple regression analysis was used to evaluate whether a student’s former education, personality characteristics, orientation on learning, and study approach influenced study outcome. Of these 11 explanatory variables analyzed against study outcome, many were found to have a direct impact on study outcome. The results of this study provided insight into the predictive ability of personal characteristics and former education on study …

Impacts Of Promoting Family Literacy Knowledge: A Kindergarten Teacher’S Understanding Of How To Continue Promoting Family Literacy, Trish Sippola

All NMU Master's Theses

Learning to read is a complex process in which children have to apply their existing knowledge and experiences in addition to using reading skills such as reading comprehension and decoding abilities. Parents and guardians shape children’s first experiences with literacy. Children’s interactions with others at home create contexts for learning and children’s literacy embedded in everyday life activities. Nineteen kindergarten students and their parents participated in this action research study. Parents were given an open-ended pre and post survey questions about their child and family activities so the researcher could get to know them better. The surveys were a conversation …

A Mixed-Methods Exploration Of Employee Attitudes, Awareness, And Satisfaction With Regard To The University Employee Wellness Program, Linda Ann Walters

Dissertations

While there was an abundant amount of research supporting the need for and benefits of a workplace health program (WHP), little empirical research existed regarding WHPs in a university setting (Watts, 1992). Compared to other WHP settings, the university setting is unique in that the employee population consists of both faculty and staff, with various work schedules, job responsibilities, and demographics. Universities also provide a unique setting for WHPs due to their access to various internal resources, such as employees with expert knowledge, campus food services, on-site facilities, and students studying health and wellness disciplines (RAND Corporation, 2013). As reported …

Barriers To Computer Programming Student Success: A Quantitative Study Of Community College Students In Southwest Missouri, Tiffany D. Ford

Dissertations

Student success in computer programming courses has been a long-studied problem and computer science major retention has historically been substantially lower than other majors. The issue of retention for computer science majors has become more pronounced in two-year, open-enrollment institutions. This quantitative study, grounded in Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences, attempted to address some of the causes of poor retention for entry-level computer science majors at two-year colleges by looking for predictors of student success in their first computer programming course. Two of the intelligences from Gardner’s (1993) theory, Logical-Mathematical and Visual-Spatial, were used along with two factors: student success …

Analyzing The Change And Development Of Simulation Self-Efficacy Among Practical Nursing Students, Moulay Abdelkarim Moukrime

Dissertations

The goal of this dissertation was to contribute to research on practical nursing students’ self-efficacy and the sources that build self-efficacy including mastery experience, vicarious learning, social persuasion, and physiological and affective states (Bandura, 1986). Specifically, the focus in this study was on students’ self-efficacy change and development through the measurement of students’ confidence in ability to engage in medical surgical simulations during the last semester of a practical nursing program. The results of this study revealed perceived self-efficacy did not change, but participants indicated an overall strong sense of efficacy to engage in medical surgical simulations. Additionally, students relied …