Alternative Assessment Methods Research Articles

Food Pattern Modeling as an Alternative Assessment Method to Multiday Dietary Recalls for Iron-Related Nutrients: A Proof-of-Concept Study.

There are barriers to in-depth memory-based dietary assessment techniques in community-based research. Food pattern modeling may be an alternative method to traditional assessment techniques. The objective of this study was to pilot a comparison of food pattern modeling to 24 h diet recalls for predicting hematological outcomes of iron status. Data from 3–24 h dietary recalls in 27 women were analyzed by two methods: mean dietary intake estimates or food pattern modeling. Food pattern modeling was used to determine the total inventory of foods consumed with iron, phytate, or ascorbic acid or iron–phytate ratios. Each variable was analyzed for its relationship to hemoglobin, ferritin, and acute iron absorption from a meal challenge study by creating receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. There were no differences in ROC curves or diagnostic accuracies between food pattern modeling or mean dietary intake estimates for iron, vitamin C, phytate, or phytate–iron ratios for estimating hemoglobin or ferritin values (p > 0.05). Food pattern modeling was inferior to mean dietary estimates for acute iron absorption, suggesting that more detailed methods may be necessary for studies with sensitive or acute dietary measurement outcomes. Food pattern modeling for total iron, vitamin C, phytate, and phytate–iron ratios may be comparable to detailed memory-based recalls for larger studies assessing the impact of foods on iron status.

PROSPERING MEANINGFUL LEARNING EXPERIENCE ECOSYSTEM VIA PROJECT OUTCOME-BASED LEARNING (PO-BL): A CASE STUDY OF MALAYSIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

If there is one thing that students might loath today is the monotonous and stagnant learning process which hinder the harmonious teaching and learning ecosystem. Students have good reasons to reprimand the school at all time, that the exam-oriented has and always become caustic effects of prospering their potential. Because every student comes with their unique traits and characteristics, focusing mainly on objective-based evaluation is not always the best practice. The school lackluster performance has been heavily emphasized on the whole students’ performance; trigger a question of whether the exam-based orientation is the only method of students’ evaluation. Pertaining to the aforementioned issue, this article promotes Project Outcome-Based Learning (PO-BL) as an alternative assessment method in evaluating student learning outcomes and derive reflections from students’ perspectives after participating in PO-BL activities. Forty undergraduate students who enrolled in STE3603 (Manipulative Skills III) course were selected as research subjects. This group of students was chosen after taking part in RoboWars competition in the Faculty of Educational Studies Innovation Showcase organized by the Putra Future Classroom (PFC), Universiti Putra Malaysia. In this competition, students were asked to demonstrate the robot and compete in the battle competition. Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation (ADDIE model) was adapted to monitor the progress on the robotic project from the first week of classroom practical session to 13th week. The students were then selected to be part of the research project by implying the purposive sampling technique. The subjects were requested to share their personal experiences from the project they did and what the project meant to them via open-ended qualitative questions. The questions were distributed online using ‘JotForm’. We hired expert reviewers to inform the qualitative questions and obtain findings from developed research questions. The responses in narrative forms were downloaded in Excel Spreadsheet and analyzed thematically. The theme that emerged from the study then being matched based on the meaningful learning attributes from previous studies to justify the characteristics. The characteristics from the emergence themes were derived from constant comparative analysis using the color-coded technique. We also triangulated the themes with other data collected prior, during, and after the project completion. The process of triangulation involving data from observation, student report, and lesson plan for one semester. The findings from the study produced imperative contributions of PO-BL from myriad aspects. It is noteworthy to highlight that to reduce the traditional teaching and learning drawbacks, PO-BL might be one of the solutions to enhance the retention of students in the classroom and embrace meaningful learning experience for learners. For the purpose of achieving meaningful learning, PO-BL approach has been useful to engage students in an active, constructive, intentional, authentic and co-operative learning environment which emphasizes on the holistic teaching and learning ecosystem.

Malaysian Public University Lecturers’ Perceptions and Practices of Formative and Alternative Assessments

Successful teaching and learning are highly dependent on assessment as it provides necessary information for making informed decisions in a higher education program. University lecturers should be equipped with skills and knowledge on different methods of evaluation to assess their students effectively. Only few researchers have investigated the assessment methods employed by lecturers in universities in Malaysia. Traditional class-based assessments are the most common mode of assessment although this form of assessment fails to measure students’ learning adequately. This qualitative study aims to determine the level of lecturers’ awareness of the different kinds of assessments at the University Puta Malaysia (UPM). The study sampled 48 lecturers from various faculties at UPM. They responded to a self-reporting questionnaire that required them to indicate their perceived competence in alternative and formative assessments. The result of the thematic analysis revealed that lecturers were utterly aware of formative assessment practices. However, despite the significance of alternative assessments in the learning process, some lecturers were not aware of alternative assessment practices. The implication is that the literacy level of lecturers in alternative assessment methods should be improved. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.19.5.23

The appropriateness of using a counter app in experimental studies assessing unwanted intrusive thoughts

The reliable and valid assessment of unwanted intrusive thoughts (UITs) is crucial. The main aim of the current research was to investigate if individuals who used a counter app (a program on a mobile device that is used to count the frequency of an event by pressing the volume-up button) to assess UITs retrospectively overreported the number of UITs. The secondary aim was to establish preliminary psychometric qualities of the counter app method. A UIT was activated in N = 87 students. They were randomly allocated to one of three experimental conditions: counter app, thought monitoring, or free thinking. Retrospective descriptors of the UIT, including its frequency, were taken. The second study (N = 118) mainly aimed to replicate the results of the first study. In both studies, the retrospective frequency ratings of the UITs were 2–3 times higher in individuals who had used the counter app compared to those in the control conditions. Preliminary indicators of convergent validity and test–retest reliability were good; criterion, discriminant, and predictive validity were unsatisfactory. To conclude, using event marking such as a counter app can result in an overestimation of UITs. Alternative methods of assessment of UITs are discussed.

Physics Teachers’ Views and Practices on the Assessment of Students’ Practical Work Skills

Practical work must be assessed in a way that will promote the development of key skills necessary for destinations beyond the physics school laboratory. This paper reports on a study which sought to find out teachers’ views and practices on the assessment of Advanced Level (‘A’ level) physics students’ practical work skills. Individual interviews and focus group discussions were conducted to get physics teachers’ views and practices on practical work skills assessment. The views of physics teachers were that the current method of practical work assessment used by the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (Zimsec) is not efficient in encouraging students to develop a variety of practical work skills as students concentrated on mastering presentation and analysis skills at the expense of other crucial practical work skills like equipment manipulation, observational, planning and designing. The study recommends that alternative methods of practical work assessment that integrates both direct assessment of practical work skills (DAPS) and indirect assessment of practical work skills (IAPS) should be used to ensure valid and reliable assessment of practical work skills of ‘A’ level physics students.

Stock assessment and management of cephalopods: advances and challenges for short-lived fishery resources

Abstract Cephalopods have become an important global food source, but their sustainable management is challenged by unique life history characteristics associated with short lifespans and semelparous reproduction, high natural mortality rates, rapid and often nonasymptotic growth, and complex population structures. Weak stock-recruitment relationships together with the time-consuming work required for age validation and high-volume annual age determinations make traditional age-based modelling impractical. We propose that the best method for cephalopod assessment involves innovative depletion models, fitted with in-season data on catch numbers and fishing effort, to produce realistic estimates of stock biomass. A “fast lane” assessment approach is suggested that includes high-frequency data collection for separate, in-season stock assessments of each cohort to ensure sustainable exploitation of these short-lived resources. However, most cephalopod fisheries are data-poor and/or lack the infrastructure and resources needed to apply depletion methods; therefore, we also present alternative assessment methods that have been recently applied worldwide. We also offer suggestions for further research on the remaining challenges of cephalopod stock assessment and management.

Fatigue assessment of a complex welded steel bridge connection utilizing a three-dimensional multi-scale finite element model and hotspot stress method

Some novel complex structural components of steel bridges are not explicitly addressed in the existing fatigue design codes and require an alternative local fatigue assessment method. This paper proposes a fatigue assessment protocol for these complex critical components of steel bridges, using the hotspot stress method. A computationally efficient finite element model of a large-scale bridge is created to provide the local structural response of complex components, under simulated dynamic traffic loads. A multi-scale model is implemented to accommodate higher dimension elements, which are recommended for fatigue assessment via hotspot stress method. The multi-scale model is created for the case study, the Memorial Bridge in Portsmouth, NH, which is a vertical lift steel truss bridge with a novel gusset-less curve-welded connection. A truck load test is used to validate the multi-scale model by comparing numerical results to the field collected data through the structural health monitoring system of the bridge. The result shows that the multi-scale model can determine the critical hotspot stresses, to study the fatigue performance of the bridge’s critical components.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on surgical services: early experiences at a nominated COVID-19 centre.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on surgical services: early experiences at a nominated COVID-19 centre.

Transcriptomics in Toxicogenomics, Part I: Experimental Design, Technologies, Publicly Available Data, and Regulatory Aspects.

The starting point of successful hazard assessment is the generation of unbiased and trustworthy data. Conventional toxicity testing deals with extensive observations of phenotypic endpoints in vivo and complementing in vitro models. The increasing development of novel materials and chemical compounds dictates the need for a better understanding of the molecular changes occurring in exposed biological systems. Transcriptomics enables the exploration of organisms’ responses to environmental, chemical, and physical agents by observing the molecular alterations in more detail. Toxicogenomics integrates classical toxicology with omics assays, thus allowing the characterization of the mechanism of action (MOA) of chemical compounds, novel small molecules, and engineered nanomaterials (ENMs). Lack of standardization in data generation and analysis currently hampers the full exploitation of toxicogenomics-based evidence in risk assessment. To fill this gap, TGx methods need to take into account appropriate experimental design and possible pitfalls in the transcriptomic analyses as well as data generation and sharing that adhere to the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) principles. In this review, we summarize the recent advancements in the design and analysis of DNA microarray, RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq), and single-cell RNA-Seq (scRNA-Seq) data. We provide guidelines on exposure time, dose and complex endpoint selection, sample quality considerations and sample randomization. Furthermore, we summarize publicly available data resources and highlight applications of TGx data to understand and predict chemical toxicity potential. Additionally, we discuss the efforts to implement TGx into regulatory decision making to promote alternative methods for risk assessment and to support the 3R (reduction, refinement, and replacement) concept. This review is the first part of a three-article series on Transcriptomics in Toxicogenomics. These initial considerations on Experimental Design, Technologies, Publicly Available Data, Regulatory Aspects, are the starting point for further rigorous and reliable data preprocessing and modeling, described in the second and third part of the review series.

Innovative strategy based on mechanisms to substitute animal testing for ocular toxicity assessment of agrochemical formulations market in Brazil

Considering the successful employment of alternative methods for eye toxicity assessment of products for regulatory purposes, and the recent advances in Brazilian legislative scenario, which adopted the UN GHS classification system for agrochemical formulations toxicity assessment, there is an emerging demand for strategies that allow the evaluation of such products. Based on this, the present study aimed to address the applicability of a mechanistic-based defined approach for eye toxicity assessment of agrochemical formulations. It was investigated the opacity/permeability, depth and location of corneal injury in bovine cornea, and vascular events in chorioallantoic membrane induced for different Brazilian agrochemicals using a Sequential Testing Strategy (STS). Cytotoxicity induced by the agrochemical formulations was evaluated by Short Time exposure (STE) (OECD TG 491) assay (step 1), corneal injury was investigated by standard Bovine Corneal Opacity and Permeability (BCOP) (OECD TG 437) followed by histopathological evaluation (step 2), and Hen Chorionic-allantoic Membrane test (HET-CAM) was used to evaluate vascular injury (step 3). The results demonstrated that the proposed defined approach enabled a classification corresponding UN GHS classification of agrochemical formulations while minimizing the use of live animals. Therefore, this approach may be useful for categorization of agrochemicals in Brazil according to the new regulatory scenario.

Academic stress levels in university students caused by the application of alternative assessment methods in English language learning

Los diferentes métodos y enfoques de valuación existentes en el ámbito de la enseñanza a nivel superior, generalmente provocan diversas reacciones de tipo psico-conductual en estudiantes universitarios. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar la relación entre la aplicación de métodos de evaluación alternativa en el campo del aprendizaje de idiomas y el nivel de estrés generado antes durante y después de dichas evaluaciones. Se aplicó el inventario SISCO del estrés académico a doscientos diecinueve estudiantes. Además, los test no paramétricos de Alpha Cronbach y Friedman fueron usados para procesar los datos recolectados. Por consiguiente, la investigación fue de tipo cualitativa y cuantitativa . Los resultados indicaron que los estudiantes experimentan un nivel más alto de estrés al iniciar una evaluación, marcada como pico cuando se aplican evaluaciones alternativas con un enfoque de evaluación “de aprendizajes” la cual mide únicamente conocimientos adquiridos, mientras que en evaluaciones con un enfoque de tipo “para aprendizajes” y “como medio de aprendizajes, los resultados muestran una tendencia estándar en los momentos, antes, durante y después de la evaluación. Es así que se concluye que la forma más asertiva de disminuir los niveles de estrés que experimentan los estudiantes es mediante la aplicación de evaluaciones como medio de aprendizaje.

Google Books, Scopus, Microsoft Academic and Mendeley for impact assessment of doctoral dissertations: A multidisciplinary analysis of the UK

A research doctorate normally culminates in publishing a dissertation reporting a substantial body of novel work. In the absence of a suitable citation index, this article explores the relative merits of alternative methods for the large-scale assessment of dissertation impact, using 150,740 UK doctoral dissertations from 2009–2018. Systematic methods for this were designed for Google Books, Scopus, Microsoft Academic, and Mendeley. Less than 1 in 8 UK doctoral dissertations had at least one Scopus (12%), Microsoft Academic (11%), or Google Books citation (9%), or at least one Mendeley reader (5%). These percentages varied substantially by subject area and publication year. Google Books citations were more common in the Arts and Humanities (18%), whereas Scopus and Microsoft Academic citations were more numerous in Engineering (24%). In the Social Sciences, Google Books (13%) and Scopus (12%) citations were important and in Medical Sciences, Scopus and Microsoft Academic citations to dissertations were rare (6%). Few dissertations had Mendeley readers (from 3% in Science to 8% in the Social Sciences) and further analysis suggests that Google Scholar finds more citations, but does not report information about all dissertations within a repository and is not a practical tool for large-scale impact assessment

Structure orderliness assessment of grid development to improve the reliability of coal mine external electrical power supply

State-of-the-art reliability assessment methods require a large amount of initial statistical data, which does not always have the necessary degree of accuracy for accurate assessment. Moreover, this data is often difficult to obtain, which can ultimately delay the execution of calculations and increase error within results. This paper explores an alternative assessment method using the “structural orderliness indicator” and minimal initial data to calculate the change in reliability indicators in connection with reinforcement decisions. This paper includes the cost of reconstruction associated with the introduction of a new unit cost indicator for increasing the structure orderliness index. As a real-world application, the following discussion proposes improvements to external electrical power supply reliability for coal-mining enterprises within the Russian Federation, such as in the Kemerovo region (the biggest coal-producing region of Russia). In recent years, the number of production process suspensions and emergency shutdowns of life support facilities has increased due to external power supply disruptions. The performed calculations made possible qualitatively comparison the proposed method and state-of-the-art method based on the determination of reliability indices (SAIDI, SAIFI, etc.).

Concurrent and Convergent Validity of a Single, Brief Question for Physical Activity Assessment.

An extensive number of self-reported methods for physical activity (PA) measurement are available, including short and long recall questionnaires ranging from a few to tens of questions. Due to the fact that simple, time-saving methods could be more practical and desirable for use in a busy clinical context, as well as in public health surveys, we evaluated how a single-item question might be a useful and cost-effective method for assessing compliance with PA guidelines. Using multiple receiver operating characteristics (ROC), we assessed the classification performance of a single brief question, employing the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire as criterion instrument, in a total of 55,950 people (30,601 women and 25,349 men). Both those who practice PA almost daily and a few times a week presented an upper threshold (1042.5 metabolic equivalent minutes (MET) minutes/week) to the established compliance PA guidelines (600 MET minutes/week) with high specificity and sensitivity, using a sedentary group as reference. Otherwise, the occasionally physically active group did not reach the minimum (349.5 MET minutes/week) and obtained a poorer classification performance. A single brief question is a pragmatic and alternative method for assessment of compliance with PA guidelines.

Assessment of Renal Osteodystrophy via Computational Analysis of Label-free Raman Detection of Multiple Biomarkers.

Accurate clinical evaluation of renal osteodystrophy (ROD) is currently accomplished using invasive in vivo transiliac bone biopsy, followed by in vitro histomorphometry. In this study, we demonstrate that an alternative method for ROD assessment is through a fast, label-free Raman recording of multiple biomarkers combined with computational analysis for predicting the minimally required number of spectra for sample classification at defined accuracies. Four clinically relevant biomarkers: the mineral-to-matrix ratio, the carbonate-to-matrix ratio, phenylalanine, and calcium contents were experimentally determined and simultaneously considered as input to a linear discriminant analysis (LDA). Additionally, sample evaluation was performed with a linear support vector machine (LSVM) algorithm, with a 300 variable input. The computed probabilities based on a single spectrum were only marginally different (~80% from LDA and ~87% from LSVM), both providing an unacceptable classification power for a correct sample assignment. However, the Type I and Type II assignment errors confirm that a relatively small number of independent spectra (7 spectra for Type I and 5 spectra for Type II) is necessary for a p < 0.05 error probability. This low number of spectra supports the practicality of future in vivo Raman translation for a fast and accurate ROD detection in clinical settings.

Body adiposity measured by bioelectrical impedance is an alternative to dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry in black Africans: The Africans in America Study.

The prevalence of cardiometabolic disease has risen in Africa and parallels the obesity epidemic. To assess cardiometabolic risk, body composition measurements by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) are ideal. In communities with limited resources, alternative measures may be useful but have not been compared extensively in black Africans. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify alternative methods of body composition assessment, such as body adiposity index (BAI) and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), for use in African-born blacks. This was a cross-sectional study with African-born blacks. BAI and five BIA predictive equations (using variations of height, weight, age, sex, and impedance) were compared with DXA to estimate percent fat. Participants were 266 African-born blacks (39 ± 10 y, body mass index 28 ± 4 kg/m2, and 68% men) living in metropolitan Washington DC. Equivalence (90% confidence interval, -3 to 3), concordance, and Bland-Altman analyses (bias <2%, R2 closest to zero) compared BAI or BIA predictive equations to DXA as the criterion method. DXA percent fat was 27.2% ± 5.5% and 40.3% ± 6.9% in men and women, respectively. BAI underestimated percent fat in men (bias: 1.88 ± 4.71, R2=0.25, P < 0.001) and women (bias: 6.47 ± 4.94, R2=0.08, P=0.01). Of the five BIA predictive equations, the equation reported by Sun et al. had the best agreement with DXA percent fat for men (bias: -0.91 ± 3.67, R2=0.02, P=0.05) and women (bias: -0.92 ± 4.02, R2=0.003, P=0.58). Percent fat from the Sun et al. equation best agreed with DXA percent fat. BIA with the Sun et al. predictive equation was the best alternative to DXA for body fat assessment in African-born blacks.

Civil Engineering Students’ Perceptions of Conventional and Alternative Assessment Methods

Debates continue about assessment methods and tasks in higher engineering education that would enable assessment of cognitive learning attributes and attainment of graduate attributes. This study explored the students’ perceptions of the conventional and alternative assessment methods that are relevant and could be used to assess cognitive learning and graduate attributes in undergraduate civil engineering education. The study focused on an undergraduate civil engineering programme at a university of technology in South Africa. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed, in which a survey questionnaire was administered, followed by focus group interviews from a sample of 230 and 46 students, respectively. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses were conducted. The findings show that students perceived both conventional and alternative assessment instruments as appropriate to varying degrees; they saw different assessment instruments as effectively assessing the cognitive learnings and attainment of graduate attributes. The central finding is that an apposite mix of different conventional and alternative assessment instruments might assist in attaining effective assessment in undergraduate civil engineering.

Efektywność edukacyjna małopolskich liceów – analiza porównawcza

Objective: In the article the authors model and measure the educational efficiency of high schools in Małopolskie Voivodeship, which are treated as microeconomic production units.Research Design &amp; Methods: Two alternative methods of assessment are presented for the proposed educational efficiency measure. In the first, based on the Cobb-Douglas production function, efficiency is modelled using a one-sided random term. The parameters of this model and the efficiency measure are estimated using the corrected ordinary least squares (COLS) method. In the second approach – Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) – efficiency is determined using the optimal value of the objective function of an appropriate linear program. The variables used for the study and the set of data are described.Findings: The results for 34 high schools, obtained using both methods, are moderately similar, but diverge radically from the ranking based on the Educational Value Added (EVA) index used by the Central Examination Board (CEB).Implications / Recommendations: The high schools that lead the press rankings in Małopolskie Voivodeship are not the most efficient institutions in the microeconomic terms. Moreover, the most efficient high schools are located in smaller cities (not in Cracow).Contribution: A new measure of EVA, rooted in the microeconomic approach to schools as production units, is presented and empirically applied. This measure significantly differs from the EVA index used by CEB; in the authors’ opinion, it is clearer and easier to interpret; the efficiency measure based on it makes it possible to rank schools objectively.

Baseline reliability and early response in clinical trials of major depressive disorder

Many double-blind, placebo-controlled, antidepressant clinical trials conducted in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) fail to separate the candidate drug from placebo. Multiple factors can affect trial outcomes including the patient’s expectations and motivation, the clinician’s ratings competency and reliability, and the design of the trial itself. Two factors affecting treatment outcome associated with trial design are 1) the reliability of the baseline measure, and 2) an early, indiscriminate symptomatic response following randomization that can occur regardless of treatment assignment. The motivation to participate in the trial itself can influence the baseline measurement as well as the early symptomatic response that follows the baseline. An unreliable baseline measure will affect all subsequent symptomatic assessments during the clinical trial and may affect the interpretation of results. The baseline measure is usually the primary contingency variable used to evaluate treatment outcome in clinical trials and is typically a single point in time measurement obtained sometime on the baseline day. It is well known that the symptoms of MDD naturally fluctuate during the day (diurnal variation) and from day to day as well. Consequently, it is unrealistic to presume that a single point in time measurement can accurately and reliably capture the true symptom severity of all MDD patients at baseline. Several MDD trials have revealed an early symptomatic response that occurs shortly after randomization regardless of treatment assignment. It has been shown that the early symptomatic response may be sustained throughout the trial, includes patients assigned to placebo, and may impede signal detection at the end of the study. This review explores the importance of baseline reliability and the influence of early symptomatic response in some clinical trials of MDD patients and considers an alternative assessment method (ecological momentary assessment) as an innovative strategy to improve the reliability of the baseline measurement.

Theoretical Preconditions for [a] Change in the Student Assessment System: Toward Good Practices

Student formal assessment is the core axis of the educational process that affects the whole teaching / learning activity, its quality, students’ success experience, their self-respect and self-esteem, and the perception of self-efficacy. By recognising prospects as the main learning objective and defining the outcome as personal and authentic learner progress, the assessment raises the need to pay a due attention to reflection, deep consideration, and feedback to all participants of the educational process. Against this background, doubts are started to be raised about appropriateness of the grade, currently being one of the most popular methods of the formal student assessment, leading to the scientific problem of this article. Over the last few decades, a shift in the assessment has been observed, from the focus exclusively on the end result to a stronger orientation toward the whole educational process, with an emphasis on motivating students to learn and strengthening their involvement in the educational process. These changes are illustrated by the Finnish good practice where, in an environment based on mutual trust and respect, and without questioning the importance and need for testing learners’ knowledge, abilities, and skills in the teaching / learning process, alternative assessment methods: portfolio assessment and learning conversations, are successfully used. To transfer examples of the good practice and adapt them to the national context, it seems reasonable to apply theories and models of change management. Achieving a targeted and effective change in the area of the assessment requires a process-focused approach to the change management.