Assessment Practices Research Articles

Determining the possibility of passage through narrow alleys using ultrasonic sensors

The complex road topography of South Korea presents significant challenges to the timely arrival of emergency vehicles. Compounding the issue, obstacles such as legally or illicitly constructed structures, and improperly parked or stationary vehicles, frequently obstruct the path of emergency vehicles. To address these challenges, this study introduces a novel system aimed at enhancing emergency response times. The system employs ultrasonic sensors that can be integrated into personal devices to measure the width of the numerous narrow alleys prevalent in Korea's densely populated regions. Experiments demonstrate that within a 1-meter range in front of a narrow alley with widths varying between 270 cm and 450 cm where vehicle maneuvering is possible, it's possible to accurately gauge the width using two ultrasonic sensors, achieving a precision within a 5 cm margin of error. This level of accuracy enables the practical assessment of whether emergency vehicles can access the area in real-time by identifying the alley's narrowest point. The proposed system is a cost-effective method using easy-to-buy devices for augmenting emergency preparedness and enhancing emergency response times by ensuring that emergency vehicles can navigate through alleys, thereby fostering a safer living environment.

Types of formative feedback provided by technology teachers during practical assessment tasks

Technology learners require formative feedback from their teachers to aid them in structuring and solving design problems. Without such feedback, learners often do not explore sub-problems and are inclined to reproduce known and existing solutions. Due to a paucity of literature on formative feedback in technology classrooms, this study investigated the formative feedback types that teachers provide to learners during the problem-structuring and problem-solving phases. A qualitative case study design was employed to investigate such feedback from five technology teachers who supported their learners in solving ill-structured design problems. The findings indicate that teachers’ formative feedback consists predominantly of low-level questions, while generative design questions and low-level comments were the least observed. A deeper understanding of how formative feedback unfolds in a technology classroom may help teachers guide learners through problem structuring and solving. Further research is needed to determine the influence of formative feedback on learners’ design outcomes.

AAPM&R consensus guidance on spasticity assessment and management.

The American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) conducted a comprehensive review in 2021 to identify opportunities for enhancing the care of adult and pediatric patients with spasticity. A technical expert panel (TEP) was convened to develop consensus-based practice recommendations aimed at addressing gaps in spasticity care. To develop consensus-based practice recommendations to identify and address gaps in spasticity care. The Spasticity TEP engaged in a 16-month virtual meeting process, focusing on formulating search terms, refining research questions, and conducting a structured evidence review. Evidence quality was assessed by the AAPM&R Evidence, Quality and Performance Committee (EQPC), and a modified Delphi process was employed to achieve consensus on recommendation statements and evidence grading. The Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy (SORT) guided the rating of individual studies and the strength of recommendations. The TEP approved five recommendations for spasticity management and five best practices for assessment and management, with one recommendation unable to be graded due to evidence limitations. Best practices were defined as widely accepted components of care, while recommendations required structured evidence reviews and grading. The consensus guidance statement represents current best practices and evidence-based treatment options, intended for use by PM&R physicians caring for patients with spasticity. This consensus guidance provides clinicians with practical recommendations for spasticity assessment and management based on the best available evidence and expert opinion. Clinical judgment should be exercised, and recommendations tailored to individual patient needs, preferences, and risk profiles. The accompanying table summarizes the best practice recommendations for spasticity assessment and management, reflecting principles with little controversy in care delivery.

A multifaceted and standardised approach is needed to improve acne severity assessment in clinical practice: an online survey of UK health professionals.

We summarise the findings from a survey based on how health professionals assess acne severity in UK clinical practice. Findings suggest there is interest in a multifaceted and standardised approach to grading acne severity.

Profiles of teachers’ assessment techniques and their students’ involvement in assessment

ABSTRACT Two aspects of formative assessment practices in the Dutch and Flemish educational context were explored: the degree to which secondary mathematics teachers implement a variety of assessment techniques in their classrooms, and the extent to which their students are involved in assessment practices. By developing profiles based on the combination of these aspects of formative assessment, we were able to distinguish various developmental stages in teachers’ implementation of formative assessment. Compared to their Flemish colleagues (n = 83), Dutch teachers (n = 120) used a wider variety of assessment techniques and stimulated student involvement in assessment more. Features of the educational context, such as the availability of teacher professional development for formative assessment, possibly influence development towards use of formative assessment practices in the classroom. The profiles can be used to inform teacher professional development initiatives, as they give insight into the current status of teachers’ assessment practices.

The development of a roadmap for Health Technology Assessment implementation in Moldova

Abstract* Background Moldova strives for universal health coverage (UHC) and considers health technology assessment (HTA) an important policy instrument to inform the choice of services that should be covered to progressively realize UHC. It plays a key role in determining which technologies are coved, considering various dimensions often including cost-effectiveness, budget impact, and feasibility. This paper reports on work undertaken to develop a roadmap for HTA implementation, using evidence-informed deliberative processes (EDPs) as the guiding framework. Methods Between 2020 and 2022, we undertook several activities that informed the roadmap. We conducted a needs assessment and an assessment of European HTA best practices using a combination of desk research, interviews and surveys. We then conducted a document review of six selected HTA systems, complimented by expert interviews from three neighbouring countries. Results The roadmap provided a suggested HTA process, which included instructions on how to execute the different steps of the EDP framework to enhance the legitimacy of HTA-informed decision-making. The roadmap encompasses several aspects such as how to organize stakeholder involvement, how to identify and operationalize decision criteria, and how to make the decision process transparent. Guidance was given to the country on establishing a legal framework for HTA; a communication strategy; strengthening capacity and leveraging HTA expertise. The country was also given tailored advice on the positioning of the HTA-agency, first as an entity within the Ministry of Health or the National Agency of Public Health but with the long-term vision for it to be independent of any state institution. Conclusions Despite several challenges, including a partial disruption because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the development of the roadmap for HTA implementation was completed and agreed upon by the Ministry of Health in Moldova. This work has helped motivate and support the country in HTA institutionalization.

Experiences of experts in intelligence measurement of South African school learners

This qualitative research study emerged from the essential need for reliable and valid intelligence test instruments for South African school learners, who are characterised as a diverse population with their variety in culture, ethnicity, and language, as well as having unequal socio-economic and educational backgrounds. The aim of this research study was to use a qualitative interpretive description research design to explore and describe the experiences of both experts in intelligence test development and/or adaptation as well as psychologists and psychometrists who have administered intelligence tests to South African school learners in various contexts. Twelve psychologists and/or psychometrists were interviewed, of which six were also experts in test development and/or adaptation, which yielded four themes after thematic analysis, namely, utilised intelligence measurements in the current South African school learner context are less relevant; the South African education system is a major issue specifically within lower socio-economic status (SES) contexts; it does not seem feasible to design or adapt suitable intelligence measures that are valid and reliable in the current South African school learner context; and key informants’ recommendations from their experiences.Contribution: This research study contributes to the understanding of the measurement of intelligence of South African school learners in diverse contexts. Findings of this research study can guide the strategic process to design an intelligence instrument suitable for a South African population of school learners, informing fair assessment practices for multiethnic equalisation.

Self-Perceived Assessment Skills and Professional Learning Priorities of Filipino Secondary Science Teachers in Flexible Instruction Delivery

As a context-dependent process, the role of assessment in the practice of flexible instruction delivery during the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic paved the way to rethink teachers’ assessment practices that respond to the demands of the context. This further forced teachers to capacitate themselves with the new platforms for assessing students’ learning and engagement. This descriptive study aimed to delineate Junior High School science teachers’ perceived assessment skills and professional learning priorities and preferences in the areas of assessment in flexible instruction delivery. Results uncovered that they generally perceived themselves as proficient in all the surveyed assessment skills and responsibilities, having the foundation of assessment dealing with the traditional nature of assessment strategies and their purposes, as the area in which they are more skilled. Regarding professional learning priorities on assessment, they deduced moderate interest in integrating and communicating assessment practices and aligning current assessment theories, principles, and practices. This further implies that they pay interest not only in learning the contemporary approaches to assessment but still the traditional tasks and responsibilities associated with it. In the delivery of professional learning activities, professional development activities in person are still the most preferred mode.

Risk assessment of land subsidence based on GIS in the Yongqiao area, Suzhou City, China.

This study focuses on the Yongqiao District in Suzhou City, Anhui Province, China, aiming to analyze the current situation of ground settlement and its influencing factors in the area. The selected risk indices include settlement rate, cumulative settlement amount, groundwater level drop funnel, thickness of loose sediment layer, thickness of soft soil layer, and the number of groundwater extraction layers. Additionally, vulnerability indices such as population density, building density, road traffic, and functional zoning are considered. An evaluation index system for assessing land Subsidence risk was established. The risk evaluation of land Subsidence was conducted using the Hierarchical analysis-composite index method and ArcGIS spatial analysis, The evaluation results show that the area of higher risk area is about 2.82 km2, accounting for 0.96% of the total area, mainly distributed in the area of Jiuli village, Sanba Street. The middle risk area is distributed around the higher area, with an area of about 9.18 km2, accounting for 3.13% of the total area. The lower risk areas were distributed in most of the study area, covering an area of 222.24 km2, accounting for 75.82% of the total area. The low risk assessment area is mainly distributed in Bianhe Street and part of Zhuxianzhuang Town, with an area of about 58.88 km2, accounting for 20.09% of the total area. The findings of this study are not only crucial for informing local policies and practices related to land use planning, infrastructure development, and emergency response but also enhance our understanding of the complexities of land Subsidence processes and their interactions with human activities, informing future research and practice in environmental risk assessment and management.

Managing assessment during curriculum change: Ottawa Consensus Statement

Curriculum change is relatively frequent in health professional education. Formal, planned curriculum review must be conducted periodically to incorporate new knowledge and skills, changing teaching and learning methods or changing roles and expectations of graduates. Unplanned curriculum evolution arguably happens continually, usually taking the form of “minor” changes that in combination over time may produce a substantially different programme. However, reviewing assessment practices is less likely to be a major consideration during curriculum change, overlooking the potential for unintended consequences for learning. This includes potentially undermining or negating the impact of even well-designed and important curriculum changes. Changes to any component of the curriculum “ecosystem “- graduate outcomes, content, delivery or assessment of learning – should trigger an automatic review of the whole ecosystem to maintain constructive alignment. Consideration of potential impact on assessment is essential to support curriculum change. Powerful contextual drivers of a curriculum include national examinations and programme accreditation, so each assessment programme sits within its own external context. Internal drivers are also important, such as adoption of new learning technologies and learning preferences of students and faculty. Achieving optimal and sustainable outcomes from a curriculum review requires strong governance and support, stakeholder engagement, curriculum and assessment expertise and internal quality assurance processes. This consensus paper provides guidance on managing assessment during curriculum change, building on evidence and the contributions of previous consensus papers.

The Role of China’s Standards of English Language Ability (CSE) Assessment Literacy in Promoting Teachers’ Language Assessment Literacy Profiles: Evidence from Chinese University EFL Teachers

AbstractReleased in 2018, China’s Standards of English Language Ability (CSE) set a benchmark for language education and assessment in China, integrating with international standards. This study investigates whether CSE assessment literacy (understanding and applying CSE standards in assessment practice) enhances Language Assessment Literacy (LAL) among 233 university EFL teachers in China. Using a self-designed questionnaire assessing current LAL and CSE assessment literacy, the findings indicate that the teachers’ self-assessed LAL, classified into high, moderate, and low LAL profiles, was generally unsatisfactory. Awareness of the principles was highest in teachers with a moderate LAL profile and was minimal in teachers with a low profile. Proficiency in “CSE Background,” “Competence Classification,” and “Table Scales” was closely linked to elevated LAL profiles. Specifically, “CSE Background” improved LAL across low and moderate profiles, while “Competence Classification” and “Table Scales” mainly benefited the moderate profile, informing effective LAL and CSE training strategies.

Sexual dimorphism analysis in permanent human mandibular canines by geometric morphometrics

Sex estimation of unknown human remains is a common form of assessment in bioarchaeological and forensic practice. When remains are poorly preserved, teeth become important. Research regarding the use of teeth for sex estimation mainly uses odontometrics. Nevertheless, to date, few studies have aimed to systematically evaluate sexual dimorphism in tooth shape. The purpose of this study is to analyze and describe sexual dimorphism in the mandibular canine. Landmarks and semilandmarks were placed on the occlusal, mesiodistal and buccolingual views of mandibular canines of 56 individuals (37 males and 19 females) from the “Prof. Dr. Rómulo Lambre” collection. Moreover, the impact of dental wear in morphometric analyses on sexual dimorphism was explored. The shape of male and female canines differed significantly in the three views analyzed. Female canines showed a larger crown in relation to its root, while male canines showed greater roots in relation to their crown. While female canines showed a large development of the cingulum, male’s teeth exhibited less development of this trait. For these reasons, this study constitutes a first approach to show the usefulness of shape for estimating the sex of canine teeth. These differences might be the result of dissimilarities in the total amount of dentin and enamel due to the effect of sex-linked genes in the growth of these tissues.

A Study to Evaluate the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Hepatitis B Vaccination Among Medical, Dental, Nursing and Physiotherapy Students

Introduction: The term ‘hepatitis’ describes an inflammation of the liver. A viral infection commonly causes it, but there are other possible causes of hepatitis. These include hepatitis caused by drugs, alcohol, toxins and other pharmaceuticals, as well as hepatitis caused by autoimmune conditions. The World Health Organisation suggested that by the close of the 20th century, all nations should include the Hepatitis B vaccine (HBV) in their regular infant and childhood immunisation regimens. Objective: To evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practice of Hepatitis B vaccination among students attending medical, dental, nursing and physiotherapy courses. Materials and Methods: Students studying medicine, dentistry, nursing and physiotherapy at a tertiary health care facility in Kerala’s Kozhikode district are participating in this cross-sectional survey. A structured, open-ended questionnaire that the self-administered knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) used to gather information regarding HBV infection and vaccination was employed to assess the KAP. For the assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice, appropriate scoring was carried out. Utilising SPSS Software version 20.0, the data was analysed. Results: Out of the total 335 students who responded, 256 (76.4%) students were vaccinated, 232 (69.3%) showed poor knowledge towards Hepatitis B vaccination, 6 (16.7%) were not vaccinated and the remaining 23 (6.9%) are not sure about vaccination status. About 38.8% of students have good practice and show a significant association between knowledge, attitude and practice of Hepatitis B vaccination among students. Conclusion: This study shows an association between knowledge, attitude and practice of Hepatitis B vaccination among students, implying that a better understanding of the disease has a positive effect on the practices exercised by an individual.

Estimating and Rewarding the Value of Healthcare Interventions Beyond the Healthcare Sector: A Conceptual Framework.

Evaluating healthcare interventions for their impacts beyond health outcomes may result in recognition of changes in human capital, income level, tax revenue, and government spending, which could affect economic growth and population health. In this paper, we document instances where current health technology assessment (HTA) practices fail to account for the impacts of healthcare interventions on broader society beyond the healthcare sector. We propose a novel conceptual framework, highlighting its three components (distributional cost-effectiveness analysis [DCEA], input-output model, and voting scheme) and their contributions to capturing the economic and societal ripple effects of healthcare interventions. This manuscript also outlines a case study in which the framework is applied to the reassessment of a previously evaluated digital health therapeutic for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) compared with standard of care, demonstrating its practical application. The DCEA health value metric indicates that digital therapeutic is more equitable, favoring socioeconomically disadvantaged groups, while standard of care exacerbates health inequality by benefiting the already advantaged. Additionally, digital therapeutic shows potential for boosting productivity, raising income, and creating jobs, supporting its consideration by employer-sponsored health plans to optimize resource allocation for treating OUD. The conceptual framework provides insights for enhancing HTAs to incorporate the broader economic and societal impacts of healthcare interventions. By integrating DCEA, extended HTA analysis with input-output modeling, and a voting scheme, decision makers can make informed choices aligned with societal priorities, although further research and validation are necessary for practical implementation across diverse healthcare contexts.

A critical narrative questioning the assessment of physical literacy: foster authentic human flourishing across the life course

The study provides a summary, reflection, and clarification on the existing literature amid the recent rise in physical literacy assessment through a critical narrative that will contribute to future developments. In this review, the author addressed the significance of acknowledging the ultimate goal of assessing physical literacy throughout the life course is to foster authentic human flourishing. The study questioned the assessment practice in detail by discussing whether it is to translate and validate or to establish locally and to quantify or to specify qualitatively. The current tendency of a comprehensive dimension but not an inclusive journey was found. Subject to limitation, the merits of this study still stand and, moreover, further point to valuable areas for further inquiry that may refine and foster physical literacy and authentic human flourishing across the life course. And based on the arguments, future direction and recommendations when conducting assessment were discussed.

A case study on the site supervisory attributes in construction labour management, performance assessment and productivity measurement practices

Purpose The sustainability of the construction industry is associated with the productivity, profitability and competitiveness of the firms, which are significantly affected by inefficient site supervision and labour management approaches. This study aims to use a case study with mixed methods to evaluate the site supervisory characteristics in labour management, labour performance assessment and labour productivity measurement towards developing meaningful guidelines in polishing construction supervision attributes. Design/methodology/approach Well-developed modern apprenticeship elements were applied to 62 construction supervisors who were selected using the snowball sampling method, and their relevant competency characteristics were assessed using a comprehensively developed grading mechanism connected with useful training manuals/tools. Academic reviews, experts’ consultations and other meticulous mixed approaches were applied at different stages of the research plan’s sequential layout. Findings The mean performance scores of supervisors indicate proficient-level grades in the competency characteristics related to applying efficient labour management procedures and developing-level grades in designing productivity measurement tools, performing assessments on efficiency and productivity and proposing enhancement practices on efficiency and productivity for site operations. The findings point to a modern generalised guideline that establishes the ranges of supervisory attributes within the scope of the study. The validity, reliability, adaptability and generalisability of the findings were assured by using pertinent statistical tests and professional assessments. Research limitations/implications Though the study’s conclusions/findings are primarily applicable to the construction environment of a developing country comparable to the Sri Lankan context, they will considerably impact current/future industrial practices in various other countries and emerging industries. Originality/value The research has produced a conceptualised modern tool that guides determining the capacity levels of supervisory attributes for carrying out labour management, labour performance assessment and labour productivity measurement aspects in construction. The research has opened a pump that inflows new values of highly workable supervision features for strengthening the site management structures and filling the industry’s knowledge vacuum in the methodical execution of apprenticeships.

Assessing uncertainty in building material emissions using scenario-aware Monte Carlo simulation

Global greenhouse gas emissions from the built environment remain high, driving innovative approaches to develop and adopt building materials that can mitigate some of those emissions. However, life-cycle assessment (LCA) practices still lack standardized quantitative uncertainty assessment frameworks, which are urgently needed to robustly assess mitigation efforts. Previous works emphasize the importance of accounting for the three types of uncertainties that may exist within any quantitative assessment: parameter, scenario, and model uncertainty. Herein, we develop a quantitative uncertainty assessment framework that distinguishes between different types of uncertainties and suggest how these uncertainties could be handled systematically through a scenario-aware Monte Carlo simulation (MCS). We demonstrate the framework’s decision-informing power through a case study of two multilevel ordinary Portland cement (OPC) manufacturing scenarios. The MCS utilizes a first-principles-based OPC life-cycle inventory, which mitigates some of the model uncertainty that may exist in other empirical-based cement models. Remaining uncertainties are handled by scenario specification or sampling from developed probability distribution functions. We also suggest a standardized method for fitting distributions to parameter data by enumerating through and implementing distributions based on the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test. The level of detail brought by the high-resolution parameter breakdown of the model allows for developing emission distributions for each process of OPC manufacturing. This approach highlights how specific parameters, along with scenario framing, can impact overall OPC emissions. Another key takeaway includes relating the uncertainty of each process to its contributions to total OPC emissions, which can guide LCA modelers in allocating data collection and refinement efforts to processes with the highest contribution to cumulative uncertainty. Ultimately, the aim of this work is to provide a standardized framework that can provide robust estimates of building material emissions and be readily integrated within any uncertainty assessment.

Hydrogen carriers – transporting hydrogen from producers to export power markets

As a global energy transition community there is a lot of talk about producing hydrogen in Australia, South America, the Middle East and now the USA, and transporting that as an energy source to markets such as Japan, Korea, Singapore and Europe. How will we do this, what are the carriers available, and what are the advantages and challenges of each? This is a practical assessment of the situation highlighting where we need to focus our efforts as a global community and Australia’s role in enabling hydrogen supply chains of the future to succeed.

Beyond transformative agreements. Library strategies towards Open Science

Transformative agreements are increasingly supporting the amount of open access articles, but they also pose big dilemmas to libraries, as costs are also increasing and they have a time limit. This is the rationale for libraries to imagine new strategies that go beyond the transformative agreements, i.e. the support to the Diamond Open Access, the development of new tools for a national repository network, the commitment to policies that foster innovative practices in the research assessment and so on. The author argues that collaboration among libraries, funders and publishers is the key to move forward with the open access achievements. Assuming that there will always be costs involved in supporting the Gold Road, libraries, publishers, and research funders will need to conceive in the future new sustainable agreements, both economically and ethically.

Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice to promote hand hygiene among undergraduate medical and nursing students in a teaching hospital

: A considerable number of epidemiological evidences proved that efficient hand hygiene practices has reduced the risk of infection cross-transmission in hospital facilities. Despite the effortlessness and simplicity of the practice, compliance with hand hygiene among health care workers has been relatively very less. There is a significant lack of evidence regarding infection control training among undergraduate medical and nursing students, hence it becomes essential to re-examine the efficacy of our hand hygiene sessions and conduct programs, CMEs, workshops frequently to keep health care workers sensitized and oriented towards hand hygiene.: The present study was undertaken to assess the overall exposure of medical and nursing students towards basic hand hygiene practices through a knowledge, attitude and practice questionnaire based cross- sectional study. 100 medical and 100 nursing students were grouped into good, moderate and poor categories, based on scores from the questions testing the overall knowledge of hospital acquired infections, attitude towards hand hygiene and actual practice at the field level.: The present study showed poor knowledge among medical and nursing students i.e 41% and 60% of the participants respectively. Nursing staff showed good attitude when compared to medical students (71% and 56%). Regardless of the knowledge, practice of hand hygiene was good in both the groups 59% of medical and 71% of nursing students. On the whole, in comparison nursing population displayed better results compared to undergraduate medical student population. Nevertheless, evidently showing unsatisfactory results among both the study groups in the grounds of knowledge.: Therefore, the study concludes that knowledge and exposure to hand hygiene practices should be improved in undergraduate curriculum for both medical and nursing students which provides an opportunity to correct the bed side hygiene practices of the future health care providers at the foundation level.