Self-assessment Criteria Research Articles

The Development of a Well-Being Environment and Age-Friendly Communities Assessment Criteria Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process: A Case of Thailand

Assessment tools that promote well-being, widely used internationally, often focus on general populations, and lack specific indicators for older individuals, whose environmental needs differ from the general population. This paper presents a comprehensive approach to reviewing and selecting indicators necessary for creating community environments that enhance not only the well-being of people in general but also age-friendliness. The approach aligns with international standards while catering to the specific needs of Thailand. A methodology was employed to identify minimum standard indicators, carefully selected by a panel of 15 qualified experts from various fields. Subsequently, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique was used to establish a weighting system among relevant main and sub-categories. The results indicated that the weight values of the 11 main categories and 43 criteria differ from international well-being community assessment tools because Thailand's Well-being Environment and Age-Friendly Community (ThaiWBAFC) must balance both well-being and age-friendly indicators. The main categories with the highest weights are (1) air quality (17.48%), (2) drinking water quality (17.38%), and (3) healthy food environment (15.47%). Additionally, it was found that indicators for older individuals should differ from those for other age groups due to factors such as age, physical health decline, income levels, literacy levels, and societal changes, resulting in different environmental needs. The experts recommended adding more indicators and eliminating inappropriate ones, such as those that need complex technology. Local government agencies in developing countries can benefit from using these criteria for self-assessment and improving the community's environment for older individuals.

Self-assessment criteria as projected realities: a social cognitive study on student experience in postgraduate thesis writing

While research on postgraduate thesis writing has investigated how students cope with institutional assessment criteria, this study explores how students form their own criteria for self-assessment through the writing process, aiming to account for the development of their independent thinking in academic socialisation. Based on in-depth interviews with 10 Chinese master’s students, the study found that their self-assessment criteria not only represented solutions to problems identified by their supervisors and examiners, but also embodied aims established by students themselves. Those criteria were not fixed textual properties of a ‘good’ thesis, but were dynamic representations of textual and social realities constituting students’ lifeworlds. Viewed from this perspective, self-assessment is a situated process whereby students re-experience and re-interpret multiple sets of realities juxtaposed against their writing. Pedagogically, the study implies that postgraduate thesis supervision could facilitate the expansion of students’ self-assessment criteria to develop their capacity for making independent judgements.

Improving Quality of Administration Process in HEIs: Professional Competence Perceived by Academic Staff in Ukraine

Abstract Research purpose. The research purpose of this paper was to explore the evaluation of skills by academic staff to improve the quality of the administration process in higher education institutions (HEIs) from two perspectives. Firstly, the authors investigated whether there are statistically significant differences between the genders of academic staff in higher education institutions regarding the evaluation of their skills and competencies. Secondly, the study aimed to determine if there are statistically significant differences in competencies perceived between academic staff of STEM sciences and those with academic experience in other sciences in terms of assessing their professional competencies. The purpose was determined by the impact of self-assessment of professional competencies on the improvement of administrative processes. Design / Methodology / Approach. The survey, using the authors` developed questionnaire, was distributed in Ukraine from 2019 to 2023. 374 respondents were surveyed. To test hypotheses, the authors employed the Mann-Whitney U test for gender-related hypotheses and the Kruskal-Wallis test for hypotheses related to the area of scientific and academic activities. Findings. Due to the analysis carried out in the present research, the Mann-Whitney non-parametric test showed that there is no statistically significant difference between the gender groups and their professional competencies evaluation, which leads to the rejection of the first hypothesis. The second hypothesis was also rejected, as based on the Kruskal-Wally’s test there is no statistically significant difference between the perception of the professional competencies among the academic staff of STEM and other sciences. Originality / Value / Practical implications. Unlike other studies, this research specifically focuses on the differences between the self-assessment-based perceptions by genders and STEM sciences academic staff compared to representatives of other branches of science at HEIs in Ukraine. The practical value is achieved by the research thus ensuring administrative staff with defined competencies and self-assessment criteria. The research findings then will allow us to link competencies to administration processes and offer training and development opportunities based on identified competency gaps. The feedback mechanism might be established based on the research data and these self-assessment results might be incorporated into the performance evaluation processes, thus improving the quality of the educational process and its administration in HEIs. Practical implications are related to the state and period of the research, due to the present war in Ukraine.

Fostering student agency and motivation: co-creation of a rubric for self-evaluation in an ungraded course

No one enjoys grading, neither instructors nor students. The idea is that grades provide the required incentive to learn and act as an “objective” form of evaluation. This view is especially prevalent in STEM, where practitioners pride themselves in quantitative and objective measurements. However, the science of learning tells us that grades and ranking increase competition and stress, pushing learners to engage in tasks regardless of their effectiveness. Grades have been shown to suppress interest in learning, incentivize engagement in easier tasks, and produce shallower thinking. If wanting to learn is something students and faculty can agree on, how do we get there without grading? From psychology research, we know that feedback, separated from grades, along with opportunities to reattempt work without negative consequence, are powerful drivers of the intrinsic motivation to learn. In fact, feedback loops—trying something new, getting feedback, and making changes based on feedback - are a known developmental pathway to authentic learning. In this article, I describe an experiment with a form of ungrading that involves students in the co-creation of self-assessment criteria. The goal is to create learning feedback loops, incentivize learning for learning’s sake, and give students some agency in the process of evaluation. This was conducted in an upper division Immunology course at a small liberal arts college. This paper outlines an iterative and dialogical process between students and instructional staff to craft a holistic set of criteria for the evaluation of learning. These criteria became the foundation for regular one-on-one conversations with students and a means to track progress over the semester. End-of-semester student feedback was overwhelmingly positive, citing increased motivation to learn, lower levels of anxiety, a less competitive environment, and growth as a learner. Among the few disadvantages cited were anxieties from grade ambiguity, fears about the process, and extra time, especially for the instructor. This paper highlights the ways in which this system aligns with psychosocial theories of learning, fostering an intrinsic motivation to learn utilizing principles of critical pedagogy and students as partners. It concludes with lessons learned from both the student and instructor viewpoint.

THE POTENTIAL OF THE ESSAY IN FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT: LITERATURE REVIEW

This scientific research explores the potential of using essays as a formative assessment tool in the context of the competencies approach. The competencies approach emphasises the importance of focusing on learning progress and needs to promote successful learning, thus formative assessment plays a pivotal role in facilitating effective learning. The study highlights the significance of essay writing in promoting critical thinking, problem-solving, and self-directed learning. However, students often perceive essays solely as a means of summative assessment, lacking a comprehensive understanding of the assessment criteria. To address this issue, the research emphasizes the importance of involving students in the learning process by collectively defining outcomes, establishing assessment criteria, and providing constructive feedback. Clear objectives and feedback are crucial in fostering self-regulated learning and lifelong learning. The study highlights the need for student-teacher collaboration to enhance students' attitudes towards learning. Challenges in implementing formative assessment, such as providing quality feedback to each student, are acknowledged. In the context of foreign language learning, essays serve as valuable tools for formative assessment, providing insights into students' learning achievements. Furthermore, the development of criteria for self-assessment and self-regulated learning skills is essential for effective formative assessment.

The degree of employment of peer assessment and self-assessment to develop the written expression skill of school students in Jordan, according to the viewpoint of Arabic language teachers

Objectives: The study aimed to demonstrate the extent to which Arabic language teachers employ peer evaluation and self-evaluation to develop the skill of written expression among students in Jordanian schools and to highlight the main challenges they face in achieving this goal. Methods: The study used the descriptive method, employing a questionnaire designed with 34 items divided into five-point scales across five areas: peer evaluation of expression, self-evaluation of expression, training in peer evaluation and self-assessment criteria, challenges related to regionalism, and challenges associated with students, society, and parents. The study sample consisted of 97 teachers from public schools in the Directorate of Education of the Marka Brigade during the second semester of 2020/2021. Results: The study's results indicated that Arabic language teachers greatly employed peer evaluation and self-evaluation to develop the skill of written expression. There were no statistically significant differences observed in relation to variables such as experience and scientific qualification. Regarding the challenges, most of the paragraphs received significant ratings of difficulty. Conclusions: The study recommends establishing criteria and foundations for peer assessment evaluation and self-assessment, conducting practical training courses on their implementation, and encouraging teachers to adopt modern evaluation strategies that enhance the development of written expression skills.

Areas of Training of Young Specialists Through Professional Development of Academic Staff in the Field of Education

The purpose of the article is to study the direction of training young specialists through the professional development of academic staff in the field of education. The areas that require regular research, updating and professional development from specialists based on the analysis of the areas of work of teachers of higher education institutions were identified. The main key competencies for lifelong learning have been identified. The training courses offered to teachers and academic staff at the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv were presented. Skills are proposed for mastering as the main learning outcome for the academic staff of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv. The training courses and programs offered by SoftServe have been identified by the monitoring of opportunities for practical training of teachers. For higher education institutions, professional development for academic staff is a mandatory element of the education quality assurance system and can take place through participation in master classes, seminars, trainings, webinars, and workshops. It has been established that academic staff, given the workload and challenges they face in terms of professional development and maintaining mental and emotional health, should receive professional help and support. Professional supervision can be helpful, which can help both individually and within the university. We believe that for academic staff to perform their tasks effectively, higher education institutions should provide them with quality material and technical support, and opportunities for continuous learning and development. A well-designed educational program will be the key to success for its developers, higher education institutions, students, and employers. It is necessary to create an environment of periodic discussion with employers of existing educational programs and their main components, which will allow timely making of important adjustments in response to important problems and topical issues. The principles by which the educational program is developed have been identified. The criteria for self-assessment and accreditation of educational programs have been formed.

Skin cancer risk self-assessment using AI as a mass screening tool

BackgroundSkin cancer is one of the most common cancers on the planet. The lack of noticeable symptoms, inaccessibility of professional dermatology expertise, and low population awareness prevent early detection, which is vital for successful treatment. MethodsWe proposed the free AI-powered self-examination tool allowing everyone to perform regular skin checkups with a smartphone's photo coupled with the new set of risk factors suitable for self-assessment. While most of the existing AI solutions focus on dermoscopic images and assisting staff in medical facilities, we in contrast designed the ensemble of deep convolutional neural networks to be used by non-specialists for assessing self-taken skin clinical images via mobile app. We aimed to distinguish between malignant and benign neoplasms only, encouraging people to follow up with dermatologists for an in-depth physical examination in case of discovered skin cancer risk. Results400000+ clinical skin images coupled with risk factors and demographic data have been collected, processed by AI, and validated by dermatology experts, which made it one of the biggest mass-screening campaigns for skin cancer disease in the Russian Federation. 9321 malignant cases were discovered including 5230 melanomas.The comprehensive analysis of mass-screening results was conducted for the following regions in Russian Federation: Moscow and Moscow region, Nizhny Novgorod, St. Petersburg and Leningradsky region, and Krasnodar region. We discovered the significantly higher melanoma cancer prevalence rate (number of cases per 100 000 people is 5.43 cases for males and 11.88 cases for females while statistical bulletin reports 4.12 cases in 2021) and much younger average age of skin cancer development (melanoma: 46.78 years for males and 41.35 years for females vs official numbers of 61.5 years and 62.1 years correspondingly; BCC/SCC: 56.28 years for males and 55.98 years for females vs official numbers of 68.2 years and 70.2 years correspondingly) comparing to statistical bulletins. Our findings demonstrate that the female population is at risk almost 5 years earlier and reveal the most common locations for malignant tumors: face, upper body, and shoulders. Our new skin cancer risk self-assessment criteria (20+ spots on arm and solarium visits) associate with the earlier melanoma development in the female population and should be considered in further skin cancer studies as risk factors. ConclusionThe proposed approach proved to be a cost-efficient way of doing mass skin cancer screenings, which have not been considered a feasible option before. The presented self-assessment risk factors along with the revised average age of malignant tumors development and prevalence rates should be considered in skin cancer surveillance.

University students’ strategies and criteria during self-assessment: instructor’s feedback, rubrics, and year level effects

This study explores the effects of feedback type, feedback occasion, and year level on student self-assessments in higher education. In total, 126 university students participated in this randomized experiment under three experimental conditions (i.e., rubric feedback, instructor’s written feedback, and rubric feedback plus instructor’s written feedback). Participants, after random assignment to feedback condition, were video-recorded performing a self-assessment on a writing task both before and after receiving feedback. The quality of self-assessment strategies decreased after feedback of all kinds, but the number of strategies increased for the combined feedback condition. The number of self-assessment criteria increased for rubric and combined conditions, while feedback helped shift criteria use from basic to advanced criteria. Student year level was not systematically related to changes in self-assessment after feedback. In general, the combination of rubric and instructor’s feedback produced the best effects.

Methods of Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Management of a Medical Organization

The article discusses the development of the activities of the medical organization, which aims to continuously improve the quality of medical care. The authors believe that this is possible only in the case of quality and new goal-oriented and planned work monitoring. According to the authors, this allows for constant improvement of the organization. The authors believe that despite the growing interest of the heads of medical organizations in improving the quality of medical organizations, the interpretation of the criteria for self-assessment may be complicated and sometimes even incomprehensible. According to the authors, criteria such as customer relationship system, procedural approach, stakeholders, social responsibility, information security, etc. are sometimes inadequately used in healthcare. Developing new management technologies requires the adoption and sharing of a quality philosophy by managers and staff. Keywords: Management philosophy, efficiency, evaluation methods.

ОБЩИЕ ПОДХОДЫ К УЧЕБНОМУ ПРОЦЕССУ ПО ДИСТАНЦИОННОЙ ФОРМЕ ОБУЧЕНИЯ В СОВРЕМЕННЫХ УСЛОВИЯХ (на опыте работы Санкт-Петербургского университета ГПС МЧС России)

The advantages and disadvantages of distance learning for students are considered. The main content of the evaluation Fund (FSES), criteria for self-assessment, procedures for defending control work, credit with assessment, features of the work of teachers, students at the University and on remote access.

THE USE OF FORMING ASSESSMENT FOR THE STEP-UP DEVELOPMENT OF METASUBJECT SKILLS DURING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ROBOTIC PROJECT

The article describes the use of forming assessment (assessment for learning) for the step-up development of students' skills to plan and evaluate their own project and research activity during the implementation of a robotic project. Criteria for self-assessment during project activity and a point-rating system for assessment of the results of the project in connection with descriptors indicating the formation of competencies that are part of the project culture are proposed.

Разработка интегрированной системы управления на пищевом предприятии

Modern tendencies in food industry development (including meat products processing) are connected with compulsory advance and improvement in production techniques as well as implementation of effective management systems which stem from 
 the integrated approach to risk management. The development and implementation of the systems which would guarantee required and stable safety of products for consumers are very important as well as their quality. For that reason it is essential to develop the models of integrated management system which will be based on the quality management system (QMS) and food safety management system standards. The authors performed comparative analysis of the requirements of the integrated standards. As a result of the analysis and expert evaluation they determined ten areas of integration, developed the matrix of requirements for the elements of the integrated system. The authors studied the risks, gave scientific evidence concerning the occurrence of potential hazards, determined unacceptable risks, pointed out critical control points and developed food safety management system plan for management in these points. They also determined the regularities in the influence of the quality loop stages on the quality and safety parameters, identified and structured the processes using IDEF0 function modeling methodology, made the blocks of graphs that show the interaction of processes determining the directions of information and product flows and reflecting the interaction of processes. The authors developed an integrated system model and determined the information requirements for its functioning. They used the procedure of the system performance assessment in a company using self-assessment criteria. The authors showed the advantages of the implementation and improvement of the integrated system in the company located in Saransk, the Republic of Mordovia.

Методологические подходы к подготовке, написанию и представлению статьи в научной журнал: технологии, типичные ошибки, критерии самоооценки качества

The article discusses methodological approaches to the preparation, writing and submission of scientific articles to the journal. Particular attention is paid to the generalization of typical mistakes of young scientists in writing articles, as well as the criteria for self-assessment of the quality of the article prepared for submission to the scientific journal. The materials of the article are based on the author's many years of experience in the management of the dissertation Council, work in the expert Council of the WAC, editorial boards of scientific economic journals, his research, published monographs, textbooks and scientific articles, management of the preparation of candidate and doctoral theses, as well as on the experience and recommendations of well-known scientists.

Towards a new model for SME self-assessment: a Brazilian empirical study

The purpose of this paper is to identify the business excellence status of a set of Brazilian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and to propose a specific self-assessment model that they can use. The proposed self-assessment model is based on eight criteria/dimensions for Brazilian business excellence. The e-Meg self-assessment system, provided by the National Quality Foundation (FNQ), was applied to collect data from 76 Brazilian SMEs. The data were used for a factorial analysis to reduce the number of criteria for self-assessment in SMEs. This study identifies that SMEs are far from meeting the parameters of the current business excellence model. In all criteria, the surveyed organisations analysed show underperformance. Despite being far from the best practices, there is a realisation that companies are willing to begin a process of improvement towards business excellence. For this reason, a specific model for self-assessment is proposed. The model developed for business excellence self-assessment can be used by small and medium-sized enterprises to periodically evaluate their performance and excellence. The developed model can significantly contribute to the existing literature on business excellence. Further research can help refine the criteria of this self-assessment framework to make the model holistic.

Limits to the applicability of the innovation platform approach for agricultural development in West Africa: Socio-economic factors constrain stakeholder engagement and confidence

Integrated Agricultural Research for Development (IAR4D) is a mode of participatory action research for development that aims to improve the well-being of smallholder farming households by facilitating networks between farmers and marketplace actors through groups called ‘innovation platforms’. In 2012, the Association for the Promotion of Livestock in the Sahel and Savannas (APESS, an NGO with rural membership) established nine innovation platforms in the Sahelian zone in Senegal, Burkina Faso, Cameroon and Chad, with the aim of engaging member livestock producers with meat and milk processors and traders. In late 2013 and early 2014, each innovation platform reviewed its perception of “performance” or “functionality”, using a consensus-based group assessment scored against nine criteria. The aim of this study is to test the extent to which perceived functionality was related to the activities of the innovation platform, as well as current farm productivity and profitability, household well-being, and regional context, using data gathered independently by APESS as part of its broader mandate to improve the lives of members.Across the nine innovation platforms, there were strong positive correlations between the responses to all self-assessment criteria i.e. members perceived that their innovation platform was performing strongly or weakly in all respects. The criterion scores were correlated positively with the number of meetings held, but not with numbers or gender of attendees, training opportunities, nor actions agreed at meetings. Innovation platforms self-assessed more positively in southern, higher rainfall regions than in the northern, lower rainfall regions. Performance was positively correlated with many measures of farm productivity and household well-being, including median area of farms, value of crop and hay production, sales of animals or animal products, expenditure on agricultural inputs, current engagement with markets, and estimated number of months per year that the family is able to feed itself.We conclude that the IAR4D approach is perceived to work well in high rainfall zones, for smallholders with a relatively high current level of well-being, who have larger and more productive farms, and who are already engaged with markets. The approach does not appear to work well in more arid regions for poorer smallholders, who are often not able to provide food for their families for 12months of every year. The IAR4D focus on social networking into markets appears to be relevant for producers who wish to strengthen or diversify existing market relationships, but is not perceived to be sufficiently relevant by smallholders for whom achieving reliable subsistence and averting starvation remains the priority.

Proposed Strategy in Teaching Design Fundamentals for Understanding the Relationship between Idea and Idea’s Projection

During foundation stages, interior design students are faced difficulties in mental perception of the relationship between matching two-dimensional drawings and expressive design ideas, especially when designing compositions and building relationships between design elements. The purpose of this study is to determine what is the teaching strategy that enables students to perceive relations between ideas of design and their foundations of projection during the foundation stage? The researcher has come up with basic steps enabling students to project their design’s ideas easily. Each stage of these stages is dependent on self-assessment criteria, certified as a reference, to be assigned to students and allow them to link the theoretical findings with practical work. The purpose of this study is to determine what is the teaching strategy that enables students to perceive relations between ideas of design and their foundations of projection during the foundation stage? The researcher has come up with three basic steps enabling students to project their design’s ideas easily, and gradually perceives the concept of building relationships between the design’s idea and foundations of their projections in the foundation stage. These steps are represented in the stage of sketching the composition prior to their embodiment (cutting paper template), the stage of alternate adjustment of embodiment and sketching, and finally the stage of sketching composition after their embodiment.

Recommendations to enhance constructivist-based learning in Interprofessional Education using video-based self-assessment.

Introduction: Interprofessional collaboration is crucial to the optimization of patient care.Aim: This paper aims to provide recommendations for implementing an innovative constructivist educational concept with the core element of video-based self-assessment.Methodology: A course for students in medicine, physiotherapy, and nursing was developed through interprofessional, cross-institutional collaboration. The course consisted of drawing on prior knowledge about the work done by each professional group in regard to a specific clinical scenario and an interprofessional treatment situation, filming a role play of this treatment situation, and a structured self-assessment of the role play.We evaluated the preparation and implementation of the three courses conducted thus far. Concrete recommendations for implementation were made based on evaluation sheets (students), open discussions (tutors, instructors, institutions) and recorded meeting minutes (project managers, project participants).Results: Basic recommendations for implementation include: selecting appropriate criteria for self-assessment and a simulated situation that offers members of each professional group an equal opportunity to act in the role play. In terms of administrative implementation we recommend early coordination among the professions and educational institutions regarding the target groups, scheduling and attendance policy to ensure participant recruitment across all professions. Procedural planning should include developing teaching materials, such as the case vignette and treatment scenario, and providing technical equipment that can be operated intuitively in order to ensure efficient recording.Conclusion: These recommendations serve as an aid for implementing an innovative constructivist educational concept with video-based self-assessment at its core.

Whose responsibility is it? Encouraging student engagement in the learning process

This article presents the results of an action research project that focused on giving students more sense of control and responsibility over their own learning by engaging them more fully in assessment and helping them to understand the principles underpinning assessment criteria. The course is a second-year music module with approximately 85 students. I formed the class into groups to grade model answers and compiled a list of what they believed the assessment criteria should be based on this experience. I then used this list to compile a self-assessment criteria sheet, which the students filled out themselves and attached with each subsequent assessment. When I completed my analysis of data from the first cycle of action research, I implemented the learning from that cycle into a second and third cycle of action. This involved re-evaluating my initial plans in light of my findings; building on what was successful and changing what was not, and refocusing my research. The findings were significant, as their assessment results improved dramatically. Involving students throughout the assessment process, from initially setting the criteria right through to self-assessing their work, improved their grades, reduced student passivity and increased their self-confidence.

A structured self-directed basic skills curriculum results in improved technical performance in the absence of expert faculty teaching

We developed a novel curriculum teaching 20 open surgical skills in 5 general domains (instrument handling, knot tying, simple wound closure, advanced wound closure, and hemostasis). The curriculum includes online didactics, skills practice, and defined performance metrics, but is entirely self-guided with no expert oversight or teaching. Subjects included first- and second-year medical students (n = 9). Subjects first viewed a demonstration video depicting proper technique. The pretest was video-recorded performance of each skill. Subjects then completed the self-guided skills curriculum at their own pace, returning for posttesting once they met defined self-assessment criteria. Performance was evaluated through both self-assessment and blinded video review by 2 expert reviewers using previously validated scales. After completion of the curriculum, performance improved significantly by both self-assessment (3,754 ± 1,742 to 6,496 ± 1,337; P < .01, Wilcoxon signed ranks) and expert assessment (10.1 ± 2.6 to 14.6 ± 2.7; P = .015). When analyzed by the 5 general domains, performance was significantly better for all domains by self-assessment (P < .05 for all domains) and in 4 domains by expert assessment (P < .04 for all domains other than instrument handling). Completion of a self-guided basic surgical skills curriculum allows novice learners to significantly improve performance in basic open surgical skills, without traditional expert teaching. This curriculum is useful for medical students and incoming junior residents.