Different Forms Of Assessment Research Articles

The Assessment Process of Pupils’ Learning in Saudi Education System: A Literature Review

Assessments are essential components of teaching and learning programmes and help shape individual learning. Assessment at secondary and higher education levels in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) uses an examination system and it relies solely on the teacher to assess students. The assessment does not assess the ability of students to design and carry out experiments or even evaluate their understanding of mathematical and scientific concepts. Thereby, this paper will review the literature of the assessment process in the Saudi General Education System by considering several different aspects. This consideration will include the definitions and purpose of assessment as a means of learning about students and the progression of their learning. The different forms of assessment will also be considered as well the assessment practices in mathematics, and in particular in intermediate schools in Saudi Arabia as it can provide insights into the quality of assessment practices.

The Foundation of Success in Adult Learning: Dilemmas and Concerns

The discussion regarding what kind of education impacts more on individual success and social wealth is currently ongoing and full of implication for educational policies, including on adult learning. There is no doubt that education correlates positively with wealth, health and success (at both individual and social levels), but there is not clear enough what kind of skills ensure the success in adult life, in terms of earnings and career. On the way of rethinking education, there are increasingly more studies and surveys trying to respond to several dilemmas and concerns regarding the relative importance of different skills and competencies (e.g.: key, general, versus professional, specific competencies), of different contexts of learning (e.g.: formal, versus nonformal and informal; school based versus work based learning), of different contents of learning (e.g. “knowledge” versus “skills” and “attitudes”; “intellectual” education versus “social”, “civic”, “moral” or “aesthetic” education), and of different forms of assessment (e.g. standardized versus non-standardized). This paper tries to present different perspectives and to argue the need for new balance points in approaching the above mentioned topics.

Post-prostatectomy stress urinary incontinence: a review of contemporary surgical treatments

SummaryProstate cancer is the most frequent tumour diagnosed in men, especially in older people. Radical prostatectomy is the treatment of choice for this disease, but is also the main cause of stress urinary incontinence in men by iatrogenic injury. This procedure is performed far more frequently now than 10 years ago, so the incidence of post-prostatectomy incontinence (PPUI) has increased. PPUI has a detrimental impact on a patient's quality of life and is a significant problem that needs to be solved. The artificial urinary sphincter is still the gold standard treatment for PPUI. In recent years, less invasive approaches such as suburethral slings have been used with promising results. The selection criteria and most appropriate choice of device for the treatment of PPUI are not well standardized. In this review, the different forms of assessment and management of PPUI will be discussed.

Application of Learning Analytics in educational videogames

Assessment of learning contents, learning progress and learning gain is essential in all learning experiences. New technologies promote the use of new types of contents like educational videogames. They are highly interactive compared to more traditional activities and they can be a powerful source of data for all forms of assessment. In this paper, we discuss how to apply Learning Analytics (LA) with assessment purposes, studying how students interact with games. One of the biggest barriers for this approach is the variety of videogames, with many genres and types. This makes it difficult to create a comprehensive LA model for educational games that can be generally applied. In order to maintain manageable costs, we propose a two-step approach to apply LA: we first identify simple generic traces and reports that could be applied to any kind of game, and then build game-specific assessment rules based on combinations of these generic traces. This process aims to achieve a balance between the complexity and reusability of the approach, resulting in more scalable LA models for game-based learning. We also test this approach in two preliminary case studies where we explore the use of these techniques to cover different forms of assessment.

The Lecturer Coach

Abstract Teaching has experienced dramatic changes in the last few decades. From ex cathedra lectures to the use of social media in a classroom is a giant leap for both lecturer and students. Paul Catteeuw, lecturer of intercultural communication at Charlemagne University College in Antwerp (Belgium), has explored the boundaries of the newest methods in competence teaching, but did not forget the knowledge component of the tuition process. As he developed a framework of intercultural competence for business students, he rethought his role as a lecturer. He moved from the central omniscient rostrum position to a place at the side of the classroom as a facilitator, coaching students in a new creative learning environment making use of activating learning forms such as zoom sessions, teamwork and many others. At the same time he introduced different forms of assessment. In this article Catteeuw describes the intensive, sometimes laborious process of the lecturer coach.

Does learning style influence academic performance in different forms of assessment?

Educational research on learning styles has been conducted for some time, initially within the field of psychology. Recent research has widened to include more diverse disciplines, with greater emphasis on application. Although there are numerous instruments available to measure several different dimensions of learning style, it is generally accepted that styles differ, although the qualities of more than one style may be inherent in any one learner. But do these learning styles have a direct effect on student performance in examinations, specifically in different forms of assessment? For this study, hypotheses were formulated suggesting that academic performance is influenced by learning style. Using the Honey and Mumford Learning Style Questionnaire, learning styles of a cohort of first year medical and dental students at Queen's University Belfast were assessed. Pearson correlation was performed between the score for each of the four learning styles and the student examination results in a variety of subject areas (including anatomy) and in different types of assessments - single best answer, short answer questions and Objective Structured Clinical Examinations. In most of the analyses, there was no correlation between learning style and result and in the few cases where the correlations were statistically significant, they generally appeared to be weak. It seems therefore from this study that although the learning styles of students vary, they have little effect on academic performance, including in specific forms of assessment.

EP-1046: Comparison between different forms of assessment of in-air PTV in breast irradiation with forward IMRT

EP-1046: Comparison between different forms of assessment of in-air PTV in breast irradiation with forward IMRT

Differentiation in outcome-focused physical education: pedagogical rhetoric and reality

Background: This study was grounded in the differentiated instructional model where teachers tailor content, process/support, and product in response to their students' levels of readiness and interest. The value of differentiated teaching is well established; however, the implementation of such a technique is difficult due to differences in student skills and preferences.Purpose: In this study, we sought to explore physical education (PE) teachers' perceptions about the need for differentiation in their swimming programs (i.e. the differentiation ‘rhetoric’), along with their actual use of differentiation strategies (i.e. the differentiation ‘reality’) in their swimming lessons.Participants: Three Western Australian high school Year 8 and Year 9 PE teachers (two from a non-government school and one from a government school), ranging in age from 25 to 39 years and with 5 to 15 years of PE teaching experience, participated in this study. The study involved four classes, totaling 103 students.Data collection: Teachers' perceptions about the need for differentiation, along with their actual use of differentiation strategies, were recorded using class observations (i.e. 36 lessons) and questionnaires and were supported by in-depth teacher interviews. Students from these classes were also targeted for observation and interview during a single school term.Data analysis: Observation data were inductively analyzed according to Tomlinson's model of differentiation. All interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim, before transcripts were coded in order to identify recurring themes. Percentage yes/no scores were calculated for student questionnaire data.Findings: While successfully differentiating content and process/support in the swimming classroom, teachers infrequently differentiated for product (e.g. different forms of assessment). Moreover, the limitations of space/numbers, time, and student readiness impacted on the differentiation strategies and student learning opportunities and outcomes.Conclusion: Implementing a differentiated approach to swimming teaching appears to represent a significant challenge, though these data provide evidence of differentiated pedagogy that facilitated student learning outcomes.

Different forms of assessment and documentation in Swedish preschools

Abstract: The aim is to describe and discuss documentation and assessment practices in Swedish preschools from a didaktik perspective. What different forms of documentation and assessment are found in the preschools? Preschools in both urban and rural municipalities are included in the selection. Document and textual analysis are used. A varied multi-documentation emerge. The multi-documentation at each preschool expose that preschool teachers seem to switch between different forms of documentation and assessment, including summative, formative and other assessments. The concept of transformative assessment may capture the different assessments interwoven in the multi-documentation. Transformative assessment is a concept focusing on reshaping and interplaying assessments that are intertwined in the registration and complex documentation at different levels and directions.

Grounding Water: Building Conceptual Understanding through Multimodal Assessment

The world's population is growing by about 80 million people a year, implying an estimated increased freshwater demand of about 64 billion cubic meters annually (World Water Assessment Programme, 2009, Water in a Changing World: United Nations World Water Development Report 3, Chap. 1, p. 3–21). Groundwater depletion, which reduces the amount of valuable water available for drinking and food production, has become a global crisis. Decision-makers at all levels desperately need to understand the unseen system beneath their feet and its connection to the earth's hydrologic cycle. Yet teaching groundwater concepts is extremely challenging; foundational misconceptions about groundwater's location, movement, and connection to the hydrologic cycle are common. Quality, multimodal instruction, and assessment of groundwater topics will help to clarify elementary students' misconceptions and assist them in constructing accurate mental models of the groundwater system. This study examines student responses to different forms of assessment, including drawing prompts, to determine the best way to ascertain what students really know about the groundwater system, a key component of the larger water cycle system. The assessment tools included dichotomous, multiple-choice, and drawing questions used to elucidate students' conceptualization and understanding of the groundwater system. Assessment results show that students who are able to answer objective questions about groundwater are not necessarily able to demonstrate their knowledge; calling into question their conceptual understanding of the system.

Identifying by means of coping typologies and primary appraisal the likelihood of positive -hCG test results in women undergoing IVF treatment: a preliminary study

At a psychological level, having to undergo IVF in order to be a mother may be appraised differently by women who start this treatment. These different forms of assessment can affect the pregnancy rates. The objective of this study was to determine whether psychological variables such as primary appraisal and coping typologies were associated with positive results in β-hCG pregnancy test after IVF. We performed a cross-sectional clinical study in a private infertility centre. We recruited women undergoing IVF treatment in the Assisted Reproduction Unit of the Hospital Clinic prior to treatment commencement. Women were asked to complete the Spanish adaptation of the Coping Responses Inventory-Adult Form, and coping typologies analysed in relation to pregnancy outcome of that round of treatment. Women who face infertility and IVF with optimistic appraisal had a considerably increased likelihood of pregnancy compared with those with a pessimistic appraisal (odds ratio = 4.37; 95% confidence interval = 1.76-10.83). On the other hand, the pregnancy rate was significantly higher than the non-pregnancy rate among women who have a coping typology characterized by high use of approach strategies and with low use of avoidance strategies (Z-test = 4.34, P < 0.001). Psychological variables such as positive appraisal and coping typologies were associated with increased pregnancy rates after IVF. The main limitations of this study were the size of the sample and in particular its cross-sectional design which only allows predictive associations to be made.

Water-tight or sinking? A consideration of the standards of the contemporary assessment practices underpinning seafarer licence examinations and their implications for employers

This article draws upon recent, detailed, research into the assessment practices of six seafarer labour supply countries in connection with the issue of licences. It outlines the different forms of assessment practiced and includes the relatively recent introduction of computer-based assessment in some states. In considering the validity and appropriateness of the assessment procedures, currently in use, the paper references, and presents, the views of a sample of employers who regularly recruit seafarers to work upon internationally trading deep-sea vessels.

A Multifaceted Approach to the Assessment and Evaluation of Learning Commons Services and Resources

The purpose of this article is to illustrate the benefits of implementing embedded evaluative methods and ongoing data analysis in the assessment of a learning commons and its services. At the University of Houston, the results of various forms of feedback have aided in the refinement of day-to-day procedures as well as in the planning of an expansion of the facility after approximately one year of operations. This article will discuss the outcomes of the different forms of assessment used at the commons and provide suggestions for the establishment of assessment measures for learning commons at other universities.

Principles of assessment for project and research based learning

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide assessment guidelines which help to implement research‐based education in science and technology areas, which would benefit from the quality of this type of education within this subject area.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is a reflection on, and analysis of, different aspects of assessment. From one side, it looks at assessment in general, in society at large.FindingsAssessment could be improved within this field in order to contribute to the learning process, rather than merely measure and categorise a student's performance after the fact. To do this the paper not only looks at different forms of assessment and different ways of conducting the assessment, but also argues that certain ways of teaching and of structuring a class and an assignment are more conducive to creating an atmosphere in which students will be wanting to receive feedback to improve their learning and performance rather than a mark as a prize or reward.Originality/valueThe paper shows that the outcomes from this study will be useful in establishing the link between research and education which has been a key success in many world‐class institutions, resulting in the graduation of emerging professionals who will conduct cutting‐edge research and run high‐technology enterprises across a host of disciplines.

Learning to work together: health and social care students’ learning from interprofessional modules

This paper reports on a study of student learning about collaboration and discusses the effectiveness of different forms of assessment in facilitating learning. The study was conducted in a large health and social care faculty in which all students on pre‐qualifying professional programmes learn together in modules aimed at developing collaborative skills. Data about student learning were collected through interviews with 42 students and analysis of 53 students’ completed assignments. The paper focuses on two questions: (1) What did students learn about collaborating in groups and about their own collaborative skills? (2) Which forms of assessment were effective in recording this learning? Interview and assignment data demonstrated that students learned about groups and group participation, about themselves in group situations and about the relevance of interprofessional learning to working collaboratively in professional practice. Module 3 (third year) assessments provided evidence of transference of learning from module to practice. Whereas learning logs, completed during the module as a form of reflective assessment, appeared to promote self‐awareness about own collaborative skills, reflective essays, completed after module sessions had ended, provided more opportunities for analysis and to link theory to practice.

Reproductive medicine and the concept of ‘quality’

Selection in reproductive medicine today relies on normative assessments of what ‘good life’ consists of. This paper explores the terms under which such assessments are made by focusing on three particular concepts of ‘quality’: quality of life, biological quality and population quality. It is suggested that the apparently conflicting hypes, hopes and fears that surround reproductive medicine can co-circulate because of the different forms of normative assessment that these concepts allow. To ensure clarity in bioethical deliberations about selection, it is necessary to highlight how these differing forms of assessment are mobilized and invoked in practices of and debates about reproductive medicine.

Forms of assessment and their potential for enhancing learning: conceptual and cultural issues

Assessment has become an important topic of debate and even reform in many Western countries. It is equally important in other regions of the world, although less subject to reform. Yet discussions of assessment across cultural boundaries are not frequent and in a globalizing world this can be problematic. The purposes of this article, therefore, are to review concepts such as ‘formative’ and ‘summative’ assessment and how they have developed over time. A focus of this review will be to identify the implications of different kinds of assessment for student learning, especially in relation to the cultural contexts in which they take place. The article will argue that different forms of assessment can be directed towards different learning purposes, especially where cultural pressures dictate certain kinds of assessment practices. Valorizing one form of assessment over another may well be counterproductive in particular cultural contexts.

Assessing pupils' skills in experimentation

This study is concerned with different forms of assessment of pupils' skills in experimentation. The findings of three studies are reported. Study 1 investigates whether it is possible to develop reliable multiple-choice tests for the skills of forming hypotheses, designing experiments and analysing experimental data. Study 2 compares scores from multiple-choice tests with scores from an open-response test in order to investigate how to assess pupils' skills in planning two-factor experiments. Study 3 investigates whether scores from multiple-choice tests correlate with student performance in a practical test on seed germination.

Teacher Assessment as Policy Instrument: Contradictions and Capacities

Assessment has been at centre stage of educational reform in England and Wales in the past 15 years. This article argues that official educational assessment policy is essentially indifferent to the technical, pedagogic, and epistemological issues related to different forms of assessment. Policymakers are primarily concerned with “delivering” educational success in terms of reportable rising levels of attainment. The first part of this article provides a contextualized account of the use of assessment as an educational policy instrument and some of the consequences for pedagogy and curriculum provision. Our focal point here is on the assessment of English within the National Curriculum. The second section of the article amplifies our central argument—that policy is uninterested in the technical and educational issues involved in assessment—by offering a detailed critique of the limited and impoverished nature of the infrastructure and support available for teachers to carry out teacher assessment, with particular reference to the assessment of English for pupils whose first/home language is a language other than English. Research data are used to support our observations and arguments. We suggest that there is an urgent need to clarify the distinctions between summative and formative assessment, between the assessment of English as a first language and English as an Additional Language, and between a grammar-based view of English and a cross-curriculum discourse and communication-oriented view of English.

Assessment of community functioning in people with schizophrenia and other severe mental illnesses: a white paper based on an NIMH-sponsored workshop.

People with schizophrenia frequently have significant problems in community functioning. Progress in developing effective interventions to ameliorate these problems has been slowed by the absence of reliable and valid measures that are suitable for use in clinical trials. The National Institute of Mental Health convened a workgroup in September 2005 to examine this issue and make recommendations to the field that would foster research in this area. This article reports on issues raised at the meeting. Many instruments have been developed to assess community functioning, but overall insufficient attention has been paid to psychometric issues and many instruments are not suitable for use in clinical trials. Consumer self-report, informant report, ratings by clinicians and trained raters, and behavioral assessment all can provide useful and valid information in some circumstances and may be practical for use in clinical trials. However, insufficient attention has been paid to when and how different forms of assessment and sources of information are useful or how to understand inconsistencies. A major limiting factor in development of reliable and valid instruments is failure to develop a suitable model of functioning and its primary mediators and moderators. Several examples that can guide thinking are presented. Finally, the field is limited by the absence of an objective gold standard of community functioning. Hence, outcomes must be evaluated in part by "clinical significance." This criterion is problematic because different observers and constituencies often have different opinions about what types of change are clinically important and how much change is significant.