Existing Assessment Tools Research Articles

Supporting simultaneous versions for software evolution assessment

When reengineering software systems, maintainers should be able to assess and compare multiple change scenarios for a given goal, so as to choose the most pertinent one. Because they implicitly consider one single working copy, revision control systems do not scale up well to perform simultaneous analyses of multiple versions of systems. We designed Orion, an interactive prototyping tool for reengineering, to simulate changes and compare their impact on multiple versions of software source code models. Our approach offers an interactive simulation of changes, reuses existing assessment tools, and has the ability to hold multiple and branching versions simultaneously in memory. Specifically, we devise an infrastructure which optimizes memory usage of multiple versions for large models. This infrastructure uses an extension of the FAMIX source code meta-model but it is not limited to source code analysis tools since it can be applied to models in general. In this paper, we validate our approach by running benchmarks on memory usage and computation time of model queries on large models. Our benchmarks show that the Orion approach scales up well in terms of memory usage, while the current implementation could be optimized to lower its computation time. We also report on two large case studies on which we applied Orion.

Issues to consider, existing tools and constraints in biofuels sustainability assessments

Biofuels world production has increased sharply in recent years. Oil reserves depletion, the oil high price and the confidence in biofuels “carbon neutrality” are the main causes of this phenomenon. However, claims related to the negative consequences of biofuel programs are frequent; mainly those related to the biofuels/food competition and sustainability. This paper aims to contribute for the development of a framework for sustainability indicators as a tool for performance assessment. The most used indicators to measure the biofuels sustainability are: Life Cycle Energy Balance (LCEB), quantity of fossil energy substituted per hectare, co-product energy allocation, life cycle carbon balance and changes in soil utilization. On the other hand, existing assessment tools, such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Integrated Environmental Assessment (IEA), are compared emphasizing their advantages and disadvantages. Main constraints related to the studied frontiers, as well as the lack of reliable data and their effects are also discussed. Discussions are held on the basis of real life cycle studies carried out by the authors about palm oil biodiesel and different alternatives for the stillage treatment and disposal. Finally, suggestions and recommendations are made to improve existing methodologies for biofuels sustainability evaluation, all this from a south perspective.

Toolbox for Evaluating Residents as Teachers

The authors review existing assessment tools related to evaluating residents' teaching skills and teaching effectiveness. PubMed and PsycInfo databases were searched using combinations of keywords including "residents," "residents as teachers," "teaching skills," and "assessments" or "rating scales." Eleven evaluation tools that utilized self-reports, learner evaluations, or observed structured teaching evaluations were found. These varied in length from one to 58 items, most of which were both valid and reliable. Additional evaluation tools were found that utilized direct audio- or videotaped recordings of teaching. This toolbox should facilitate program directors and others in assessing residents' teaching skills and should promote rigorously conducted research on residents as teachers.

Diagnostics and rubrics for assessing learning across the computational science curriculum

We describe our experiences with learning assessment in a new computational science program. We report on the development and pilot testing of assessment tools in both core and cognate courses. Specifically, we detail a diagnostic assessment that predicted success in our introductory computational science course with reasonable reliability; we give an account of our use of an existing assessment tool to investigate how introducing computational thinking in a cognate course influences learning of the traditional course material; and we discuss rubric development for project evaluation.

Assessing and refining an undergraduate computational science curriculum

Abstract We describe our experiences with curriculum development and learning assessment in a new undergraduate computational science program. We report on the development and pilot testing of assessment tools in both core and cognate courses. Specifically, we detail a diagnostic assessment that predicted success in our introductory computational science course with reasonable reliability; we give an account of our use of an existing assessment tool to investigate how introducing computational thinking in a cognate course influences learning of the traditional course material; and we discuss developing a pancurriculum rubric for scoring computational science projects.

Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment (PCIA) in Community Development: A Case Study from Mozambique

Peace and conflict impact assessment (PCIA) is a tool that potentially can improve the quality of development work in conflict zones. PCIA’s conceptual strengths and weaknesses are much debated but few studies to date have examined its use in practice. For this article, PCIA was used to structure research on conflict and peace dynamics in post-war Mozambique. The findings address both local peace-building outcomes and the usefulness of PCIA. PCIA functioned well as a tool for situational analysis, richly documenting sources of conflicts, competing claims over resources and rights, and problematic policies on the part of development organisations, government and private actors. Difficulties associated with the gathering of information stemmed from systemic power differentials between ‘researchers’ and ‘respondents’, and intensive demands on time and resources. The article concludes that PCIA, if used flexibly and in dialogue with local people, could prove a valuable complement to existing assessment tools in conflict areas.

A review of the effects of sleep during the first year of life on cognitive, psychomotor, and temperament development.

During the first year of life, infants spend most of their time in the sleeping state. Assessment of sleep during infancy presents an opportunity to study the impact of sleep on the maturation of the central nervous system (CNS), overall functioning, and future cognitive, psychomotor, and temperament development. To assess what is currently known regarding sleep during infancy and its effects on cognitive, psychomotor, and temperament development, we assessed the relevant literature published over the last several decades. To provide a foundation for a more in-depth understanding of this literature, we preface this with an overview of brain maturation, sleep development, and various assessment tools of both sleep and development during this unique period. At present, we do not have sufficient data to conclude that a causal relationship exists between infant sleep and cognitive, psychomotor, and temperament development. Caution should be used in predicting outcomes, as the timing and subjectivity of evaluations may obviate accurate assessment. Collectively, studies assess a wide array of sleep measures, and findings from one developmental period cannot be generalized readily to other developmental periods. Future studies should follow patients longitudinally. Additionally, refinements of existing assessment tools would be useful. In view of the relatively high reported pediatric prevalence of cognitive and behavioral deficits that carry significant long-term costs to individuals and society, early screening of sleep-related issues may be a useful tool to guide targeted prevention and early intervention.

The Disruptive Behavior Rating Scale—Parent Version (DBRS-PV)

Objective: Despite recognition that disruptive behavior disorders often begin early in development, existing assessment tools are largely based on research with school-aged children. Further empirical work is needed to evaluate the utility of these tools in younger children. Methods: The present study investigated the factor structure, internal consistency, and validity of the Disruptive Behavior Rating Scale -Parent Version (DBRS-PV) in a sample of preschoolers. Participants included mothers and fathers of 261 three- to four-year-old children with and without behavior problems. Results: Findings provide support for the use of the DBRS-PV as a measure of disruptive behavior disorder symptoms in this age group, with strong internal consistency and evidence of convergent/divergent and discriminative validity. Conclusions: Results provide evidence in favor of a two-factor (a. inattention/hyperactivity -impulsivity and b. oppositional defiant behaviors) and moderate support for a three-factor (a. inattention, b. hyperactivity -impulsivity, and c. oppositional defiant behaviors) conceptualization of attention and disruptive behavior disorder symptoms among preschool children.

The assessment of reading comprehension difficulties for reading intervention†

There are many environmental and personal factors that contribute to reading success. Reading comprehension is a complex interaction of language, sensory perception, memory, and motivational aspects. However, most existing assessment tools have not adequately reflected the complex nature of reading comprehension. Good assessment requires a multifaceted approach to reading diagnosis and flexible interventions in order to cater for individual learning needs. In recent times, the Four Roles Model has enabled educators to broaden the focus of literacy programs in many Australian schools. Such a focus can provide a framework to better understand the complex nature of reading comprehension and its various situational applications. This discussion investigates the educational issues for the assessment of students with reading comprehension difficulties and suggests appropriate principles and strategies that teachers can apply to inform assessment and teaching practice.

A Comparison of Single and Multiple Habitat Protocols for Collecting Macroinvertebrates in Wadeable Streams1

Abstract: In 2003, we compared two benthic macroinvertebrate sampling methods that are used for rapid biological assessment of wadeable streams. A single habitat method using kick sampling in riffles and runs was compared to a multiple habitat method that sampled all available habitats in proportion of occurrence. Both methods were performed side‐by‐side at 41 sites in lower gradient streams of the Piedmont and Northern Piedmont ecoregions of the United States, where riffle habitat is less abundant. Differences in sampling methods were examined using similarity indices, two multimetric indices [the family‐level Virginia Stream Condition Index (VSCI) and the species‐level Macroinvertebrate Biotic Integrity Index (MBII)], their component metrics, and bioassessment endpoints based on each index. Index scores were highly correlated between single and multiple habitat field methods, and sampling method comparability, based on comparison of similarities between and within sampling methods, was particularly high for species level data. The VSCI scores and values of most of its component metrics were not significantly higher for one particular method, but relationships between single and multiple habitat values were highly variable for percent Ephemeroptera, percent chironomids, and percent Plecoptera and Trichoptera (Hydropsychidae excluded). A similar level of variability in the relationship was observed for the MBII and most of its metrics, but Ephemeroptera richness, percent individuals in the dominant five taxa, and Hilsenhoff Biotic Index scores all exhibited differences in values between single and multiple habitat field methods. When applied to multiple habitat samples, the MBII exhibited greater precision, higher index scores, and higher assessment categories than when applied to single habitat samples at the same sites. In streams with limited or no riffle habitats, the multiple habitat method should provide an adequate sample for biological assessment, and at sites with abundant riffle habitat, little difference would be expected between the single and multiple habitat field methods. Thus, in geographic areas with a wide variety of stream types, the multiple habitat method may be more desirable. Even so, the variability in the relationship between single and multiple habitat methods indicates that the data are not interchangeable, and we suggest that any change in sampling method should be accompanied by a recalibration of any existing assessment tool (e.g., multimetric index) with data collected using the new method, regardless of taxonomic level.

Posttraumatische Belastungsstörungen bei Säuglingen und Kleinkindern

While the occurrence ofposttraumatic stress disorders (PTSD) in children and adolescents is undoubted, knowledge about the disorder in infants and toddlers is scarce. The lack of an accurate research base is mainly due to challenges in assessing PTSD in infants and toddlers. The development of an alternative set of diagnostic criteria, its empirical testing and the design of an examiner-based interview are recent and important steps. This article reviews the literature on PTSD in infants and toddlers. It defines the disorder and emphasizes its distinctive features in this age group. Demonstrating the development of an alternative set of diagnostic criteria and overviewing the existing assessment tools are central issues. A German version of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Semi-Structured Interview and Observational Record for Infants and Young Children (Scheeringa u. Zeanah, 2005) is presented for the first time. The state of research in prevalence and therapy of PTSD in infants and toddlers is described and recommendations for research and clinical practice are provided.

Interactive effects of physical and mental workload on subjective workload assessment

Abstract Individuals are often expected to perform complex tasks involving physical and mental demands, particularly with the ongoing implementation of technology. Subjective workload assessment measures have been used extensively in a single domain (e.g., mental or physical), but at present there are no validated techniques available for measuring overall workload in multi-task situations. This study investigated the interaction between physical and mental demands and the effects of such interactions when using existing subjective workload assessment tools. Two common assessment tools (Borg CR10 Scale and NASA-TLX) were used to record changes in perceived workload. Thirty participants (ages 18–24 years) performed tasks involving the concurrent completion of a lifting task and mental arithmetic at four levels of physical and mental demand, respectively. Ratings using the Borg CR10 Scale, a uni-dimensional scale for the physical domain, were not substantially affected by the presence of additional mental task demands. NASA-TLX scores, based on a multi-dimensional assessment approach that included a physical demand component, reflected the mental workload demands, but were also affected by the addition of a concurrent physical task. Furthermore, there were no significant differences between the weighted and unweighted scores. Further research is needed to determine the broader utility of these tools in providing an assessment of overall workload. Relevance to industry Subjective workload assessment measures are commonly used to assess the physical and mental workload associated with a task. There is evidence that existing assessment tools can be used to evaluate tasks involving concurrent physical and mental demands, although multi-dimensional tools may reflect overall workload.

Holistic assessment of cancer patients’ pain: reflections on current practice

This article explores the holistic assessment and management of pain for palliative care patients through the use of a case study. Using literature searching and reflection on current local practice, issues within pain assessment and management for cancer patients are identified. These issues include communication, opioid misconceptions, disease progression associated with increased pain, and the need to address all components of cancer patients' total pain. Reflection on practice has highlighted that education, effective communication and multidisciplinary collaboration, and adaptation of an existing assessment tool to develop a multidimensional holistic approach to assessing pain, have the potential to improve quality of life for palliative care patients and their families.

The music therapy assessment tool for low awareness states

Many existing assessment tools for patients in low awareness states involve language functioning capabilities. Information regarding the construction and validity of a new assessment tool that relies on music, called the Music Therapy Assessment Tool for Low Awareness States (i.e. MATLAS), is presented in this paper. A total of nine assessments, involving eight patients, were examined. Results from the investigation of scores from three tools: the MATLAS, the Sensory Modality Assessment and Rehabilitation Technique (SMART), and the Wessex Head Injury Matrix Main Scale (WHIM)), as administered by multidisciplinary staff, were analysed, and the MATLAS was found to have good validity with these measures. While limitations involved in this work prevent conclusions about the validity of the MATLAS being drawn, they support the need for further research, and indicate that MATLAS may be a valid tool to assist with multidisciplinary assessment of such patients.

The Academic Rational Beliefs Scale: Development, Validation, and Implications for College Counselors

This study reports on a new instrument, the Academic Rational Beliefs Scale, designed to measure college students' academic beliefs along a rational‐irrational continuum. The new instrument is potentially useful when working with students experiencing academic difficulties. Information about test construction, reliability, validity, and generalizability are presented and implications, benefits, and cautions associated with use of the instrument as a college counseling tool are discussed.

‘Ngana minyarti? What is this?’ Development of cognitive questions for the Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment

Objectives: To describe the processes used to develop an instrument to assess cognition in the older Indigenous community of the Kimberley region of Western Australia, given the diverse history and culture of the region. Methods: Cognition questions were discussed with Indigenous organisations, councils, linguists, interpreters and health professionals. Existing assessment tools were reviewed. The cognition questions and the way in which they were approached were trialled with older Indigenous participants. Results: Questions to assess cognition were developed and incorporated into the Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment (KICA) instrument, which has since been demonstrated to be a valid and reliable assessment of cognition in older Indigenous Australians in the Kimberley. Conclusion: The KICA‐Cog questions in the KICA survey tool provide the first specific instrument for assessing cognitive decline in older Indigenous Australians. This instrument, or a modification of this instrument, is likely to have broader applicability across Indigenous communities in Northern Australia.

The Elusive, yet Critical Challenge of Developing Global Leaders

Due to the effects of globalization, senior executives have launched initiatives to develop global leaders. However, the success of these programs has been mixed at best. Based on reviews of the growing academic literature in the field of global leadership, this article delineates the competencies associated with global leadership, provides information about existing assessment tools that can measure these competencies, and offers specific guidance for developing effective global leadership training programs.

The Development of a Music Therapy Assessment Tool for Hospitalized Children

ABSTRACT: This article describes the development of a music therapy assessment form for use with hospitalized children. Assessment is an important aspect of the music therapy process because it helps the therapist to identify patient needs, communicates to other parties the rationale for music therapy treatment, and guides the choice of objectives and the on-going evaluation of treatment benefits. The steps taken to develop the assessment tool are described, including determining the needs of the target population, examining existing assessment tools used by music therapy professionals, determining format and content, piloting the form with patients and revising initial drafts based on feedback, and determining the validity and reliability of the form. Introduction According to the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) Standards of Clinical Practice (2003), music therapists should include assessment as a general procedure for each client prior to commencing services. The assessment should include the non-musical categories of psychological, cognitive, and physiological functioning as well as communication and social skills. Music skills, client response to music, and musical preferences should also be assessed to determine the most appropriate musical selections and interventions. Furthermore, the assessments must be appropriate for the clients' developmental age and functioning level. The assessment may include observation, interviews, verbal or non-verbal interactions, or testing and may integrate information from other sources, such as medical charts or communication from other therapists. Assessments should comply with the professional standards of AMTA, reflect current research and clinical resources in the field, and should yield reliable and valid information (Cole, 2002; Scalenghe & Murphy, 2000). Experience can provide therapists with the knowledge that an assessment process not only helps to identify individual treatment needs for each patient (Bruscia, 1988) but also provides a mechanism through which team members can communicate specific services, treatment goals and objectives, and expected outcomes (Scalenghe & Murphy, 2000). Three main types of assessment are currently used by music therapists: initial assessment, comprehensive assessment, and ongoing assessment. An initial assessment is done at the beginning of the therapeutic process in order to identify the client's strengths and weaknesses and to help formulate treatment goals. Comprehensive assessments are done when a client is referred for music therapy services only. Comprehensive assessments are usually longer because they examine multiple aspects of functioning. Finally, ongoing assessment occurs throughout the treatment process. The music therapist may administer a pre-test before therapy begins, a mid-test during the course of treatment, and finally a post-test to determine any changes in functioning that occurred during the music therapy treatment process (Hanser, 1999). The assessment tool can take a variety of forms including tests, surveys, or similar devices that measure the abilities of a person in each area (Bruscia, 1988; Hanser, 1999; Lane, 1996; Standley, 1986). Sometimes, clinicians will also modify standardized tests for specific use in clinical settings (Hanser, 1999). Currently, few standard assessment tools exist within the field of music therapy, and those that have been developed are not suitable for all clients, given the diverse populations served within the discipline. Therefore, music therapists use many different strategies for assessment, such as informal assessment as part of charting (Cole, 2002), adaptation of standardized assessments from other disciplines (e.g., visual analog scales or surveys), or self-designated assessment forms (Brunk & Coleman, 2000; Cole, 2002; Scalenghe & Murphy, 2000). Others follow a systematic music therapy assessment process, such as the Special Education Music Therapy Assessment Process (SEMTAP) (Brunk & Coleman, 2000), which is used with children enrolled in special education as part of the IEP process. …

Development of a standardized occupational therapy screening tool for visual perception in adults

Occupational therapy assessment and treatment of visual perceptual impairments are integral to the rehabilitation of clients following stroke and other acquired brain injuries. Occupational therapists need to identify the nature of visual perceptual performance impairments in order to choose rehabilitation intervention strategies appropriate for remediation of specific problems or to compensate for limitations in daily function. This paper describes the variations in visual perception terminology and occupational therapy approaches to visual perceptual assessment. Limitations of existing assessment tools for visual perception are highlighted in terms of reliability, validity, normative information, length of time to administer, and comprehensiveness in screening for visual perceptual impairment. In response to these limitations, a battery of items, called the Occupational Therapy Adult Perceptual Screening Test (OT-APST) was selected to screen adults comprehensively for impairments of agnosia, visuospatial skills including body scheme and neglect, constructional skills, apraxia, and acalculia. It also includes a subtest to evaluate functional skills directly observed during screening. This new battery has established reliability, validity and age-stratified normative data for adults 16 to 97 years of age. The OT-APST is recommended for use in conjunction with observational assessment of activities of daily living for clients with stroke and acquired brain injury.

Évaluation et sclérose en plaques

We conducted a review of existing assessment tools that can be useful to physical medicine and rehabilitation professionals involved in the management of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Most generic tools traditionally used in neurorehabilitation, such as gait tests, the functional independence measure, or the SF-36, can be applied to MS, but few have been tested on large patient samples. Disease-specific scales often seem more pertinent and sensitive to change, and their qualities and limitations are better known through clinical trials of disease-modifying therapies.