Use Of Assessment Procedures Research Articles

The effect of assessment procedures in the development of competences during initial teacher education: A systematic review

Competence assessment has been one of the most crucial aspects in initial teacher training in the context of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). It has implied a change in teachers’ approaches to teaching and learning and is based on different assessment procedures for their training. In order to discover the effect of the assessment procedures applied to the training of competences in teachers, the present study examines research along these lines and in this context published between 2010 and 2021 in international high-impact journals. A total of 1,772 articles have been reviewed, 17 of which were included after the application of the inclusion criteria established according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) Statement. The results demonstrate the use of assessment procedures based on applied means, strategies and tools in order to train pre-service teachers in cross-cutting teaching competences. However, in the majority of the studies analysed, the effectiveness of these procedures is empirically based on the self-perception of those involved and not so much on experimental studies. We advocate the latter due to their value in terms of cause and effect.

Specific components of a complex depression care program can affect staff outcomes differently: post-hoc analyses of a stepped-wedge cluster-randomized trial in nursing homes.

The Act in case of Depression program showed effects on the quality of life and depression in nursing home (NH) residents. We aimed to explore the effects of this complex multidisciplinary program on job satisfaction, job demands, and autonomy in nursing home staff. Four data points from a stepped-wedge cluster-randomized trial on patient outcomes were used for secondary analyses on staff outcomes. Sixteen dementia special care and 17 somatic care units in Dutch NHs.Participants were 717 (90.1%) care staff or trainees, 34 (4.3%) paramedical staff, and 45 (5.7%) other staff members.Intervention describes procedures for nursing staff, activity therapists, psychologists, and physicians. It contains evidence-based pathways for depression assessment, treatment, and monitoring treatment results. Mixed models for intention-to-treat analyses showed no significant changes in job demands, job satisfaction, or autonomy. Models corrected for the ratio of unit residents who received, when indicated, a specific program component revealed reduced job demands and improved job satisfaction and autonomy when treatment procedures were used. A better use of assessment procedures was associated with increased job demands, while conducting monitoring procedures was associated with increased job demands and decreased autonomy. Components of complex care programs may affect the staff outcomes in opposite directions and, taken together, produce a zero-sum or a statistically insignificant effect. While implementing treatment protocols affecting patients directly can also improve job outcomes such as satisfaction and autonomy and decrease job demands, it is possible that other procedures of complex programs may have unfavorable effects on job outcomes. It is important to account for specific components of complex interventions when evaluating intervention effects.

Attaining Children’s Development through Appropriate Assessment Practices: Insights from Kindergarten Teachers

<em>The research contributes to the conversation regarding kindergarten teachers’ knowledge about developmentally assessments practices in attaining curriculum goals of selected kindergartens classrooms within the Ghanaian settings. The mixed method research approach was employed. Quantitative data were gathered from 1,413 teachers using questionnaires, while qualitative data were collected from 10 participants who were interviewed and observed. The participants for the quantitative research were randomly selected from ten districts in the Central Region of Ghana. The data were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. However, the participants for the qualitative research were purposely sampled. The qualitative data were analysed through open and axial coding. The study revealed that KG teachers were achieving curriculum goals and were using developmentally appropriate assessment procedures. They were however, not conversant with some of the curriculum goals and emerging assessment practices. It was also evident that there is a positive relationship between KG teachers’ achievement of the goals and the use of assessment procedures. It was recommended among others that through orientation and training sessions, KG teachers should be given insights into KG curriculum goals and diverse authentic assessment procedures to enhance and promote children’s development in varied ways.</em>

Assessment Practices of Science Teachers in Middle School Based on Classification of Performance on International Examinations

The study aimed at identifying assessment practices adopted in TIMSS 2011, compare practices across high– performing and low- performing middle schools. Also, to analyze the importance and the actual use of assessment procedures and methods, and to assess the relationships between the actual assessment practices and the perceived value of assessment practices. Saudi results of 8th grade participation in TIMSS 2011 were analyzed, supported by survey data collected from a sample of 350 intermediate science teachers about their practices and perceived value of assessment. The survey had acceptable indicators of validity and reliability. Results showed that assessment practices did not vary between high - performing and low - performing schools based on teachers' survey TIMSS 2011. On the other hand, findings from exploratory factor analysis concluded nine factors that explain assessment practices, namely: self-assessment, higher learning objectives assessment, knowledge and understanding, mechanisms of analyzing assessment results, indirect thinking questions, homework, and peer- evaluation, observation, and using objective questions. Moreover, results showed that there were effects of worthiness of assessment practices on the actual assessment practices of science teachers in middle schools.

Assessment Practices of Science Teachers in Middle School Based on Classification of Performance on International Examinations

The study aimed at identifying assessment practices adopted in TIMSS 2011, compare practices across high– performing and low- performing middle schools. Also, to analyze the importance and the actual use of assessment procedures and methods, and to assess the relationships between the actual assessment practices and the perceived value of assessment practices. Saudi results of 8th grade participation in TIMSS 2011 were analyzed, supported by survey data collected from a sample of 350 intermediate science teachers about their practices and perceived value of assessment. The survey had acceptable indicators of validity and reliability. Results showed that assessment practices did not vary between high - performing and low - performing schools based on teachers' survey TIMSS 2011. On the other hand, findings from exploratory factor analysis concluded nine factors that explain assessment practices, namely: self-assessment, higher learning objectives assessment, knowledge and understanding, mechanisms of analyzing assessment results, indirect thinking questions, homework, and peer- evaluation, observation, and using objective questions. Moreover, results showed that there were effects of worthiness of assessment practices on the actual assessment practices of science teachers in middle schools.

Managing Depressed and Suicidal Geriatric Patients: Differences Among Primary Care Physicians

This study examined differences by specialty of primary care physicians in managing suicidal and depressed geriatric patients. A probability sample of 300 Illinois physicians drawn from the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile was surveyed. Significant differences were found between specialties in estimates of the prevalence of psychiatric disorders; use of assessment procedures, treatment approaches, and referrals; perceptions of obstacles to providing mental health care; and confidence in diagnosing and treating depression and suicidality. Meeting the mental health needs of the rapidly growing older population will require a greater emphasis on geriatric mental health and consistency across primary care specialties.

Use of Assessment Procedures: Learning Disabilities Teachers' Perspectives

The purpose of this study was to describe learning disabilities teachers' perspectives regarding the use of assessment procedures. We focused specifically on teachers' reports of (a) procedures actually used, (b) procedures they found most useful, and (c) their perceived levels of competency as they related to initial placement, instructional planning, and student evaluation decisions. Respondents were 321 learning disabilities teachers in a large, urban school system. The results indicated that while teachers reported several assessment procedures to be useful, they relied primarily on standardized test results for informing educational decisions. Furthermore, most teachers indicated high levels of competency with all assessment procedures, except error analysis. The problematic nature of an over-reliance on standardized tests and the need for the use of more instructionally sensitive assessment procedures are discussed.

Approaches to Alternative Assessment

Current trends in assessment, no longer based on the view that language learning entails a passive accumulation of skills, have led to the increasingly more common use of assessment procedures that differ quite drastically from standardized norm-referenced measures of language proficiency (Calfee and Hiebert 1991, Calfee and Perfumo 1993, Gifford and O'Connor 1991). Increasing criticism of standardized tests, especially in light of current educational reform movements, has also brought into question the value of other indirect approaches to assessment (Clay 1990, Cohen 1994, Damico 1992, Haladyana 1992, Oller 1992, Pikulski 1990, Worthen 1993). Additionally, interest groups representing both linguistically and culturally diverse students and students with special education needs have called for a change in our approaches to assessment. The goal is to ensure equity in educational opportunities and to strive toward educational excellence for all students (Council of Chief State School Officers 1992, Fradd, McGee and Wilen 1994, Hamayan and Damico 1991, LaCelle-Peterson and Rivera 1994). Although some researchers suggest that it is false to assume that alternative assessment approaches automatically ensure equity for diverse populations (Darling-Hammond 1994), these approaches nonetheless provide a wealth of information which must minimally serve as a context for a more valid interpretation of all standardized test results. In a more central capacity, information from these alternative assessment procedures can constitute the sole basis for much educational and instructional decision-making (Damico 1992).

The use of assessment procedures in foster care to evaluate readiness for independent living

Several questions were posed: (a) Can a formalized approach to comprehensive skill assessment measure the functional capabilities of foster adolescents and identify a sub-set of youth who can be considered at-risk, and (b) Can a systematic assessment approach be used by states to reform independent living policies? Four paper and pencil devices comprised the skills assessment battery. The instruments were: Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE), Tests for Everyday Living (TEL), Daniel Memorial Independent Living Assessment for Life Skills, and Effective Social Skills (ESS). In addition, a questionnaire was filled out by Service Providers and a placement history completed for study participants. The package was administered to foster youths-ages 16 through 19-who participated in special summer programs in New York City and upstate locations. A total of 206 youths were tested; 104 from NYC and 102 in the upstate sample. Depending on the skill tested, anywhere from one fifth to one third were in serious need of specialized services, independent living planning, follow-up, and/or aftercare. It is recommended that states engage in systematic skills assessment to document the competency levels of foster care youth and to stimulate reform of independent living policies and programs.

Environmental Assessment and the Application of Expert Systems: an Overview

Environmental concern has prompted greater use of assessment procedures to monitor the potential impacts development proposals on the environment; one such approach has been the application of expert systems. Expert systems are a branch of computer science known as artificial intelligence. Expert systems attempt to simulate the means by which a human expert tackles real-world problems using a set of rules and inferences programmed into a computer system. This paper reports on a number of expert systems which have been developed as environmental assessment tools, indicating the diverse approaches to the subject adopted by the different developers of such systems.

Assessment in Counseling Psychology

There is some evidence that the role of psychological assessment in counseling psychology is changing. Relatively little is known about the specific aspects of current training in assessment, however. Training directors of American Psychological Association (APA) approved counseling psychology programs and APA-approved internship sites were surveyed to determine the extent of training in psychological assessment procedures. Results indicated that (a) clinical interview is the most widely used assessment procedure; (b) the role of vocational assessment is changing; (c) different assessment procedures are emphasized in academic and field training; (d) proficiency in different assessment procedures is expected at different points in training; and (e) some differences in the use of assessment procedures exist among internship settings, with counseling centers being the most divergent. Results suggest that to keep training efforts current, those involved in training counseling psychologists need to be aware of assessment skills needed in professional practice settings. Also, the basis for different emphases in academic and field training in this important area should be explored further.

Assessment for instructional planning.

The provision of an appropriate, individualized education for handicapped students has traditionally involved the use of assessment procedures to determine appropriate learning objectives and teaching strategies. In this article, current approaches to assessment of what to teach and how to teach, and their limitations, are discussed. Suggestions are made for modifications in current approaches to a priori assessment of what to teach in favor of a post hoc procedure that uses frequent student evaluation to provide the database from which decisions regarding modifications of teaching strategies may be made.

An experience scheme for student teachers

SUMMARY. This “on the job” school experience scheme is complementary to a college‐based programme for prospective teachers of children with severe mental handicaps. Much emphasis is placed on helping the children progress to higher levels in the developmental sequence.The 15‐week school experience scheme has three phases. Phase One, orientation and observation, entails a one day a week school visit for six consecutive weeks. Phase Two, the use of assessment procedures, shows how these are an integral part of teaching and entails a half day a week school visit for six consecutive weeks. Phase Three, the use of task analysis and an introduction to behaviour modification techniques, entails an initial half day visit a week for three consecutive weeks. (This teaching is extended later).