Use Of Assessment Strategies Research Articles

Examining the Relationship Between Teacher Professional Certification and the Use of Assessment Strategies to Monitor Student Progress and Inform Instruction

With an emphasis on the Chinese setting, this study investigates the relationship between teacher professional certification and the use of assessment tools to monitor student development and inform instruction. The study seeks to improve understanding of this link by integrating existing literature, investigating pertinent ideas, identifying essential themes, and reviewing prior research techniques. The study used a scoping review approach based on the TCCM (Theory, Context, Content, Method) model to assess 136 papers found using a systematic search strategy based on the PRISMA paradigm. According to the study of literature, previous research has highlighted the positive influence of teacher professional certification on teaching effectiveness and student learning outcomes. Certified teachers demonstrate greater pedagogical understanding, teaching abilities, and student involvement. Furthermore, effective assessment procedures are critical for tracking student progress and providing feedback to guide instruction. The findings emphasize the importance of further investigating the precise processes through which teacher professional certification effects the usage of assessment procedures. The study also uncovered a gap in knowledge of this relationship in the Chinese setting. Furthermore, it emphasizes the significance of using a variety of research methods, including mixed quantitative and qualitative approaches, to capture the phenomenon's complexity and nuances. Overall, this study's' financings have several implications for future research and different stakeholders.

Exploring Early Childhood Education Teachers’ Assessment Practices on Learners in Sefwi-Wiawso Municipality of Ghana

The purpose of the study was to explore learning areas teachers assess and strategies teachers employ during the assessment practices of Early Childhood learners in Sefwi - Wiawso Municipality of the Western Region of Ghana. Descriptive survey research design was used for the study. The sample size for this study was 110 basic school workers made up of 80 Early Childhood Education (ECE) teachers, 29 Head teachers and 1 Basic school coordinator, however, 100 respondents returned their questionnaire for analysis. Purposive sampling techniques were used to select the sample for the study. The instruments used for data collection were close-ended questionnaire and interview for collecting both quantitative and qualitative respectively. The quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics whilst the qualitative data was analysed using thematic approach. Results from the study indicated that the learning areas or domains Early Childhood Education teachers assess Kindergarten children during assessment process included social skills, cognitive skills, physical development (psychomotor) skills and language skills. Besides, the Kindergarten teachers used strategies such as observation, anecdotal records, visual documentation and checklist to assess their pupils. The following recommendations were made in the light of the findings of the study: Kindergarten teachers should widen their assessment to all learning areas such as, Emotional and affective domains. This will enhance holistic development of the child. Additionally, there should be frequent in-service and refresher programmes by Municipal Education Directorate so as to equip the ECE teachers and those who are directly involve in identification and the use of assessment strategies.

Competence-Based Assessment in Higher Education during COVID-19 Lockdown: The Demise of Sustainability Competence

Sustainability competence is understood as the interlinked set of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values that effectively enable embodied action in the world concerning real-world sustainability problems, challenges, and opportunities, according to the context. Higher education institutions should promote this competence in their graduates due to its importance, which has been stressed during the period of COVID-19. However, it seems to be becoming forgotten, in the syllabus as well as in the voices of teachers and students. A study carried out at the University of Barcelona (UB) with n = 265 students and n = 129 professors on the importance and frequency of assessing this competence in times of pandemic is presented. Quantitative data was supplemented with n = 31 interviews. The data show a scarce use of assessment strategies to evaluate this competence (9.7% of the students and 15.2% of the teachers indicate some type of assessment) as well as a very low consideration of the usefulness of the assessment processes of this competence. Interviews prove that this is a missing competence. However, 14% of the students associate it with productive assessment tasks, and 19.4% of the teachers think it is related to well-aligned assessment tasks. Therefore, it seems that the future challenge is in the design of learning and assessment tasks which should consider sustainability in teaching plans and ask students to apply, solve or make decisions considering environmental, social or economic sustainability.

Validating the Vocabulary Learning Strategies Used by English as a Foreign Language University Students in Taiwan

Vocabulary learning strategies have been frequently viewed as a practical tool to facilitate the acquisition of words and enhance comprehension and production in communication. Previous research suggests that vocabulary learning strategies are a multidimensional construct. This study attempts to validate a vocabulary learning strategies questionnaire using rigorous validation procedures. A questionnaire with 52 items from Gu (2018) was administered to 556 university students in Taiwan. Data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis with SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 23.0, respectively. The results showed that a validated short version of the questionnaire, comprising 33 items, can be used as a measurement tool to assess strategy use and be used when administration time is limited, or the assessment of vocabulary learning strategies is part of a larger number of variables. The second-order confirmatory factor analysis revealed that Activation, Visual and Auditory Encoding, Structure Encoding, Oral Repetition and Selective Attention were the top five important strategies related to vocabulary learning. Finally, the data revealed that it is possible to obtain plausible underlying constructs for a set of questionnaire items in exploratory factor analysis, while the discriminant and construct validity cannot be established in confirmatory factor analysis.

Tracking implementation strategies in the randomized rollout of a Veterans Affairs national opioid risk management initiative

BackgroundIn 2018, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) issued Notice 2018-08 requiring facilities to complete “case reviews” for Veterans identified in the Stratification Tool for Opioid Risk Mitigation (STORM) dashboard as high risk for adverse outcomes among patients prescribed opioids. Half of the facilities were randomly assigned to a Notice version including additional oversight. We evaluated implementation strategies used, whether strategies differed by randomization arm, and which strategies were associated with case review completion rates.MethodsFacility points of contact completed a survey assessing their facility’s use of 68 implementation strategies based on the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change taxonomy. We collected respondent demographic information, facility-level characteristics, and case review completion rates (percentage of high-risk patients who received a case review). We used Kruskal-Wallis tests and negative binomial regression to assess strategy use and factors associated with case reviews.ResultsContacts at 89 of 140 facilities completed the survey (64%) and reported using a median of 23 (IQR 16–31) strategies. The median case review completion rate was 71% (IQR 48–95%). Neither the number or types of strategies nor completion rates differed by randomization arm. The most common strategies were using the STORM dashboard (97%), working with local opinion leaders (80%), and recruiting local partners (80%). Characteristics associated with case review completion rates included respondents being ≤ 35 years old (incidence rate ratio, IRR 1.35, 95% CI 1.09–1.67) and having < 5 years in their primary role (IRR 1.23; 95% CI 1.01–1.51), and facilities having more prior academic detailing around pain and opioid safety (IRR 1.40, 95% CI 1.12–1.75). Controlling for these characteristics, implementation strategies associated with higher completion rates included (1) monitoring and adjusting practices (adjusted IRR (AIRR) 1.40, 95% CI 1.11–1.77), (2) identifying adaptations while maintaining core components (AIRR 1.28, 95% CI 1.03–1.60), (3) conducting initial training (AIRR 1.16, 95% CI 1.02–1.50), and (4) regularly sharing lessons learned (AIRR 1.32, 95% CI 1.09–1.59).ConclusionsIn this national evaluation of strategies used to implement case reviews of patients at high risk of opioid-related adverse events, point of contact age and tenure in the current role, prior pain-related academic detailing at the facility, and four specific implementation strategies were associated with case review completion rates, while randomization to additional centralized oversight was not.Trial registrationThis project is registered at the ISRCTN Registry with number ISRCTN16012111. The trial was first registered on May 3, 2017.

Multivariate Study of the Use of Assessment Strategies and Cross Cutting Issues by Basic School Teachers: The Case of Ghana’s New Curriculum

Ghana’s new basic school curriculum requires teachers to use new teaching strategies that also address cross cutting issues in their teaching to enhance learning. This study sought to assess the use of assessment strategies by basic school teachers in Ghana. A sample size of 100 was computed at 95% confidence interval and randomly selected from the population. The features, strategies and principles underpinning the assessment strategies and cross cutting issues in Ghana’s new curriculum for the basic school formed the basis of the construction of the 47 items used in the questionnaire. The internal consistency of the items used in the four point likert scale was high with Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of 0.995. Principal component analysis and multiple linear regressions were the main methods used for the analysis.KMO statistic of 0.921 and Bartlett’s Test’s Chi Square value was13684.049 with difference of freedom of 1081 and significance at 0.00000. Multiple extraction approaches were used to retain two components which explained about 91% of the variance. The first component named Criterion motivation explained about 61.7% of the variance and composed generally of assessment as-of- and - for learning strategies. The second component which was named inclusion motivation, generally loaded highly with the cross cutting issues and explaining about 28.6% of the total variance. Criterion and inclusion motivation were found to predict feedback with a high power of 94%.Criterion motivation was found to have a positive impact on feedback received from students and was statistically significant (B = 0.746, P&lt;0.001). Again, there was a positive relationship between the inclusion motivation and feedback with a significant difference (B = 0.232, P&lt;0.001).There were some disparities in the use of assessment strategies outlined in the new basic school curriculum for Ghana. Teachers were found to exhibit preference to some components of the assessment strategies recommended for use in the new curriculum at the detriment of others. It is recommended that the developed criterion motivation and inclusive motivation approaches are adopted in teaching in order to enhance maximum feedback from learners.

ممارسة معلمی الریاضیات ومعلماتها بالمرحلة الابتدائیة لأدوات التقویم المستمر وأسباب تعدیل لائحة التقویم من وجهة نظر مشرفی الریاضیات ومشرفاتها

هدف البحث إلى الکشف عن مستوى ممارسة معلمي الرياضيات ومعلماتها بالمرحلة الابتدائية لأدوات التقويم المستمر وأسباب تعديل لائحة التقويم من وجهة نظر مشرفي الرياضيات ومشرفاتها، واستخدم البحث المنهج الوصفي المسحي والاستبانة أداة له، وتکونت عينة البحث من(12) مشرفا، و(18) مشرفة وهم کامل مجتمع البحث بمنطقة القصيم، وتوصل البحث لمجموعة من النتائج يتلخص أهمها فيما يلي: - أن درجة ممارسة معلمي الرياضيات ومعلماتها لأدوات التقويم المستمر تراوحت بين عالية وضعيفة. - أن أدوات التقويم المستمر، والتي يمارسها معلمو الرياضيات ومعلماتها بدرجة عالية هي: التدريبات والأنشطة والتمارين الصفية ، والواجبات المنزلية فقط. - أن أدوات التقويم المستمر والتي يمارسها معلمو الرياضيات ومعلماتها بدرجة متوسطة هي: المقالية القصيرة، الاختبارات الموضوعية و الشفهية - أن أدوات التقويم المستمر والتي يمارسها معلمو الرياضيات ومعلماتها بدرجة ضعيفة هي: المشروعات التعليمية ، ملف الإنجاز المهام الأدائية ، وأسلوب الملاحظة الصفية - لايوجد اختلاف عند مستوى (≥α 0.05 ) ، بين متوسطي ممارسة معلمي الرياضيات ومعلماتها لأدوات التقويم المستمر کما يراها عينة البحث تبعا لمتغيرات: النوع(ذکر/أنثى) – الخبرة التدريسية – المؤهل العلمي. - المتوسط الحسابي لدرجة موافقة عينة البحث على أسباب تعديل لائحة التقويم المستمر المتعلقة بالمخرجات تراوح بين (4.00) و(3.86)، أي جميعها جاءت بدرجة عالية، في حين يشير المتوسط العام البالغ (3.94) أن درجة موافقة عينة البحث على أسباب تعديل لائحة التقويم المستمر المتعلقة بالمخرجات عالية. - المتوسط الحسابي لدرجة موافقة عينة البحث على أسباب تعديل لائحة التقويم المستمر المتعلقة بطبيعة التقويم المستمر تراوح بين (4.25) و(3.68)، أي بين درجة عالية جدا وعالية، في حين يشير المتوسط العام البالغ (4.04) أن درجة موافقة عينة البحث على أسباب تعديل لائحة التقويم المستمر المتعلقة بطبيعة التقويم المستمر عالية . - المتوسط الحسابي لدرجة موافقة عينة البحث على أسباب تعديل لائحة التقويم المستمر المتعلقة بالمعلم/ـة تراوح ما بين (4.50) و(3.64)، أي بين درجة عالية جدا وعالية، في حين يشير المتوسط العام البالغ (4.02) أن درجة موافقة عينة البحث على أسباب تعديل لائحة التقويم المستمر المتعلقة بالمعلم/ـة عالية. - لا يوجد اختلاف عند مستوى (≥ α 0.05 ) بين متوسطي استجابات عينة البحث في تحديدهم لأسباب تعديل لائحة التقويم المستمر تبعا لمتغيرات: النوع(ذکر/أنثى) – الخبرة التدريسية – المؤهل العلمي. وفي ضوء نتائج البحث قدم الباحثان مجموعة من التوصيات، والمقترحات. This research was intended to explore elementary school mathematics teachers’ use of assessment strategies and reasons to modify the list of strategies from mathematics supervisors’ points of view. The survey descriptive method was used, with a questionnaire as the data-gathering tool. The sample consisted of twelve male supervisors and eighteen female supervisors, representing the entire research population in the Qassim region. The most important findings of the study can be summarized as follows: The degree to which mathematics teachers used continuous assessment strategies ranged from low to high. The continuous assessment strategies used most frequently were in-class practices, activities, and exercises and homework only. The continuous assessment strategies used less frequently were educational projects, portfolios, performance tasks, and classroom observations. There was no difference (at α=0.05) between the means of male and female teachers’ practices as perceived by the sample based on the variables of the gender, teaching experience, and academic qualification. The means of supervisors’ degree of approval for amending the list of strategies, related to outputs, ranged from 3.86 to 4.00, with a general mean of 3.94, indicating high supervisor approval. The means of supervisors’ approval for amending the list of strategies, related to the nature of the strategies for continuous assessment, ranged from 3.68 to 4.25, with a general mean of 4.04, indicates that the degree of approval was high. The means supervisors’ approval for amending the list of strategies, related to the teacher, ranged from 3.64 to 4.50, with a general mean of 4.02, indicates that the degree of approval was high. There was no difference (at 0.0α 0.05) between the two means of the study sample regarding their selection of the reasons for amending the continuous assessment list based on the variables of “gender, teaching experience, and academic qualifications.” Based on the findings of this study, a group of recommendations and research directions has been suggested by the researchers.

Fixated in unfamiliar territory: Mapping estimates across typical and atypical number lines.

Adults (N = 72) estimated the location of target numbers on number lines that varied in numerical range (i.e., typical range 0-10,000 or atypical range 0-7,000) and spatial orientation (i.e., the 0 endpoint on the left [traditional] or on the right [reversed]). Eye-tracking data were used to assess strategy use. Participants made meaningful first fixations on the line, with fixations occurring around the origin for low target numbers and around the midpoint and endpoint for high target numbers. On traditional direction number lines, participants used left-to-right scanning and showed a leftward bias; these effects were reduced for the reverse direction number lines. Participants made fixations around the midpoint for both ranges but were less accurate when estimating target numbers around the midpoint on the 7,000-range number line. Thus, participants are using the internal benchmark (i.e., midpoint) to guide estimates on atypical range number lines, but they have difficulty calculating the midpoint, leading to less accurate estimates. In summary, both range and direction influenced strategy use and accuracy, suggesting that both numerical and spatial processes influence number line estimation.

Domains of cognition and their assessment .

Cognitive performance is typically conceptualized in terms of domains of functioning. These domains are hierarchical in nature, with the bottom referring to more basic sensory and perceptual processes and the top referring to elements of executive functioning and cognitive control. Domains are not independent of each other and executive functioning exerts control over the utilization of more basic processes. Assessments are typically targeted at subdomains of each ability area and careful combination of tasks can reveal patterns of performance consistent with a variety of different neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions. This review covers the general structures of domains, the patterns of impairments across domains seen in common neuropsychiatric conditions, and use of assessment strategies to differentiate, to the extent possible, between different types of conditions manifesting cognitive impairment.

Assessment Strategies to be Emphasised in Physics Teacher Education for Acquisition of Pedagogic Skills requisite for Effective Secondary School Instruction

For effective classroom instruction, assessment of learning outcomes is of absolute priority, in light of this, teacher education in public universities ought to offer a variety of assessment strategies to be used in secondary school instruction. However, there are concerns that physics teachers lack skills necessary for effective assessment of their students’ learning. This has been blamed for the poor performance of 38.27% recorded in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) physics examinations in the years 2007 to 2016. The aim of this study was to establish assessment strategies to be emphasised in physics teacher education for acquisition of pedagogic skills, and the target population was 420 physics student teachers, 277 heads of physics subjects and 130 physics teacher trainers. Data was collected using questionnaires and through analysis of documentary evidence. Findings reveal that assessment strategies to be emphasised in physics teacher education are questioning, assessment of project work, assessment of laboratory reports, portfolio analysis and use of information technology in assessment. The findings may be useful to public universities in Kenya to enhance the use of assessment strategies that should be emphasised for acquisition of pedagogic skills.

Investigating self-regulated study strategies among postsecondary students with and without dyslexia: a diary method study

We investigated the use of self-regulated study strategies among undergraduates with dyslexia by means of extensive web-based diary data, comparing their strategy use to that of matched students without dyslexia who completed the diary in the same period. Additionally, we examined the perceived benefits of using the recorded strategies in both groups, as well as relationships between the recorded strategies and perceived self-efficacy and academic performance. Results indicated that across lecture, individual study, and social study contexts, students with and without dyslexia recorded a comparable, broad range of strategies, yet students with dyslexia seemed to use particular visual and social strategies more consistently than did students without dyslexia. Across the three study contexts, both students with and without dyslexia also perceived the strategies they recorded in the diaries to be quite beneficial, but with particular visual and social strategies seemingly perceived as more helpful by students with dyslexia. Finally, self-regulated study strategies were positively related to perceived self-efficacy and academic performance among the students with dyslexia but not among the students without dyslexia. We discuss the possibility that the diary method used to assess strategy use among students with dyslexia in different study contexts over time was more appropriate for revealing the breadth and value of their strategy repertoire than the decontextualized, one-time questionnaire and interview approaches used in prior work.

Degree of Upper Basic Stage Mathematics Teachers’ Use of Alternative Assessment Strategies and Its Tools in Al-Mafraq Governorate and Their Attitudes Towards Them

This study aims at identifying the degree of using alternative assessment strategies and its tools by the upper basic stage Math teachers in Mafraq Governorate and revealing their attitudes towards using these strategies. The sample of the study consisted of (180) Math teachers. The researcher adopted two questionnaire for collecting data; the first one consisted of (20) items including the alternative assessment and its tools while the other questionnaire consisted of (30) items addressing the Math teachers’ attitudes towards using the alternative assessment and its tools. The study came up with the following the results: Math teachers’ use of assessment strategies was moderate with a total mean (2.50) and Pencil and Paper strategy came first with a high degree followed respectively by observation strategy with moderate degree, performance based assessment strategy with moderate degree and reflection assessment strategy with low degree. Results also showed that the Math teachers’ use of alternative assessment strategies and its tools was moderate with a mean (2.74) and the teachers’ attitudes towards using these strategies were positive. The study recommended using alternative assessment strategies and its tools as one of the basic evaluative competencies of Mathematics teachers.

The Use of Classroom Assessment to Explore Problem Solving Skills Based on Pre-Service Teachers’ Cognitive Style Dimension in Basic Physics Course

The aim of this study was to explore the use of assessment strategy which can measure problem solving skills of pre-service teachers based on their cognitive style in basic physics course. The sample consisted of 95 persons (male = 15, female = 75). This study used an exploratory research with observation techniques by interview, questionnaire, and test. The results indicated that the lecturer only used paper-pencil test assessment strategy to measure pre-service teachers’ achievement and also used conventional learning strategy. It means that the lecturer did not measure pre-services’ thinking process in learning, like problem solving skills. One of the factors which can influence student problem solving skills is cognitive style as an internal factor. Field Dependent (FD) and Field Independent (FI) are two cognitive styles which were measured with using Group Embedded Figure Test (GEFT) test. The result showed that 82% of pre-service teachers were FD cognitive style and only 18% of pre-service teachers had FI cognitive style. Furthermore, these findings became the fundamental design to develop a problem solving assessment model to measure pre-service teachers’ problem solving skills and process in basic physics course.

Role of inhibitory processes in relapse prevention treatment

Alcohol dependence is a chronic disorder with frequent relapses during recovery. Most studies have pointed out that craving is the main process involved in relapse, but recently other factors have been implicated in it, such as attentional bias and impulsivity. Some authors consider that different stages could be involved in the relapse process, and each may be governed by different mechanisms: Attentional bias; motivational response to alcohol cues and inhibitory control.Motivationally salient cues attract and hold selective attention, and this “attentional bias, (AB)” is related to individual differences in appetitive and aversive motivation. In a recent review, attentional bias has been shown to be significantly present in alcohol-dependent and is associated with craving and risk to a relapse in alcohol consumption.In alcohol-dependent subjects, alcohol-related cues reach a very high motivational valence (Motivational response, MR), which, in effect, increases craving for alcohol and activates behavioral strategies towards alcohol intake. One method used to assess motivational valence of alcohol is the craving self-assessment. In addition, in recent years, the affective modulation of the startle reflex has been used as an objective measure of craving. It has been shown that subjects with a low baseline startle response when viewing alcohol-associated pictures are at major risk of relapse compared to those with increased reactions.Once alcohol craving has appeared, the subject will either drink or not, depending on his ability to resist his behavior towards alcohol consumption (impulsivity or inhibitory control, IC). Moreover, subjects that exhibit greater impulsivity are those more likely to relapse.Our group has recently conducted a study on a sample of 172 alcohol-dependent patients seen in outpatient therapeutic program during 12 weeks. All of them were assessed with the following measures: Attentional bias was assessed using the dot task, motivational response was evaluated using the affective modulation of the startle reflex paradigm, inhibitory control was assessed by the stop-signal reaction time task. Alcohol relapse variables were: relapse, days to the first relapse and days of accumulated abstinence.One of the most relevant results was that processes related to inhibitory control (Stop-signal reaction time and attentional bias) were the most relevant measures to explain variables related to relapse in alcohol consumption during the treatment period.Our results support the use of assessment strategies, therapeutic and pharmacological inhibtoria aimed at improving the ability of serious alcohol-dependent patients.Disclosure of interestThe author has not supplied his declaration of competing interest.

Rater strategies for reaching agreement on pupil text quality

Novice members of a Norwegian national rater panel tasked with assessing Year 8 pupils’ written texts were studied during three successive preparation sessions (2011–2012). The purpose was to investigate how the raters successfully make use of different decision-making strategies in an assessment situation where pre-set criteria and standards give a rather strict framework. The data sources were the raters’ pair assessment dialogues. The analysis shows that the raters use a ‘shared standards strategy’, but when reaching agreement on text quality they also seem to make very good use of assessment strategies related to their work as writing teachers. Moreover, asymmetries in knowledge and participation among raters contribute to creating an image of writing assessment as a challenging hermeneutic practice. It is suggested that future rater preparation would gain from being attentive to the internalised assessment practices teachers bring to the fore when working as raters.

Practices of Assessing Graduate Students' Learning Outcomes in Selected Ethiopian Higher Education Institutions

The study explored the practices of assessing graduate students’ learning outcomes by instructors of higher education institutions (HEIs) in Ethiopia. Survey method was employed in collecting data from 131 instructors, which were selected with stratified sampling. Questionnaire and interview were used as instruments for collecting data on the instructors’ practices of types and frequency of using assessment strategies, types of test items in practice and use of assessment for improving learning. The data from these three variables were analyzed in terms of demographic factors: bands or fi elds of study, instructors’ academic rank and experience in teaching in HEIs. The results showed that there were no signifi cant differences among instructors from different bands or field of study in the type and frequent use of assessment strategies, in their practice of different types of tests items and use of assessment results for improving learning. Also no significant mean differences were observed in teaching experiences in HEIs. However, significant differences were observed among the mean scores of the above three variables by academic rank with better use of assessment strategies, different types of test items by lecturers than professors and associate professors. It was concluded that professors and associate professors should pay attention to the assessment of students learning and further study need to be conducted for identifying why professors and associate professors were paying less attention to student assessment than lecturers.

Funcionamiento familiar y adaptación psicológica en oncología.

La experiencia de la enfermedad oncológica es un proceso que afecta también al grupo familiar, que constituye el sistema de apoyo primario y que se ve perturbado en su normal funcionamiento previo, asociado al malestar psicológico consecuente con la aparición del cáncer. El proceso de screening de malestar emocional en familiares de pacientes oncológicos, implica el uso de estrategias evaluativas tanto cuantitativas, como cualitativas que permiten determinar si el sistema de apoyo familiar dispone del conocimiento, las habilidades y las actitudes necesarias para ofrecer y mantener cuidados tanto al paciente como a ella misma. El estudio de Relación entre Funcionamiento Familiar y Adaptación Psicológica, tuvo como objetivo analizar de qué manera el funcionamiento y el apoyo social de la familia influiría en la adaptación al proceso oncológico, para ello se analizó el tipo de familia, su estructura y el nivel de ajuste psicológico. El procedimiento se basó en la aplicación de una Encuesta de Información Sociodemográfica, y de los test: Escala de Ansiedad y Depresión Hospitalaria, Indice de Relaciones Familiares, Inventario Familiar de Autoinforme y el APGAR-F. Los resultados del estudio han permitido verificar niveles más elevados de afectación emocional en familiares. En cuanto a los test de screening familiar, existe bastante similitud en los resultados, al apreciarse en los tres test que es un porcentaje pequeño, el grupo de familias que cumple con las características de los sistemas disfuncionales. Las familias funcionales presentaron menor afectación emocional.

Subjective memory and strategy use in mild cognitive impairment and healthy aging.

information is available about subjective memory and strategy use in seniors with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). We investigated whether differences exist in the perception of changes in memory, perceived frequency of forgetting, overall memory evaluation, and strategy use between seniors with MCI and unimpaired older adults. The study included 56 participants, aged 60 years and older, including 28 normal controls (NC) and 28 MCI patients. The participants completed the Short Cognitive Performance Test, the Story and Grocery list recall tasks, the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale, the Memory Complaint Questionnaire for the perception of changes in episodic memory, the McNair Frequency of Forgetting Questionnaire, and a single question that evaluated overall memory. The Bousfield semantic clustering measure was calculated to assess semantic clustering for list recall. The number of underlined words during story encoding was calculated to assess strategy use. Participants with MCI had significantly worse scores on Story and Grocery list recall, semantic clustering, and overall memory evaluation. No differences were found in the number of underlined words. List recall was significantly correlated with semantic clustering in both groups (NC: r = .58, p = .001; MCI: r = .57, p = .002). Participants with MCI appeared to be less efficacious when using memory strategies, which may be associated with poor memory performance.

Implementing formative assessment in primary physical education: teacher perspectives and experiences

Background: Incorporating assessment as a regular practice can enhance teaching and learning in primary physical education. However, there is little evidence to suggest primary teachers use assessment strategies regularly in their physical education classes. Purpose: To explore the impact of incorporating assessment into primary teachers’ physical education practices on (a) their perspectives on assessment and (b) teaching and learning in primary physical education. Methodology: Primary teachers in Limerick (n = 2) and Dublin (n = 3) participated in initial focus group interviews exploring practices and understandings of assessment in physical education. Each teacher then planned and delivered a series of lessons where assessment was considered in relation to the learning intentions. Their experiences were captured using reflective journals (Limerick) and a mid-point focus group interview (Dublin). Both groups of teachers participated in a third focus group interview after lessons were completed. Qualitative analysis by both researchers involved individual coding of the data using the constant comparison method followed by conversations on alignment of findings. Trustworthiness of the data was addressed using peer debriefing techniques. Findings: The inclusion of assessment in physical education lessons provided structure and focus to the planning, teaching and learning processes and impacted positively on both teacher learning and the children's learning. The assessment strategies focused the learners, allowed for feedback related to assessment criteria and informed future planning. Challenges for the teachers included the amount of time needed to plan, difficulty in accessing sample assessments and differentiating assessments for different class levels and abilities. Conclusion: The use of assessment strategies enhanced the quality of teaching and learning in physical education and impacted positively on the teachers’ and learners’ perceptions of physical education. The importance of supporting teachers, through provision of information on assessment strategies and samples of assessment strategies aligned with content in physical education to enhance their everyday practice, is highlighted.

Editorial: Detection and prediction in developmental studies

Editorial: Detection and prediction in developmental studies