Teacher AfL perceptions and feedback practices in mathematics education among secondary schools in Tanzania

Feedback that monitors and scaffolds student learning has been shown to support learning. This study investigates the effect of mathematics teachers' perceptions of Formative Assessment (FA) and Assessment for Learning (AfL) and their conceptions of assessment on the quality of their feedback practices. The study was conducted in 48 secondary schools in Tanzania with 54 experienced mathematics teachers teaching Grade 11 (Form three in the Tanzanian system). Validated questionnaires were combined with interviews to investigate mathematics teachers' perceptions, conceptions, and feedback practices. Data were analysed by structural equation modeling and content analysis techniques. Results from the structural equation model indicated that mathematics teachers' perceptions of FA and AfL and their conceptions of assessment purposes positively predicted the quality of their feedback practices. Interview results illustrated that mathematics teachers used their students' assessment information for both formative and summative purposes. Future interventions for improving the quality of mathematics teacher's feedback practices are proposed.</p

Toward Automatic Interpretation of Narrative Feedback in Competency-Based Portfolios

Self-directed learning is generally considered a key competence in higher education. To enable self-directed learning, assessment practices increasingly embrace assessment for learning rather than the assessment of learning, shifting the focus from grades and scores to provision of rich, narrative, and personalized feedback. Students are expected to collect, interpret, and give meaning to this feedback, in order to self-assess their progress and to formulate new, appropriate learning goals and strategies. However, interpretation of aggregated, longitudinal narrative feedback has been proven to be very challenging, cognitively demanding, and time consuming. In this article, we, therefore, explored the applicability of existing, proven text mining techniques to support feedback interpretation. More specifically, we investigated whether it is possible to automatically generate meaningful information about prevailing topics and the emotional load of feedback provided in medical students' competence-based portfolios (N = 1500), taking into account the competence framework and the students' various performance levels. Our findings indicate that the text-mining techniques topic modeling and sentiment analysis make it feasible to automatically unveil the two principal aspects of narrative feedback, namely the most relevant topics in the feedback and their sentiment. This article, therefore, takes a valuable first step toward the automatic, online support of students, who are tasked with meaningful interpretation of complex narrative data in their portfolio as they develop into self-directed life-long learners

A set of software tools to build an author assessment package on Moodle: Implementing the AEEA proposal

A set of new types of assessment is required for learning management systems (LMSs), and there is a need for a way to assess lifelong adaptive competencies. Proposed solutions to these problems need to preserve the interoperability, reusability, efficiency and abstract modeling already present in LMSs. This paper introduces a set of software tools for an author assessment package on the LMS Moodle being developed as part of adaptive e-learning engine architecture (AEEA). The principal features of this set are: 1) The set avoid editing items for a 360-degree feedback evaluation, 2) Whole items and tests are linked to levels of competencies acquisition, 3) The competency-based eassessment data model are based on e-learning specification and complemented with XML data on the appraised competencies, 4) Items and tests are storage in repositories, and 5) The tools are integrated within Moodle to facilitate the design of an assessment plan

Characterizing learning environments capable of nurturing generic capabilities in higher education

There has been wide recognition that today's graduates need the type of generic capabilities necessary for lifelong learning. However, the mechanism by which universities can develop these generic skills is not clearly established. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism for their development. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test a hypothesized model of capability development through a suitable learning environment with 1756 undergraduates at a university in Hong Kong. To triangulate against this model and more fully characterize the learning environment, focus group interviews were held with five to six students from three programs with good records of capability development. Analysis of the interview data resulted in a set of categories, describing a learning environment, which were consistent with the SEM model. The learning environment which seemed conducive to capability development aimed for understanding of key concepts through a variety of assessment methods and active engagement in learning activities. Teacher-student relationships were developed through interaction, feedback and assistance. The promotion of peer-student relationships led to a high degree of collaborative learning. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2007.postprin

Advancing Disaster Resistant University Planning Beyond the Basic Requirements

This presentation provides an overview of the activities involved in the development of the LSU System Disaster Resistant University plan with a particular focus on non-traditional efforts. Developing an effective plan for a college campus is challenging: a campus’ footprint is fairly limited, which presents obstacles in regard to data availability and vulnerability modeling; student populations are often unfamiliar with local hazard conditions; hazardous research and materials are frequently present on campus; and so forth. Thus, generating meaningful and realistic hazard, vulnerability and risk assessments for a university by means of traditional input data and modeling approaches is difficult. New and creative ways of leveraging the institution’s strengths are needed to overcome these obstacles. In an attempt to develop a comprehensive and effective planning tool, the LSU System Plan went beyond the basic DRU requirements. Unique to this Plan are: (a) an extensive building assessment and the integration of the assessment data into HAZUS-MH, (b) the use of a user-generated population and building inventory for more realistic impact modeling in HAZUS-MH, (c) the utilization of day-time population estimates instead of census data, (d) the implementation of a user-defined analysis level at the building level – instead of census blocks, (e) comprehensive archival work to supplement generic hazards information, (f) incorporation of a hazardous material inventory, (g) direct involvement of students through service learning courses, and (h) the utilization of social media, web-based mapping and feedback tools

Advancing Disaster Resistant University Planning Beyond the Basic Requirements

This presentation provides an overview of the activities involved in the development of the LSU System Disaster Resistant University plan with a particular focus on non-traditional efforts. Developing an effective plan for a college campus is challenging: a campus’ footprint is fairly limited, which presents obstacles in regard to data availability and vulnerability modeling; student populations are often unfamiliar with local hazard conditions; hazardous research and materials are frequently present on campus; and so forth. Thus, generating meaningful and realistic hazard, vulnerability and risk assessments for a university by means of traditional input data and modeling approaches is difficult. New and creative ways of leveraging the institution’s strengths are needed to overcome these obstacles. In an attempt to develop a comprehensive and effective planning tool, the LSU System Plan went beyond the basic DRU requirements. Unique to this Plan are: (a) an extensive building assessment and the integration of the assessment data into HAZUS-MH, (b) the use of a user-generated population and building inventory for more realistic impact modeling in HAZUS-MH, (c) the utilization of day-time population estimates instead of census data, (d) the implementation of a user-defined analysis level at the building level – instead of census blocks, (e) comprehensive archival work to supplement generic hazards information, (f) incorporation of a hazardous material inventory, (g) direct involvement of students through service learning courses, and (h) the utilization of social media, web-based mapping and feedback tools

Teachers valuation and implementation of formative assessment strategies in elementary science classrooms.

Formative assessment is frequently used by educators, but when asked to define, responses tend to vary widely. In essence, formative assessment is when teachers and students engage in instructional conversations discussing content information and gathering data about present levels of understanding. This feedback exchanged between teachers and students about knowledge gained is a critical element that provides structure and support to move student learning forward. For teachers who effectively use formative assessment strategies, it is the responsive element of adjusting lesson plans, instruction and assessments to give students multiple avenues to develop deeper understanding and to address student learning needs. For students it is the clarification provided by the teacher to link what was known, to what is known to achieve desired learning. In this study elementary teachers in one school district were surveyed by means of a questionnaire to ascertain their perspectives on value and implementation of formative assessment. Four teachers were selected for intensive observations of science lessons utilizing what each perceived to be formative assessment strategies. This study used a mixed methods approach to analyze data from three sources: a questionnaire, classroom observations and teacher interviews. Factor analysis and confirmatory structural equation modeling were used to determine the validity of the questionnaire about teacher\u27s beliefs and use of formative assessment strategies; SEM also provided underlying structural relationships of formative assessment strategies. Teachers\u27 value of formative assessment strategies strongly correlated with their reported use of same strategies. Regression analysis determined no significant correlation between years of experience and use of formative assessment. Interview analysis of case studies indicated that those who had a more student-focused or constructivist approach to science teaching, were more likely to effectively use a wider variety of formative assessment strategies in their instruction; conversely, teacher-focused instructors used fewer formative assessment strategies and did not exemplify those characteristics a constructivist philosophy. A Teacher Profile has been proposed which categorizes teaching behaviors that are more consistent with who embodies the knowledge, beliefs and dispositions about effective formative assessment. This profile has suggested uses for university teacher educators, education administrators, professional development trainers, and professional learning communities

Characteristics of Feedback that Influence Student Confidence and Performance during Mathematical Modeling

This study focuses on characteristics of written feedback that influence students’ performance and confidence in addressing the mathematical complexity embedded in a Model-Eliciting Activity (MEA). MEAs are authentic mathematical modeling problems that facilitate students’ iterative development of solutions in a realistic context. We analyzed 132 first-year engineering students’ confidence levels and mathematical model scores on aMEA(pre and post feedback), along with teaching assistant feedback given to the students. The findings show several examples of affective and cognitive feedback that students reported that they used to revise their models. Students’ performance and confidence in developing mathematical models can be increased when they are in an environment where they iteratively develop models based on effective feedback

Logistics of Mathematical Modeling-Focused Projects

This article addresses the logistics of implementing projects in an undergraduate mathematics class and is intended both for new instructors and for instructors who have had negative experiences implementing projects in the past. Project implementation is given for both lower and upper division mathematics courses with an emphasis on mathematical modeling and data collection. Projects provide tangible connections to course content which can motivate students to learn at a deeper level. Logistical pitfalls and insights are highlighted as well as descriptions of several key implementation resources. Effective assessment tools, which allowed me to smoothly adjust to student feedback, are demonstrated for a sample class. As I smoothed the transition into each project and guided students through the use of the technology, their negative feedback on projects decreased and more students noted how the projects had enhanced their understanding of the course topics. Best practices learned over the years are given along with project summaries and sample topics. These projects were implemented at a small liberal arts university, but advice is given to extend them to larger classes for broader use.Comment: 27 pages, no figures, 1 tabl