State of the art review : language testing and assessment (part two).

In Part 1 of this two-part review article (Alderson & Banerjee, 2001), we first addressed issues of washback, ethics, politics and standards. After a discussion of trends in testing on a national level and in testing for specific purposes, we surveyed developments in computer-based testing and then finally examined self-assessment, alternative assessment and the assessment of young learners. In this second part, we begin by discussing recent theories of construct validity and the theories of language use that help define the constructs that we wish to measure through language tests. The main sections of the second part concentrate on summarising recent research into the constructs themselves, in turn addressing reading, listening, grammatical and lexical abilities, speaking and writing. Finally we discuss a number of outstanding issues in the field

Fear of devaluation : understanding the experience of intersexed women with androgen insensitivity syndrome

Objectives: We aim to provide an understanding of the psychological sequela of Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS) in phenotypic females in order to begin to inform psychosocial health care services. Design: Eight adult women with AIS were recruited through United Kingdom-Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome Support Group (UK-AISSG). Data was collected via two semi-structured interviews with each woman. Methods: Transcripts were analysed using grounded theory and a conceptual model was developed which suggests a way of understanding the AIS DISTRESS experienced by our participants. Results: The pivotal concept is a woman’s FEAR OF DEVALUATION. This is connected to her level of ADAPTATION and perception of having a COMPROMISED WOMANHOOD. These, in turn, are related to her MEDICAL MANAGEMENT and involvement with others (SUPPORT GROUP and TALKING ABOUT AIS). Conclusions: Participants showed a clear preference for open communication about their condition and we recommend sensitive, pacing of information in order to allow young women and their family to make informed decisions about treatment and a realistic adaptation to life with AIS

Asteroid Belt Meteoroid Hazard Study

Mathematical models for probability of successful traverse of asteroid belt or zero penetration of spacecraft shiel

Piezomorphic materials

The development of stress-induced morphing materials which are described as piezomorphic materials is reported. The development of a piezomorphic material is achieved by introducing spatial dependency into the compliance matrix describing the elastic response of a material capable of undergoing large strain deformation. In other words, it is necessary to produce an elastically gradient material. This is achieved through modification of the microstructure of the compliant material to display gradient topology. Examples of polymeric (polyurethane) foam and microporous polymer (expanded polytetrafluoroethylene) piezomorphic materials are presented here. These materials open up new morphing applications where dramatic shape changes can be triggered by mechanical stress

INVESTIGATING RACIAL BIAS IN PERCEPTIONS OF FREE WILL

The overarching goal of this study was to examine whether perceptions of others’ free will would differ depending on perceiver race as well as target race. The current study proposed that such a racial bias may be one mechanism by which racial disparities in medical treatment recommendations arise. By bridging findings from four different lines of research (i.e., the literatures on racial health and medical treatment disparities, racial bias, free will beliefs, and social identity), it was hypothesized that: (1) participants would perceive greater amounts of free will for a hypothetical racial ingroup patient than an outgroup patient; (2) such effect would be moderated by participant racial identity and/or racial bias, such that greater racial identity and/or ingroup racial bias would result in greater differences in racial ingroup vs. racial outgroup members’ free will; and (3) greater perception of the patient free will would indirectly affect treatment recommendation for the patient through increased perceived patient self-control. In order to test these hypotheses, the study used a 2 (Participant race: Black vs. White) x 2 (Target race: Black vs. White) x Continuous (Racial Identity/Racial Attitudes) between-subjects design, in which target race was manipulated experimentally. The results indicated that Black participants’ perceptions of patient free will was moderated by both racial identity and racial bias. Specifically, those who weakly identified with their racial group perceived a greater amount of free will in the White target patient than the Black target patient. Also, Black participants who displayed pro-White racial bias, a greater amount of free in the White target patient than the Black target patient. These moderating effects of racial identity/racial bias were not found for the White participants. Also, patient free will had an indirect effect on treatment recommendation by way of perceived patient self-control, such that perceived free positively predicted the more rigorous of two treatments. Limitations of the current research include the undergraduate college student sample, the use of a general measure of racial identity, and the use of the old IAT algorithm. Future work should examine empirically whether findings from the present study can be generalized to provider samples

The effect on the doze test of changes in deletion frequency

Although the pseudo-random cloze procedure has been in use for some twenty-five years as a measure of readability and reading comprehension, little research has been carried out into the effect of deleting words from text more or less frequently. This paper reports on an experiment in which the deletion frequency variable was systematically studied. Every 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th word was removed from three texts of differing difficulty, and the effect studied. Significant differences among cloze tests resulted, but the differences were unpredictable. Deleting every 12th word did not necessarily result in an easier test than deleting every 6th 8th or 10th word. However, when only items identical to both cloze tests under consideration were compared, no significant differences were found. It appears that cloze items are, on the whole, unaffected by context greater than five words. Testers are warned that changing deletion frequency may result in a different measure of readability or comprehension.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/71392/1/j.1467-9817.1979.tb00198.x.pd

Investigating the Potential Causal Relationship Between Free Will Belief and Well-Being

This multi-study dissertation had four primary aims. My first was to add to the evidence base indicating a positive association between free will belief (FWB) and subjective well-being (SWB). My second aim was to develop a measure to assess the FWB theme referred to as the principle of alternate possibilities (PAP). To achieve the first two aims, I conducted two cross-sectional studies to further establish the FWB-SWB association and start the development and assessment of a new PAP FWB measure. In the first study (N=995), I hypothesized that an EFA of the new PAP items would produce at least a single factor structure and that FWB would be a positive predictor of SWB. Study 1 was successful, the EFA extracted a single PAP factor with 10 items and FWB was shown to positively predict SWB. The second study (N=760) was an exact replication of the first. Study 2 was also successful, replicating the single factor structure for the preliminary 10-item PAP measure as well as the positive association between FWB and SWB. Study 3 was a short-term longitudinal study providing further psychometric assessments of PAPS-10. Study 3 found that the PAPS-10 was temporally stable and distinct for a host of related constructs. The third aim of my project was to provide a theoretical framework for understanding the FWB and SWB relationship. To achieve this, I developed the purpose-imbuing model of FWB. The model posits that the primary function of FWB is to imbue people’s lives with meaning, and by so doing establish adaptive well-being. Finally, and most importantly, the fourth aim of my project was to experimentally test the propose-imbuing model of FWB and determine if the FWB and SWB relationships were causal. For Study 4, I used a 3 (anti-FWB vs. pro-FWB vs. control) X Continuous (meaning in life) between-groups experimental design to manipulate FWB and assess its downstream effects on meaning in life and both eudainomic and hedonic well-being. I hypothesized that a pro-FWB manipulation would result in more adaptive 9 eudainomic and hedonic well-being (compared to a control) due to the manipulation bolstering perceived meaning in life (compared to a control). I also hypothesized that an anti-FWB manipulation would result in less adaptive eudainomic and hedonic well-being (compared to a control) due to the manipulation diminishing perceived meaning in life (compared to a control). All primary hypotheses of Study 4 were confirmed. The results and their implications are discussed in detail

KINETICS OF THE WINDMILL SOFTBALL PITCH FOR WOMEN

Three-dimensional (3D) high-speed cinematography and dynamometry were used to analyse the windmill pitching action of 10 high performance female pitchers. Mean ground reaction forces of 0.3BW (vertically) and 1.7 BW (horizontally) were recorded from the 'driving-leg'. A mean peak sagittal plane flexion torque of 45.7 Nm and a mean peak extensor torque of -134.9 Nm were recorded for the shoulder joint. These forces show that windmill pitching is a high force activity where specific physical preparation is required, particularly at the shoulder joint, to protect the body from injury

Reid on knowledge and justification in Physical Education

[FIRST PARAGRAPHS] To my knowledge, very little has been written on the educational justification of PE activities for the last decade. Since PE now does have a place on the National Curriculum, albeit arguably a minor one, the justification issue does seem to have been put on the back burner by the profession. In a recent and welcome addition to the literature, Reid revisits the debate, outlining two ‘conventional assumptions’ made by what he calls the ‘new orthodoxy’ in PE: 1. The ‘early Hirstian’ account3, which sees knowledge as propositional, and education as academic. When applied to PE, this suggests: 2. The distinction between practical performance and the ‘theory’ related to it - i.e. the propositional knowledge of Human Movement Science (HMS). The paper is a critique of these two assumptions, and a defence of the claim that PE ‘can indeed satisfy the knowledge requirements of education; but ... without making claims to academic significance’ (p95)