The effect of practical experience on perceptions of assessment authenticity, study approach and learning outcome

Does authentic assessment or the perception of it affect how students study and learn? Does practical experience affect how assessment authenticity is perceived? And does practical experience influence how an authentic assessment affects student learning? Mixed methods design yielded insight into the answers to these questions. This article presents the results of a study on the relationships between authenticity perceptions of different cohorts of students, who differed in the amount of practical experience, their study approach and their perceived degree of professional skill development. The results showed some salient differences in how freshman- and senior-student groups perceive the same authentic assessment and how this assessment influences their learning. These results suggest possible guidelines for developing and using authentic assessments during a curriculum in which learning and working are intertwined. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

The ‘Self-Regulated Learning Opportunities Questionnaire': a diagnostic instrument for teacher educators' professional development

Many recent studies have stressed the importance of students’ self-regulated learning (SRL) skills for successful learning. Although primary teacher educators are aware of the importance of SRL for their students, they often find it difficult to implement SRL opportunities in their teaching. To support teacher professional development, an SRL model was described in a previous theoretical study. In the present article, this SRL model is elaborated towards the ‘SRL Opportunities Questionnaire’ (SRLOQ) that can be applied by primary teacher educators as a diagnostic instrument for classroom settings. A four-phase research design is applied consisting of scale development, score validation, further validation of the SRLOQ in primary teacher education, and a confirmatory factor analysis. Finally, a single case study is described that illustrates the usefulness of the SRLOQ in classroom practice

Authentic assessment, student and teacher perceptions: the practical value of the five-dimensional framework

This study focused on determining the facets of assessment authenticity by exploring the perceptions of both students and teachers of vocational education and training. It elaborates on a theoretical five¿dimensional framework (5DF) that differentiates between five dimensions and several sub¿elements of authenticity. This framework led to the development of a questionnaire for examining if the facets of the 5DF are recognised by students and teachers in practice. Reliability and factor analysis as well as readability scores were used. Teachers recognised both the dimensions and the sub¿elements as facets that determine assessment authenticity. In the eyes of the students, four of the five dimensions (task, physical context, form and result/criteria) determine authenticity, while students do not perceive the social context as a characteristic of assessment authenticity, nor do they differentiate the several sub¿elements. Implications for using the 5DF to develop or evaluate authentic assessments are discusse

Relations between student perceptions of assessment authenticity, study approaches and learning outcome

This article examines the relationships between perceptions of authenticity and alignment on study approach and learning outcome. Senior students of a vocational training program performed an authentic assessment and filled in a questionnaire about the authenticity of various assessment characteristics and the alignment between the assessment and the instruction. Deep or surface study activities and the development of transferable generic skills were measured with a questionnaire as well. Correlational analysis and structural equation modeling were used to examine the hypothesis that more perception of authenticity and alignment resulted in more deep learning and development of generic skills. Results showed that when the task, physical context and assessment form are more authentic and when there is more alignment there is also evidence of more deep learning and/or an increase in generic skill development. Authenticity perceptions did not affect surface learning. Contrary to expectations, more authentic assessment criteria resulted in a decrease in deep learning and generic skill development. The explanation might be that authentic, but too concrete criteria, focusing on specific actions, hamper motivation and learning at least for more experienced student

Authenticity is in the Eye of the Beholder: Student and Teacher Perceptions of Assessment Authenticity

In vocational education and training (VET) in the Netherlands, learning and working are integrated from the start. Authentic assessments are used during competence-based VET curricula to achieve correspondence between learning and working. The premise behind this study is that authenticity is subjective and that perceptions of assessment authenticity influence student learning for the assessments. It examines whether students and teachers differ in their perceptions of the authenticity of various assessment characteristics. Subsequently this study investigates whether freshman and senior students, who differ in their amount of practical experience, differ in their perceptions of assessment authenticity. The main findings were that teachers rated most assessment characteristics as more authentic than students did, while freshman and senior students did not differ in their perception of authenticity. Implications deal with communicating about and developing authentic assessment in the eyes of both students and teachers to stimulate students' professional skills development during a VET curriculu

E-learning implementeren: Ervaringen van de Open Universiteit Nederland

Dit hoofdstuk bespreekt enkele relevante implementatievragen bij de invoering van e-learning en gebruikt daarbij de Open Universiteit Nederland als illustratief voorbeeld. Aan de hand van een drietal vragen die bij innovaties een rol spelen wordt nagegaan welke lessen uit de ervaringen met de invoering van e-learning getrokken kunnen worden. De vragen betreffen de visie op innovatie, de veranderstrategie en de factor ‘mens’: 1) Welke rol speelt een geïntegreerde benadering van e-learning in de missie en de strategische doelen van de instelling? 2) Welke strategie moet worden gevolgd om een geïntegreerde benadering van e-learning te laten doorwerken in de hele organisatie? 3) Hoe moet worden omgegaan met de ‘menselijke factor’, dat wil zeggen met de personen die de innovatie moeten belichamen, accepteren, uitwerken en uitvoeren