Implementation of computer assisted assessment: lessons from the literature

This paper draws attention to literature surrounding the subject of computer-assisted assessment (CAA). A brief overview of traditional methods of assessment is presented, highlighting areas of concern in existing techniques. CAA is then defined, and instances of its introduction in various educational spheres are identified, with the main focus of the paper concerning the implementation of CAA. Through referenced articles, evidence is offered to inform practitioners, and direct further research into CAA from a technological and pedagogical perspective. This includes issues relating to interoperability of questions, security, test construction and testing higher cognitive skills. The paper concludes by suggesting that an institutional strategy for CAA coupled with staff development in test construction for a CAA environment can increase the chances of successful implementation

Communities of Practice: A Heuristic for Workplace Reflection in Higher Education

This article aims to trigger discussion of the utility of Lave and Wenger’s (1991) concepts of Legitimate Peripheral Participation (LPP) and Communities of Practice (CoP) (Wenger, 1998) as heuristics for workbased reflection by higher education students. It considers the key role identity plays within a social theory of learning utilising Wenger’s (2000) re-conceptualisation of Communities of Practice. More specifically the paper draws upon Wenger’s (2000) conceptualisation of modes of belonging; engagement; alignment; and imagination; within communities of practice. The paper explores the application of these concepts and how students might use them heuristically to develop deeper analytical reflections of work based learning in higher education. It is further suggested that these reflections of workplace learning are aligned to Personal Development Planning and future employment. In reconceptualising informal work based learning and reflection through a lens of Communities of Practice students may be able to manage their learning experiences and emerging professional identities more effectively

Is Yorkshire and the Humber Suffering from Widening Health Inequalities?

The government has made tackling health inequalities one of its top priorities. This article investigates spatial variations in mortality in the region and demonstrates that whilst life expectancy is rising, mortality disparities are widening

Placing your article in appropriate scholarly publications

This interactive workshop in (mainly) English and some Spanish will enable participants to: (1) review a range of international anglophone journals which publish articles on formative assessment, with the aim of selecting those which have 'best fit' with the topic, the authors and the contexts for writing; (2) discuss the factors that make articles attractive to editors and readers of journals; (3) rehearse the approaches that maximise the chances of successful publications; y (4) prepare a personal plan of action for publication

Interannual Variability of Landfast Ice Thickness in the Canadian High Arctic, 1950-89

A physical one-dimensional heat transfer model of fast ice growth was used to investigate the interannual variability of maximum fast ice thickness at four sites in the High Arctic over the period 1950-89. The insulating role of snow cover was found to be the most important factor, explaining 30-60% of the variance in maximum ice thickness values. Other snow-related processes such as slushing and density variations were estimated to explain a further 15-30% of the variance. In contrast, annual variation in air temperatures explained less than 4% of the variance in maximum ice thickness. No evidence was found for the systematic ice thinning trend anticipated from greenhouse gas-induced global warming. However, recent ice thinning and thickening trends at two sites (Alert and Resolute) are consistent with changes in the average depth of snow covering the ice and may be explained by changes in cyclone frequencies. A response surface sensitivity analysis following Fowler and de Freitas (1900) indicated the High Arctic landfast ice regime would be more sensitive to air temperature variations under a warmer, snowier environment.Key words: landfast ice, snow, interannual variability, climate change, Canadian High ArcticRÉSUMÉ. On s’est servi d’un modèle physique de transfert unidimensionnel de chaleur de la croissance de la banquise côtière pour étudier la variabilité interannuelle de l’épaisseur maximale de la banquise côtière à quatre stations de l’Arctique septentrional au cours de la période allant de 1950 à 1989. Le rôle d’isolant de la couche de neige s’est révélé le facteur le plus important, répondant pour 30 à 60 p. 100 de l’écart observé dans les épaisseurs maximales de glace. On estime qu’une autre partie (15 à 30 p. 100) de l’écart découle d’autres processus liés à la neige, comme la variation de la densité et la gadoue. En revanche, la variation annuelle des températures de l’air est intervenue pour moins de 4 p. 100 de l’écart observé dans les épaisseurs maximales de la glace. On n’a relevé aucune tendance à l’amincissement systématique de la glace, tendance prévue du fait du réchauffement du globe provoqué par les gaz à effet de serre. Toutefois, les récentes tendances à l’amincissement et à l’épaississement enregistrées à deux stations (Alert et Resolute) sont compatibles avec la hauteur moyenne de la neige qui recouvre la glace. Ce fait tient peut-être à la modification de la fréquence des cyclones. D’après une analyse de la réaction de surface exécutée suivant la méthode de Fowler et de Freitas (1990), le régime de la glace côtière de l’Arctique septentrional est plus sensible à la variation de la température de l'air dans un milieu plus neigeux et plus chaud.Mots clés: banquise côtière, neige, variabilité interannuelle, changement climatique, Arctique septentrional canadie

La valutazione come locus per il coinvolgimento: priorità e aspetti pratici

This paper considers how assessment can productively act as a locus for engagement. It focuses on the important case being made by diverse global assessment experts who argue that we would do well to rethink assessment such that learning, rather than quality assurance and measurement, becomes the main priority of assessment design in higher education settings. New discourses of assessment have emerged internationally to capture this important conceptual shift. These are briefly indicated and linked to key design features and indicative practices whereby assessment and feedback environments can be enhanced to promote and foster learner engagement. The paper highlights the importance of incorporating assessment for learning (AfL) approaches which are authentic to the ways of thinking and practising of the subject- community within a given field of study. It proposes that advancing the assessment and feedbackliteracy and capabilities of assessees through authentic assessment and dialogic approaches are vital, but these need to be embedded in the disciplinary content and inherently viewed as pedagogic practices, rather than piecemeal approaches or bolt-on additions to the extant curriculum. It puts forward suggestions for effective implementation, but concludes that the development of staff assessment literacy, underpinned by academics’ familiarity with new assessment discourses, is a fundamental prerequisite for effective AfL environments. This is highlighted as one of the key contextual challenges that must be acknowledged and addressed if AfL is to be scaled up meaningfully as a locus of learner engagement.Questo articolo considera in che modo la valutazione possa agire in modo produttivo come locus di coinvolgimento. Esso si focalizza sull’importante posizione presa da diversi esperti di valutazione a livello globale, che sostiene che la necessità di ripensare la valutazione come apprendimento, piuttosto che come assicurazione e misurazione della qualità, sia oggi la prioritàprincipale nel progettare processi di valutazione nei contesti dell’istruzione superiore. Nuovi “discorsi” sulla valutazione sono emersi a livello internazionale per argomentare questo importante cambiamento concettuale. Essi sono qui proposti brevemente, unitamente a modalità progettuali e indicazioni pratiche per migliorare gli ambienti di valutazione e di feedback al fine di promuovere e favorire il coinvolgimento degli studenti. L’articolo sottolinea l’importanza di integrare approcci di valutazione per l’apprendimento (AfL), autentici, nelle modalità di pensare e praticare delle comunità disciplinari dei diversi campi di studio. Esso sostiene che sia vitale promuovere la literacy valutativa e di elaborazione di feedback e accrescere le capacità dei valutati attraverso l‘utilizzo della valutazione autentica e di approcci dialogici, tuttavia essi devono essere incorporati nel contenuto disciplinare e interpretati intrinsecamente come pratiche pedagogiche, piuttosto che come approcci frammentari o aggiunte esterne alla programmazione esistente. L’articolo offre suggerimenti per l’effettiva attuazione di tali pratiche, ma sottolinea anche che lo sviluppo della literacy valutativa dei docenti universitari, sostenuta da una conoscenza dei nuovi “discorsi” in tema di valutazione, sia un prerequisito fondamentale per costruire ambienti AFL efficaci. Questa è presentata come una delle sfide chiave da riconoscere e affrontare se si vuole proporre AfL come locus significativo di coinvolgimento degli studenti

Reporting back environmental exposure data and free choice learning.

Reporting data back to study participants is increasingly being integrated into exposure and biomonitoring studies. Informal science learning opportunities are valuable in environmental health literacy efforts and report back efforts are filling an important gap in these efforts. Using the University of Arizona's Metals Exposure Study in Homes, this commentary reflects on how community-engaged exposure assessment studies, partnered with data report back efforts are providing a new informal education setting and stimulating free-choice learning. Participants are capitalizing on participating in research and leveraging their research experience to meet personal and community environmental health literacy goals. Observations from report back activities conducted in a mining community support the idea that reporting back biomonitoring data reinforces free-choice learning and this activity can lead to improvements in environmental health literacy. By linking the field of informal science education to the environmental health literacy concepts, this commentary demonstrates how reporting data back to participants is tapping into what an individual is intrinsically motivated to learn and how these efforts are successfully responding to community-identified education and research needs

Burgerville: Sustainability and Sourcing in a QSR Supply Chain

Jack Graves is considering buying chicken. More precisely, Jack is considering where to buy chicken. He needs to make a recommendation to the purchasing team soon, and the decision is complicated. Jack is a long-time employee of the Burgerville restaurant chain, a quick-serve restaurant chain in the Northwest USA. Burgerville prides itself in being true to its long-held values while maintaining profitability and growth. Graves’ primary job at Burgerville is to assure that the company’s values are embedded in all its actions, including its relationships to its supply chain. His current concern is the dilemma of which values to promote. Burgerville sells chicken, lots of chicken. So the purchase of chicken has significant impacts on the social and environmental impacts of Burgerville’s supply chain. Should Burgerville buy local, with the inherent social and environmental benefits, while paying attention to concerns about labor issues, animal treatment, and non-organic stewardship? Or should it find a supplier with some assurance that these potential problems are eliminated, regardless of location? Jack knows that Burgerville needs to address this issue soon, as the supply of chicken that is produced to Burgerville’s high standards is small and there are sure to be competitors seeking the same products. He will have to weigh the company’s values and make a recommendation soon. As the Chief Cultural Officer of The Holland Inc., Burgerville’s parent company, Jack Graves is constantly aware of the need to align the Burgerville culture and identity throughout all units of the business, including vendor partners. The chain’s slogan: Fresh. Local. Sustainable. proclaims its commitment to offering foods differently than other quick serve chains, with specific attention to where food is being sourced. Burgerville aims to deliver on this promise as often as possible, and has had success in the past. Over the past decade, Burgerville has made a concerted effort to ensure its purchasing supports it values. As of 2009, over 70% of Burgerville’s total spending on food products was from local suppliers, up from less than 60% in 2008. With chicken, though, Graves was faced with some difficult questions and hard choices: can Burgerville find a local supplier who can provide a sufficient quantity and quality of breaded and plain chicken breasts and chicken strips at a cost comparable to the existing national brand supplier? Is buying local the most important decision to make for Burgerville and its image? Is the issue more than simply reducing the distance the food travels from origin to the customer? Are Burgerville customers willing to pay a premium for locally sourced chicken? It makes sense to purchase from local farmers who may then become loyal customers, but what if distant farms operate more sustainably than the local farms? Is there a sustainable chicken farm that could handle Burgerville’s demand? These questions weigh on Graves’s mind as he struggles to balance the chain’s profitability with the company’s values