The promise of simulation-based science assessment: the Calipers project

Abstract: The Calipers project developed and studied a new generation of simulation-based assessment systems. The project aimed to demonstrate the potential of technology-and simulation-based assessments to provide high-quality evidence of complex performances for science tests that address accountability or formative goals. End-of-unit, benchmark assessments for the topics of ecosystems and for forces and motion were developed to test national science standards at the middle school and secondary levels. Technical quality evidence documented the alignment of the assessments with national science standards, expert reviews of content and item quality, cognitive analyses of students thinking-aloud, and analyses of teacher and student data gathered from classroom pilot testing. The project broke new ground in harnessing the affordances of technology to transform what, how, when and where science learning is assessed and to gather evidence of students' connected science knowledge and extended inquiry not well measured by traditional paper-based tests

Exploratory Analysis in Learning Analytics

This article summarizes the methods, observations, challenges and implications for exploratory analysis drawn from two learning analytics research projects. The cases include an analysis of a games-based virtual performance assessment and an analysis of data from 52,000 students over a 5-year period at a large Australian university. The complex datasets were analyzed and iteratively modeled with a variety of computationally intensive methods to provide the most effective outcomes for learning assessment, performance management and learner tracking. The article presents the research contexts, the tools and methods used in the exploratory phases of analysis, the major findings and the implications for learning analytics research methods

Durchfuehrung von Depositionsmessungen nach historischen Methoden und Vergleich der heutigen Werte mit denen der fuenfziger Jahre aus dem Egner-Rossby-Messnetz Luft- und Regenwasser-Untersuchungen. Abschlussbericht

Depositions were measured applying historical methods for comparison of the values obtained (rain water quantities, pH values, conductivity, rain water and air components) with values compiled in the fifties. Volume one describes the sampling locations, the sampling equipment and analytical methods, and discusses the analytical results. (orig.)Es wurden Depositionsmessungen mit historischen Methoden durchgefuehrt, um die erzielten Messwerte (Regenmenge, pH-Werte, Leitfaehigkeit, Inhaltsstoffe Regen und Luft) mit denen der fuenfziger Jahre vergleichen zu koennen. Im Band 1 werden die Probenahmeorte, Probenahmeapparatur, sowie Analysenmethoden beschrieben und die Untersuchungsergebnisse diskutiert. (orig.)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: RN 8908(93-040,1) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekBundesministerium fuer Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit, Bonn (Germany)DEGerman

Nanostructured Boron Doped Diamond Electrodes with Increased Reactivity for Solar Driven CO2 Reduction in Room Temperature Ionic Liquids

Conductive, boron doped diamond BDD is an extraordinary material with many applications in electrochemistry due to its wide potential window, outstanding robustness, low capacitance and resistance to fouling. However, in photoelectrochemistry, BDD usually requires UV light for excitation, which impedes e. amp; 8201;g., usage in CO2 to fuel reduction. In this work, a heavily boron doped, nanostructured diamond electrode with enhanced light absorption has been developed. It is manufactured from BDD by reactive ion etching and presents a coral amp; 8208;like structure with pore diameters in the nanometer range, ensuring a huge surface area. The strong light absorbance of this material is clearly visible from its black color. Consequently, the material is called Diamond Black DB . Electrochemical and X amp; 8208;ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements performed at near amp; 8208;ambient pressure conditions of water vapor demonstrate increased surface reactivity for the hydrogen amp; 8208;terminated DB compared to oxidized surfaces. Depending on the surface termination, the wettability and hence the electrochemically accessible area can be changed. Photoelectrochemical conversion of CO2 was demonstrated using a Cu2O amp; 8208;modified electrode in ionic liquids under solar illumination. High formic acid production rates at low catalyst deposition times can be obtained paired with an increased catalyst stability on the DB surfac