Assessment of learning and teaching in higher education : a case analysis of a university in the south of Europe

The focus of assessment in higher education has been moving from assessment ‘of’ to assessment ‘for’ learning and teaching. This shift suggests that formative assessment with feedback can be more beneficial to learning and teaching than traditional summative assessment. In view of the tension that arises between the move towards formative assessment and the role of summative assessment, this study examines how the University under study seeks to balance these two aspects of assessment. The study made use of interviews, questionnaires and documents to collect data. The participants are lecturers and students at the Faculty of Education. Five lecturers and 5 students were interviewed individually, while 15 lecturers and 29 students completed online questionnaires. The documents were obtained from the University’s website. The findings reveal that the university in question recognises the importance of formative assessment, and has established policies and guidelines on the implementation of assessment of learning and teaching. Findings indicate that there is an imbalance between formative and summative assessment of learning and teaching, favouring the latter against the former. Although policy-makers, lecturers and students are aware of the importance of formative assessment, the traditional summative assessment is still the dominant assessment mode. Such a situation has caused challenges to the assessment policies, created struggles for lecturers and resulted in students’ dissatisfaction with the learning process.peer-reviewe

An Investigation of Factors Affecting Financial Performance of Taiwanese International Tourist Hotels

This study adopts moving average regression and panel data regression to explore the factors affecting the financial performance of international tourist hotels in Taiwan. First, we use the unit root test to examine the data in moving average regression and in panel data regression and then use the Hausman test to examine whether the fixed-effects or random-effects model is suitable for panel data regression. Second, we employ the Lagrangian multiplier (LM) test to confirm that panel data regression is better. The findings show that domestic visitors, occupancy rate, operation year, and joining a chain system are the four key factors affecting financial performance

Sustained Content Language Teaching: Insights from an ESL and EFL course

Instructional settings (English as a second language (ESL) and English as a foreign language (EFL)) may provide different opportunities for learners’ meaningful language use. This qualitative study was designed to shed light on this issue. The data included multiple sources collected from a sustained content gastronomy language course taught in an American ESL and a Taiwanese EFL context. Findings revealed that various factors (e.g., themes, environment, and learners) contributed to learners from both contexts meeting course goals. The findings further indicate that it is not the ESL/EFL context but instead using a sustained content language teaching approach that incorporates theme-based instruction and dynamic units that ensures learners are provided opportunities for meaningful and purposeful language use

Order Quantity for Fuzzy Order and Total Demand Quantity in Inventory Models with Backorder

Abstract In this paper we consider the inventory problem with backorder such that both order and total demand quantities are triangular fuzzy numbersQ = (q 1 , q 0 , q 2 ), andR = (r 1 , r 0 , r 2 ) respectively, where Let s denote the maximum inventory quantity. Under conditions s ≤ q 1 < q 0 < q 2 < r 1 < r 0 < r 2 , we find the membership function µ G(Q,R) (z) of the total fuzzy cost function G(Q,R) and their centroid, then obtain the order quantity q * in the fuzzy sense and the estimate of the total demand quantity r *

An Integrated Approach to Initiate Preventive Strategies for Workers Exposed to Teflon Pyrolytic Gases in a Plastic Industry

Abstract: An Integrated Approach to Initiate Preventive Strategies for Workers Exposed to Teflon Pyrolytic Gases in a Plastic Industry: PerngJy TSAI, et al. Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Medical College, National Cheng Kung University-This study illustrates an integrated approach for industries to find possible hazardous factors, to identify the causes of an accident, and eventually to start preventive measures after a fatal accident occurred in a Teflon heating process. A team consisting of experts from several disciplinary areas was formed for the purpose. Through literature review and the examination of clinical reports, possible hazardous factors were proposed, and then examined and confirmed through a field study. The technique of fault tree analysis (FTA) was adopted to investigate the causes of the accident logistically. Investigation of the causes of the accident was not limited to those which were directly relevant to it, but all potential causes were included. A preventive strategy was proposed with prioritized measures which were determined based on their importance from the practical standpoint. This study demonstrates the benefits of integrating expertise from a number of disciplines for accident investigation, especially for those accidents in which the scenario cannot be reconstructed. (J Occup Health 2000; 42: 297-303

DEFLAZACORT VERSUS PREDNISONE/PREDNISOLONE FOR MAINTAINING MOTOR FUNCTION AND DELAYING LOSS OF AMBULATION: A POST HOC ANALYSIS FROM THE ACT DMD TRIAL

Introduction: ACT DMD was a 48-week trial of ataluren for nonsense mutation Duchenne muscular dystrophy (nmDMD). Patients received corticosteroids for ≥6 months at entry and stable regimens throughout study. This post hoc analysis compares efficacy and safety for deflazacort and prednisone/prednisolone in the placebo arm. Methods: Patients received deflazacort (n = 53) or prednisone/prednisolone (n = 61). Endpoints included change from baseline in 6-minutewalk distance (6MWD), timed function tests, estimated age at loss of ambulation (extrapolated from 6MWD). Results: Mean changes in 6MWD were -39.0 m (deflazacort; 95%confidence limit [CL], -68.85, -9.17) and -70.6 m (prednisone/prednisolone; 95% CL, -97.16, -44.02).Mean changes in 4-stair climb were 3.79 s (deflazacort; 95% CL, 1.54, 6.03) and 6.67 s (prednisone/prednisolone; 95% CL, 4.69, 8.64). Conclusions: This analysis, limited by its post hoc nature, suggests greater preservation of 6MWD and 4-stair climb with deflazacort vs. prednisone/prednisolone. A head-to-head comparisonwill better define these differences

Modulation of Ca2+ Signals by Epigallocatechin-3-gallate(EGCG) in Cultured Rat Hippocampal Neurons

Green tea has been receiving considerable attention as a possible neuroprotective agent against neurodegenerative disease. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is the major compound of green tea. Calcium signaling has profound effects on almost all aspects of neuronal function. Using digital calcium imaging and patch-clamp technique, we determined the effects of EGCG on Ca2+ signals in hippocampal neurons. The results indicated that EGCG caused a dose-dependent increase in intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i). This [Ca2+]i increase was blocked by depleting intracellular Ca2+ stores with the endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pump inhibitor thapsigargin and cyclopiazonic acid. Furthermore, EGCG-stimulated increase in [Ca2+]i was abolished following treatment with a PLC inhibitor. However, EGCG inhibited high-voltage activated Ca2+ currents (IHVA) and NMDA-induced inward currents (INMDA). These data suggest that EGCG triggers a cascade of events: it activates phospholipase C (PLC), mobilizes intracellular Ca2+ stores, raises the cytosolic Ca2+ levels, and inhibits the VGCC and NMDA receptors-mediated Ca2+ influx through a process that remains to be determined

Gene expression profiling of Ewing sarcoma tumours reveals the prognostic importance of tumour–stromal interactions: a report from the Children's Oncology Group

Relapse of Ewing sarcoma (ES) can occur months or years after initial remission, and salvage therapy for relapsed disease is usually ineffective. Thus, there is great need to develop biomarkers that can predict which patients are at risk for relapse so that therapy and post‐therapy evaluation can be adjusted accordingly. For this study, we performed whole genome expression profiling on two independent cohorts of clinically annotated ES tumours in an effort to identify and validate prognostic gene signatures. ES specimens were obtained from the Children's Oncology Group and whole genome expression profiling performed using Affymetrix Human Exon 1.0 ST arrays. Lists of differentially expressed genes between survivors and non‐survivors were used to identify prognostic gene signatures. An independent cohort of tumours from the Euro‐Ewing cooperative group was similarly analysed as a validation cohort. Unsupervised clustering of gene expression data failed to segregate tumours based on outcome. Supervised analysis of survivors versus non‐survivors revealed a small number of differentially expressed genes and several statistically significant gene signatures. Gene‐specific enrichment analysis demonstrated that integrin and chemokine genes were associated with survival in tumours where stromal contamination was present. Tumours that did not harbour stromal contamination showed no association of any genes or pathways with clinical outcome. Our results reflect the challenges of performing RNA‐based assays on archived bone tumour specimens. In addition, they reveal a key role for tumour stroma in determining ES prognosis. Future biological and clinical investigations should focus on elucidating the contribution of tumour:micro‐environment interactions on ES progression and response to therapy.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/111186/1/cjp29.pd

Induction of Inflammation by West Nile virus Capsid through the Caspase-9 Apoptotic Pathway

West Nile virus (WNV) is a member of the Flaviviridae family of vector-borne pathogens. Clinical signs of WNV infection include neurologic symptoms, limb weakness, and encephalitis, which can result in paralysis or death. We report that the WNV-capsid (Cp) by itself induces rapid nuclear condensation and cell death in tissue culture. Apoptosis is induced through the mitochondrial pathway resulting in caspase-9 activation and downstream caspase-3 activation. Capsid gene delivery into the striatum of mouse brain or interskeletal muscle resulted in cell death and inflammation, likely through capsid-induced apoptosis in vivo. These studies demonstrate that the capsid protein of WNV may be responsible for aspects of viral pathogenesis through induction of the apoptotic cascade