Using Learning Analytics to Assess Student Learning in Online Courses

Learning analytics can be used to enhance student engagement and performance in online courses. Using learning analytics, instructors can collect and analyze data about students and improve the design and delivery of instruction to make it more meaningful for them. In this paper, the authors review different categories of online assessments and identify data sets that can be collected and analyzed for each of them. Two different data analytics and visualization tools were used: Tableau for quantitative data and Many Eyes for qualitative data. This paper has implications for instructors, instructional designers, administrators, and educational researchers who use online assessments

Réflexions sur un classement international des établissements universitaires africains

L’article interroge les leçons à tirer du classement académique des universités africaines effectué par le site Ranking Web of World Universities. L’auteur présente dans un premier temps les places que les universités africaines occupent dans le classement continental des universités en 2010. L’analyse montre que les universités africaines sont très distancées par leurs consœurs occidentales. L’auteur s’attache ensuite à identifier les leçons qu’on peut tirer de ce classement et les défis que les universités africaines doivent relever pour améliorer leur classement. Il suggère d’autres manières de manager les universités africaines, qui doivent continuer à se moderniser pour devenir des universités de classe mondiale.This paper examines the conclusions to be drawn from an academic ranking of African universities carried out by the site Ranking Web of World Universities. The author begins by outlining the positions occupied by African universities in the 2010 continental ranking of universities – an analysis demonstrating that they lag way behind their Western counterparts. He then goes on to identify the lessons that can be learned from such ranking and the challenges facing African universities if they are to improve their positions. He suggests alternative approaches to managing African universities, which need to continue modernising if they are to become world-class institutions.El artículo examina las lecciones que nos brinda la clasificación académica de las universidades africanas efectuada por el sitio web Ranking Web of World Universities. En un principio el autor presenta las plazas ocupadas por las universidades africanas en la clasificación continental de las universidades en 2010. El análisis muestra que las universidades africanas están muy atrasadas con respecto a sus colegas occidentales. Luego, el autor intenta identificar las lecciones a sacar de esta clasificación y los retos que las universidades africanas tienen que aceptar para mejorar su clasificación. Sugiere otras maneras de dirigir las universidades africanas, que deben seguir modernizándose para convertirse en universidades de clase mundial

Structured Multi-Skill Assessment (SMSA) in pharmacy: A contextual adaptation for authentic assessment for colleges of pharmacy and beyond

There is a need for a contextual adaptation model of the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) procedures and assessment methods into diverse contexts with great cultural diversity that is both affordable and achievable. This manuscript aims to describe the principles, organizational structure and theoretical framework of the Structured Multi-Skill Assessment (SMSA), a modified version of the OSCE and a performance-based assessment method developed at the Qatar University College of Pharmacy (QU CPH) that addresses contextual and cultural considerations when used in undergraduate pharmacy curricula

L’éléphantiasis vulvo-clitoridien: à propos d’un nouveau cas

L'éléphantiasis vulvo-clitoridien d'origine filarienne est une affection très rare. Nous rapportons un nouveau cas chez une femme de 33 ans suivie dans un service de Maladies Infectieuses pour filariose lymphatique. Elle avait une masse vulvo-clitoridienne qui évoluait depuis plus de 10 ans. Une résection clitoridienne et une plastie vulvaire a été réalisée. Les résultats fonctionnels et esthétiques étaient satisfaisants.Key words: Eléphantiasis, filariose, vulvo-clitoridie

Experiential learning and productivity: Prior experience, reflective practice, deliberate practice and farmers\u27 productivity in Senegal

Professional development is usually pursued by providing adult professionals with opportunities to learn and update their knowledge and skills that will increase their productivity. Farmers representing 75% of the workforce in Senegal need to acquire and update farming skills through engagement in experiential learning. Productivity increase can be the result of engaging in an efficient experiential learning process. This study addressed the question of how can experiential learning activities increase farmers\u27 productivity in Senegal. As a first step this study explored the ways and extent to which prior experience, reflective practice and deliberate practice are related to framers\u27 productivity in Senegal, when conventional input variables (seed, labor and fertilizer) are added as moderating variables. ^ Kolb\u27s experiential learning model provided support for the theoretical rationale of this study. A sample of 158 Senegalese farmers, who grow peanut and millet crops, participated in the study. Data were collected through individual interviews. ^ Results indicated that experiential learning variables (prior experience, reflective practice and deliberate practice) contributed less than conventional input variables (seed, labor) to farmers\u27 productivity. Experiential learning variables are often negatively related to farmers\u27 productivity. ^ Other results also indicated that engagement in experiential learning always requires the involvement of similar others. Further effective experiential learning that leads to productivity increase is determined by personal characteristics such as ability to engage in active learning and self-beliefs in internal forces. ^ Active learning is pursued through trial and error (28.1%), and discussions with other farmers, (22.9%), which are the ways of learning cited by the more productive farmers. ^ Self-beliefs of internal forces also had a positive impact on high productivity for both peanut (d = .76) and millet (d = .56). Furthermore self-beliefs of internal forces also had a positive effect on reflective practice (d = 1.08) and deliberate practice (d = .51) ^ This study is of importance for Senegalese economy. In Senegal, farmers constitute 75% of the working population. In contrast to their important proportion, farming contributes only for 22% of the NGP. Findings of this study would provide directions to adult education specialists especially extensions agents for better practice.

Promoting Learning Outcomes Assessment in Higher Education : Factors of Success

This article presents results of a study on factors that contribute to successful learning outcomes assessment practices. This qualitative study uses the case study method to analyze factors of success in higher education programs. Interviews of faculty members reveal that factors such as communication, implementing assessment as a change initiative, and using a learning community approach are identified by study participants as the main facilitators of success

L'(in)satisfaction au travail des professeurs du second degré du Sénégal

Le présent article porte sur la satisfaction au travail des enseignants d'un pays de l'Afrique subsaharienne. Plus précisément, l'auteur étudie l'insatisfaction au travail des professeurs de l'enseignement moyen et secondaire du Sénégal (Afrique de l'Ouest). Il reprend, en l'approfondissant, une investigation menée dans ce pays sur la satisfaction au travail des enseignants. Pour ce faire, il expose d'abord, sous forme d'un graphique, la fréquence des notes attribuées par les «enquêtés» à chacun des facteurs de leur condition enseignante pour lesquels ils ressentent de la satisfaction ou de l'(in)satisfaction. Ces facteurs seront présentés en partant de ceux qui ont les plus faibles scores de satisfaction générale vers ceux qui ont les plus forts.This article examines work satisfaction for teachers in a sub-Sahara African country. Specifically, the author examines the lack of work satisfaction by teachers in middle and high schools in Senegal, West Africa through a re-examination and a further development of a previous similar study. He presents a graph showing the frequency of scores obtained from surveys describing various factors related to teaching conditions that relate to satisfaction and insatisfaction. These factors are then presented on a continuum from the weakest to the strongest scores for level of satisfaction.El presentte artículo trata sobre la satisfación en el trabajo de los docentes de un país del Africa subsahariana, mas precisamente, el autor estudia la insatisfacción respecto del trabajo de profesores de enseñanza media y secundaria de Senegal (Africa Occidental). Retoma, profundizando, una investigación realizada en este país sobre la satisfacción en el trabajo de los docentes. Para ello, expone primero bajo la forma de un gráfico, la frecuencia de las notas atribuídas por los «encuestados» a cada uno de los factores que influyen en su condición de docentes y por los cuales ellos sienten satisfacción o insatisfacción. Estos factores serán presentados partiendo de aquellos que tienen los valores mas bajos de satisfación general en relación con aquellos que tienen los valores mas altos.Der vorliegende Artikel beschäftigt sich mit der beruflichen Zufriedenheit von Lehrern aus einem Land der Sahel-Zone. Im einzelnen hat der Autor die Unzufriedenheit von Lehrern an Mittel- und Oberschulen in Senegal (Westafrika) studiert. Ausgangspunkt war eine in diesem Land durchgeführte Untersuchung über den Zufriedenheitsgrad der Lehrer, die vom Autor weitergeführt wurde. Zunächst wird an Hand einer Graphik die Notenfrequenz der Testpersonen für bestimmte Arbeitsbedingungen, die zur Zufriedenheit oder Unzufriedenheit beitragen. Diese Faktoren führen vom untersten zum höchsten Zufriedenheitsgrad

Using learning analytics to assess student learning in online courses

Learning analytics can be used to enhance student engagement and performance in online courses. Using learning analytics, instructors can collect and analyze data about students and improve the design and delivery of instruction to make it more meaningful for them. In this paper, the authors review different categories of online assessments and identify data sets that can be collected and analyzed for each of them. Two different data analytics and visualization tools were used: Tableau for quantitative data and Many Eyes for qualitative data. This paper has implications for instructors, instructional designers, administrators, and educational researchers who use online assessments. 2016 University of Wollongong. All rights reserved.Scopu