Beyond model answers: learners’ perceptions of self-assessment materials in e-learning applications

The importance of feedback as an aid to self‐assessment is widely acknowledged. A common form of feedback that is used widely in e‐learning is the use of model answers. However, model answers are deficient in many respects. In particular, the notion of a ‘model’ answer implies the existence of a single correct answer applicable across multiple contexts with no scope for permissible variation. This reductive assumption is rarely the case with complex problems that are supposed to test students’ higher‐order learning. Nevertheless, the challenge remains of how to support students as they assess their own performance using model answers and other forms of non‐verificational ‘feedback’. To explore this challenge, the research investigated a management development e‐learning application and investigated the effectiveness of model answers that followed problem‐based questions. The research was exploratory, using semi‐structured interviews with 29 adult learners employed in a global organisation. Given interviewees’ generally negative perceptions of the model‐answers, they were asked to describe their ideal form of self‐assessment materials, and to evaluate nine alternative designs. The results suggest that, as support for higher‐order learning, self‐assessment materials that merely present an idealised model answer are inadequate. As alternatives, learners preferred materials that helped them understand what behaviours to avoid (and not just ‘do’), how to think through the problem (i.e. critical thinking skills), and the key issues that provide a framework for thinking. These findings have broader relevance within higher education, particularly in postgraduate programmes for business students where the importance of prior business experience is emphasised and the profile of students is similar to that of the participants in this research

Rates of Return of the German PAYG System - How they can be measured and how they will develop

With the adoption of the latest German pension reform in spring 2004 a public debate arose on whether rates of return for future pensioner cohorts were hreatened to become negative as a result of the new reform. In order to make the system sustainable, the reform had restricted future rises in the contribution rate at the expense of further decreases in pension levels. The paper contributes to this ongoing discussion by providing (1) a thorough discussion on the appropriate measurement of rates of return of the German public pension system and (2) projections of the rates of return for future pensioner cohorts based on the German public pension system after the 2004 reform. It is found that under realistic assumptions of future demographic and labour market developments, rates of return will be lower than for present retirees, but remain positive.

How sensitive are subjective retirement expectations to increases in the statutory retirement age? The German case

Population Aging poses an evident threat to the financial sustainability of pension systems based on a “pay-as-you-go” (PAYG) scheme. To cope with this threat, pension systems have undergone numerous reforms in many countries in order to keep people longer at work. One crucial element of these reforms typically is an increase in the statutory retirement age at which workers are legally allowed to retire. Two questions still remain unanswered: Will people really work longer? Who is more likely to retire before the new legal retirement age? In this paper, we focus on subjective retirement expectations, analysing if and to what extent they are affected by such a policy change. We consider the legislative reform introduced in Germany in 2007, which gradually will increase the statutory retirement age (SRA) from 65 to 67 years. Using the SAVE survey, a representative panel of German households, we estimate the increase of the individuals’ expected retirement age (ERA) as an effect of the reform. Our results show that less productive workers living in relatively wealthier households are more likely to plan an early retirement. The introduction of the reform seems to motivate better educated workers to remain longer in the labour force although it does not seem to completely succeed in keeping women longer in the labour force: especially among the younger cohorts, whose SRA will be 67 years, women are still more likely than men to plan an early retirement. In terms of the magnitude of the effect, we find that the reform shifted the expectations of the younger cohorts by almost two years – if these expectations will be realized, this reform would have been quite successful.

PENGARUH PENAMBAHAN DAGING-TULANG IKAN TAWES DAN KONDISI IKAN TERHADAP SIFAT ORGANOLEPTIK SAMILER

Abstrak Samiler adalah salah satu jenis makanan tradisional yang sudah lama dikonsumsi oleh masyarakat Indonesia dari berbagai kalangan. Berdasarkan bahan pembuatannya tersebut, samiler hanya mengandung karbohidrat tinggi dari singkong, lemak dari proses penggorengan dan tidak mengandung banyak protein baik nabati maupun hewani serta hanya mengandung sedikit mineral seperti fosfor dan kalsium. Bahan makanan sumber protein yang biasanya ditambahkan pada pembuatan samiler dapat berasal dari hewani maupun nabati. Salah satu bahan makanan yang mengandung protein tinggi dan harganya terjangkau adalah ikan tawes. Selama ini ikan tawes tidak banyak dikonsumsi oleh masyarakat karena ikan tawes berduri banyak dan halus serta memiliki aroma amis yang cukup tajam. Penelitian ini tentang samiler yaitu makanan ringan yang memiliki bahan utama singkong lalu ditambahkan dengan daging-tulang ikan tawes dan menggunakan 2 macam kondisi ikan yaitu matang dan mentah. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui; 1)pengaruh penambahan daging-tulang ikan tawes terhadap sifat organoleptik (warna, aroma, rasa, kerenyahan) dan tingkat kesukaan samiler ; 2)pengaruh kondisi ikan matang-mentah terhadap sifat organoleptik (warna, aroma, rasa, kerenyahan) dan tingkat kesukaan samiler ;3)pengaruh interaksi penambahan daging-tulang ikan tawes dan kondisi ikan matang-mentah terhadap sifat organoleptik (warna, aroma, rasa, kerenyahan) dan tingkat kesukaan samiler;4)kandungan zat gizi meliputi protein, karbohidrat, kalsium dan fosfor samiler ikan tawes yang terbaik dari uji organoleptik. Penelitian ini merupakan jenis penelitian eksperimen dengan desain pola dua faktor, yaitu: 3 perlakuan penambahan ikan tawes sebanyak 10 gram, 15 gram, dan 20 gram. Faktor huruf (A dan B), kondisi ikan (mentah dan matang).Teknik pengumpulan data menggunakan lembar observasi dengan cara uji organoleptik yang dilakukan oleh 15 panelis terlatih, dan 15 panelis agak terlatih. Analisis data hasil uji organoleptik menggunakan analisis varian dua jalur dan uji lanjut Duncan, selanjutnya dilakukan uji kimia untuk mengetahui kadar kandungan gizi dalam samiler ikan tawes yang terbaik. Hasil penelitian menyatakan: 1)Penambahan daging-tulang ikan tawes berpengaruh nyata terhadap warna, aroma, kerenyahan dan tingkat kesukaan tetapi  tidak berpengaruh nyata terhadap rasa samiler ikan tawes; 2)Kondisi ikan tawes berpengaruh terhadap warna, aroma, kerenyahan, tingkat kesukaan tetapi tidak berpengaruh terhadap rasa samiler ikan tawes; 3)Interaksi penambahan daging-tulang ikan tawes dan kondisi ikan tawes berpengaruh terhadap kerenyahan samiler, tetapi tidak berpengaruh terhadap warna, aroma, rasa dan kesukaan terhadap samiler ikan tawes; 4)Hasil terbaik sarmiler terdapat pada perlakuan  XA1XB1 yaitu penambahan daging-tulang ikan tawes 10 gram dalam kondisi mentah. Hasil uji laboratorium samiler terbaik menujukkan protein 5,16% , karbohidrat 31,62%, kalsium 9,013% dan fosfor 37,64%. Kata kunci : samiler, ikan tawes, kondisi ikan     Abstract Samiler is one of the traditional food which has long been consumed by the indonesian people from various backgrounds. based on ingredients production, samiler only contain high carbohydrate and only contain a little bit of mineral like phosphor and calcium. food sources of protein normally added on samiler production can be derived from animal and vegetable. one food containing high protein and low cost is tawes fish. all this time, tawes fish is not much consumed by many people because tawes fish much thorny, smooth thorny and has a fishy smell sharp enough. This research is about samiler which has the main ingredient is cassava added to meat-bone tawes fish and using 2 kinds of fish condition, cooked and uncooked. The aim of this research 1) the impact of adding meat-bone tawes fish of organoleptic character (color, smells, taste, crispness) and a level favorites of samiler ; 2) the impact of fish condition cooked-uncooked of organoleptic character (color, smells, taste, crispness) and a level favorites of samiler ; 3) the impact of interaction of adding meat-bone tawes fish and condition cooked-uncooked of organoleptic character (color, smells, taste, crispness) and a level favorites of samiler ; 4) Nutrient content includes protein, carbohydrate, Calcium, Phosphor the best tawes fish from organoleptic test. The kind this research is experimental researchdesign witha patternof twofactors, namely : 3 additional treatment of tawes fish as much as 10 gram, 15 gram, and 20 gram. Y factor, fish condition (cooked and uncooked).Technics of data collection using observation sheet with organoleptic test who conducted by 15 trained panelists and 15 trained panelists enough.Organolepticanalysis oftest datausingtwo-lane variantanalystanda further test of duncan, then performed chemical test determine levels of the nutrients the best tawes fish samiler. The results of analysis: 1) adding of meat-bone tawes fish significant effect on includes color, smells, crispness, favorite but no significant effect on taste of samiler tawes fish. ; 2) Tawes fish condition significant effect on includes color, smells, crispness, favorite but no significant effect on taste of samiler tawes fish. ; 3) interaction additions meat-bone tawes fish and tawes fish condition significant effect on samiler crispness, but no significant effect on color, smells, taste, favorite to samiler tawes fish. ; 4) The best results of samiler are on treatment XA1XB1 ,is adding meat-bone tawes fish 10 gram in uncooked condition. Results of laboratory tests the best samiler showing protein 5,16%, carbohydrate 31,62%, calcium 9,013% and phosphor 37,64%. Keywords :Samiler, Tawes Fish, fish conditio

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La ciudadanía de la democracia ateniense

La democracia clásica ateniense constituye para la teoría política de Occidente el primer ejemplo donde se desarrolla plenamente lo que Max Weber denominó homo politicus. La constitución de esta ciudad-estado fue conformándose sobre la base del principio político de isonomía, sinónimo de democracia. Todas las instituciones políticas de la democracia ateniense estaban ocupadas por ciudadanos. Las diferentes magistraturas, el Consejo —Bulé—, la Asamblea —Ekklesía— y los Tribunales —Heliea—, entre otras instituciones, requerían de la participación y del compromiso constante del conjunto de los ciudadanos atenienses. La identificación de la ciudad-estado ateniense con el conjunto de sus ciudadanos supuso la realización de la politike areté, que significa que todos los ciudadanos se ponen en relación de cooperación e inteligencia en el espacio vital de la polis. Las exigencias políticas, sociales y militares que la democracia ateniense demandó a sus ciudadanos sirve para entender que significa realmente ser ciudadano de una comunidad política. La ciudadanía de la democracia ateniense supone el primer ejemplo de homo politicus de la historia política de Occidente.The classical Athenian democracy represents for Western political theory, the first example of a completely developed homo politicus, using Max Weber’s term. The establishment of this city-state took place according to the political principle of isonomy, wich was synonymous with democracy. All of the Athenian democratic political institutions involved the citizens. The various judgeships, the Council – Bulé-, the Assembly – Ekklesía-, the Courts – Heliea-, etc., required the participation and constant commitment of the Athenian citizens as a body. The identification of the Athenian city-state with all of its citizens involved the execution of the politike areté, which meant that all the citizens participated through cooperation and intelligence in the living space of the polis. The political, social and military requirements that the Athenian democracy demanded of its citizens help us to understand what it really means to be a citizen of a political community. The citizenship of the Athenian democracy involves the first example f homo politicus in Western political history

Human Foibles or Systemic Failure -- Lay Perceptions of the 2008-09 Financial Crisis

We examined lay perceptions of the recent financial and economic crisis through 1707 questionnaires, administered via internet, to a varied group of volunteers in a range of countries: France, the US, Russia, Germany, Israel, and sub-Saharan Africa. Respondents graded the contribution of a large number of possible factors to the crisis, and answered several complementary questions. We were able to identify two major conceptions, one seeing the economy as comprised of individuals, with failings of moral or cognitive character, and the other seeing the economy as a complex system, endowed with some resilience, functioning in cycles. Support for the former view was stronger than for the latter. Several demographic variables were found to affect these perspectives significantly, including SES, economic training, religious beliefs, and the extent to which the respondent was personally affected by the crisis.financial crisis; naive economic cognition; intentional bias; globalization.