A computer‐aided continuous assessment system

A high‐quality assessment system should have the following attributes: rapid feedback to the students, appropriate and detailed feedback, and an effective grading system which provides an accurate overall grade as well as information which identifies the student's weak areas. As stafflstudent ratios worsen, providing such a system will become more difficult and consequently computer assistance in this task is becoming more attractive. This paper describes a Computer‐Aided Assessment (CAA) system based on a modified version of the multiple‐choice questionnaire. The CAA has been designed to be used in continuous assessment, with features that discourage plagiarism and provide appropriate feedback Over a hundred students were tested using this CAA and the results were compared with a more traditional assessment system. In addition, questionnaires were used to assess the student's reaction to the CAA. The results were highly satisfactory, and a more advanced version of the original software is under consideration

Effective Assessment Plan Leading to Strong Reform of Petroleum Engineering Graduate Program

The Bob L. Herd Department of Petroleum Engineering at Texas Tech University has made a lot of significant actions of improvement to its graduate program that was motivated by a systematic SACSCOC assessment plan. This paper shows how the SACSCOC assessment plan aided in making continuous actions of improvement and as a conclusion of these actions, how the current graduate curriculum plan was improved. This paper highlights the details of the graduate department assessment plan, such as how graduate program objectives are assessed, what assessment tools are used, when data are gathered and evaluated, and when actions of improvement are made. This paper will also detail how the analysis of data was utilized in making actions of continuous improvement. At the end of the paper examples of the significant actions of improvement made based on the department assessment and evaluation plan are presented.Cockrell School of Engineerin

Analizando los resultados académicos en la Educación Superior en España

The development of the European Higher Education Area has been a process of modernization in many universities. Teaching methodologies have undergone a process of continuous change to meet the demands for high quality leading to a need for enhancement in the learning assessment methodologies as well. The objective of this study is to analyse student´s academic performance measured through coursework vs. final exam and to ascertain the factors that could explain the difference. Regression and variance analysis are carried out over the grades and responses to a questionnaire on a sample of 298 students of different subjects in a Spanish university. The results show that there are differences between continuous assessment and the final examination marks.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad FFI2013-41235-

First Year Computer Science Projects at Coventry University:Activity-led integrative team projects with continuous assessment.

We describe the group projects undertaken by first year undergraduate Computer Science students at Coventry University. These are integrative course projects: designed to bring together the topics from the various modules students take, to apply them as a coherent whole. They follow an activity-led approach, with students given a loose brief and a lot of freedom in how to develop their project. We outline the new regulations at Coventry University which eases the use of such integrative projects. We then describe our continuous assessment approach: where students earn a weekly mark by demonstrating progress to a teacher as an open presentation to the class. It involves a degree of self and peer assessment and allows for an assessment of group work that is both fair, and seen to be fair. It builds attendance, self-study / continuous engagement habits, public speaking / presentation skills, and rewards group members for making meaningful individual contributions.Comment: 4 pages. Accepted for presentation at CEP2

Paperless assessment via VLE: the pros and the cons

The aim of this short paper is to share our experience of paperless assessment using the submission facility provided in the Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). An important part of a tutor’s work is monitoring and assessing students’ work on modules of study, in order to measure progress and attainment. Assessment may be continuous throughout the module to help students progress by providing feedback on their learning, or it may be a final summative examination to measure attainment at the end of the module. Most modules make use of a combination of the two types of assessment. In the Research and Information Technology Skills (RITS) module in Salford Business School, we have endeavoured to use the Blackboard VLE to manage a portfolio of continuous assessment exercises and a final summative examination. This Level 1 module comprises activities to develop Information Communication Technology (ICT) and research skills, and is an important foundation for new students, both to encourage good study habits and to ensure that a minimum level of expertise in skills is achieved. Student numbers on this module were about 40 this year

Improve safety by reducing the impact of external corrosion on pipelines

• Proactive prevention of corrosion defects from growing to a size that ultimately impacts a pipeline’s structural integrity • Continuous assessment to identify & address where corrosion has occurred, is occurring or may occur • Repairing corrosion defects • Correcting the causes of corrosio

Oklahoma Heart Hospital: Clinician Leaders Establish Culture of Quality

Describes strategies for a culture of quality, including a flat organizational structure, optimal nurse experience and ratios, standardization through care sets, technology-enabled feedback and assessment, and continuous improvement through new practices

Effective Student Outcomes Assessment Plan Reform Strong Undergraduate Curriculum Plan

The undergraduate curriculum committee from the Bob L. Herd Department of Petroleum Engineering at Texas Tech University has made significant modifications that were determined by a systematic student outcomes assessment plan. This paper shows how the department assessment plan facilitated continuous actions of improvement and ultimately provides an example of how a strong undergraduate curriculum plan was constructed. The paper highlights the details of the department assessment plan, such as how ABET student outcomes are mapped to department undergraduate courses, what assessment tools were used, when data were gathered and evaluated, and how the analysis of data was utilized to implement actions of improvement. Finally, the paper provides two examples of significant actions of improvement, made based on the department assessment and evaluation plan.Cockrell School of Engineerin

Decreasing Duration of Mechanical Restraint Episodes by Increasing Registered Nurse Assessment and Surveillance in an Acute Psychiatric Hospital

Background Application of mechanical restraints is a high-risk emergency measure that requires psychiatric intensive care in order to assure patient safety and expedite release at the earliest opportunity. While current regulations require that trained staff continuously observe restrained individuals, assessment by a registered nurse is required only once an hour. This project builds on research that demonstrated a regulatory change requiring more frequent registered nurse assessments led to decreased duration of mechanical restraint episodes in an acute psychiatric hospital. Purpose The purpose of this project was to implement and evaluate a practice change that required increased frequency of registered nurse assessment and surveillance during mechanical restraint episodes. Methods The nursing department standard requirement for frequency of face-to-face registered nurse assessment and surveillance of patients during episodes of mechanical restraint was increased on pilot units from once every thirty minutes to continuous assessment and surveillance throughout the duration of the restraint application. Quantitative data was collected on hours of duration of restraint episodes on four pilot units for three months before and three months after the intervention and mean duration of episodes was compared before and after the practice change. Results Mean duration of episodes on pilot units decreased 44% in the three months post intervention: 15% on adult units and 70% on the adolescent unit. Conclusion and Recommendation Increasing the frequency of registered nurse assessment and surveillance during mechanical restraint has been shown to decrease duration of restraint episodes. Nurses are encouraged to change practice standards for mechanical restraint, which is a high-risk emergency measure, to provide continuous psychiatric intensive care by a registered nurse. Keywords: mechanical restraint, physical restraint, psychiatric patient