ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Assessment Might Dictate the Curriculum, but What Dictates Assessment?
Author: Dawson, Phillip
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Scholarship,Instruction,Learning,Educational Assessment,Decision Making,Best Practices,College Faculty,Expertise,Trust (Psychology),Culture,Educational Policy,Student Evaluation,Curriculum

Almost all tertiary educators make assessment choices, for example, when they create an assessment task, design a rubric, or write multiple-choice items. Educators potentially have access to a variety of evidence and materials regarding good assessment practice but may not choose to consult them or be successful in translating these into practice. In this article, we propose a new challenge for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning: the need to study the disjunction between proposals for assessment &quot;best practice&quot; and assessment in practice by examining the assessment decision-making of teachers. We suggest that assessment decision-making involves almost all university teachers, occurs at multiple levels, and is influenced by expertise, trust, culture, and policy. Assessment may dictate the curriculum from the student's perspective, and we argue that assessment decision-making dictates assessment.
Predictors of Psychology Undergraduate Success
Author: Catling, Jonathan
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Predictor Variables,Undergraduate Students,Psychology,Academic Achievement,Questionnaires,Demography,Socioeconomic Influences,Resilience (Psychology),Well Being,Multiple Regression Analysis,Peer Relationship,Social Support Groups,Financial Support,Grades (Scholastic),School Holding Power,Academic Persistence,Foreign Countries

Undergraduate students may succeed or fail within their studies for a myriad of different reasons. Within this exploratory study we assess some of the academic, psychosocial and demographic predictors of student attainment. Using a questionnaire, first-year psychology undergraduates were assessed for a number of demographic, socioeconomic, academic, financial, and resilience factors and their general &quot;well-being&quot; through the WHOQOL-BREF (UK Version; The WHOQOL Group). Using multiple regression analysis it was demonstrated that peer support and financial situation were significant predictors of failure rate, whilst peer support was shown to be the only significant predictor of average grade. These findings are discussed in relation to the implications for student retention.
Influences on Personal Understanding: Intentions, Approaches to Learning, Perceptions of Assessment, and a &quot;Meeting of Minds&quot;
Author: Karagiannopoulou, Evangelia
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Influences,Intention,Learning Strategies,Case Studies,College Seniors,Interviews,Psychology,Test Format,Semi Structured Interviews,Student Experience,Theory of Mind,Student Attitudes,Foreign Countries

Using a case-study approach, interviews with four final-year psychology students showed different approaches to learning and varying experiences of teaching in courses assessed through open-book exams. Analysis of their experiences, supported by previous research findings, provided insights into the reasons for the contrasting approaches being adopted. Some students reported misperceptions of the purpose of the open-book format and failed, but a changed perception of the assessment, later on, made them more aware of having to adopt a deep approach. In other cases, perceptions of teaching, and of the tutor, played an important part in the students' readiness to develop a personal understanding, bringing in both cognitive and affective influences. In our sample, we found evidence that teaching-learning experiences involving feelings of acceptance and encouragement, with mutual respect of each other's thinking and reasoning, could provide students with the freedom and confidence necessary to develop academically valid, personal understandings through a &quot;meeting of minds.&quot; Where such respect and encouragement was lacking, the pursuit of personal understanding was curtailed, and passing exams seemed to become the main concern.
Strengthening the Transition to University by Confronting the Expectation-Reality Gap in Psychology Undergraduates
Author: Winstone, Naomi
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Educational Objectives,Expectation,Student Experience,Transitional Programs,College Preparation,Psychology,College Freshmen,Student Attitudes,Focus Groups,Achievement Gap,Teaching Methods,Student Satisfaction,Course Organization,Personal Autonomy,Learning Activities,Self Management,Foreign Countries

In negotiating the transition to Higher Education, students bring core expectations from their A-level study that are likely to be different to the lived reality of university study. Bridging the transition to university requires an in-depth understanding of the differences between the imagined and the reality; the expectations and the experience. Psychology students' perspectives of their first-year experiences were collected through activity-oriented focus groups (Colucci, 2007). Discrepancies between expectations and reality were expressed in terms of the degree of autonomy required, the nature of &quot;the lecture,&quot; and achievement. In many cases, students displayed contradictory perspectives, desiring autonomy but also wanting the security of the more dependent approach to learning they have been socialised into. It is suggested that first-year students are passing through a key period of transition, and during this period of &quot;liminality&quot; they are attempting to leave one identity behind and instead inhabit a new, more autonomous identity.
Student and Staff Perceptions of a Vacation Research Assistantship Scheme
Author: Penn, Felicity
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Attitudes,Research Assistants,Foreign Countries,Experiential Learning,Employment Potential,Job Skills,Teacher Attitudes,College Students,Feedback (Response),Vacations

There is a push for universities to equip graduates with desirable employability skills and &quot;hands-on&quot; experience. This article explores the perceptions of students and staff experiences of a research assistantship scheme. Nine students from the University of Worcester were given the opportunity to work as a student vacation researcher for up to 10 weeks. This opportunity gave &quot;hands-on&quot; experience to students to understand real world research, thereby enabling the development of academic and research skills and increasing a student's employability. The scheme received positive feedback from both students and academic staff and was recommended as a means to enhance student's future employment.
Bridging the Gap: Facilitating Students' Transition from Pre-Tertiary to University Psychology Education
Author: Kitching, Helen J.
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Psychology,Acceleration (Education),Transitional Programs,College Transfer Students,College Preparation,Skill Development,Educational Practices,Student Development,College Readiness

The transition from school or college to university education is an exciting time for most students, but also one that is filled with new challenges. Students are faced with new styles of teaching and learning, and are required to be more independent and acquire new skill sets. For psychology students, there may be an additional challenge in the form of studying a subject that is novel to them, or they may need to revise their understanding of the nature of their subject from their perception pre-university. This article will review some of the current literature on student transitions, and on psychology students' preparation for degree-level study, and will recommend collaborative working and increased dialogue between the pre-tertiary and university sectors as one way to smooth the transition.
Teaching of Psychology in Countries with Advanced versus Developing Economies
Author: Pinquart, Martin
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Psychology,Instruction,Teaching Methods,Developed Nations,Developing Nations,Comparative Education,Teacher Surveys,Educational Resources,Teacher Student Ratio,Educational Quality,Academic Degrees,Cross Cultural Studies,Higher Education

We compare structures and contents of psychology programmes from countries with developing and advanced economies. Respondents from 49 countries completed a survey of the International Union of Psychological Science on psychology education and training. In general, there are more similarities than differences between countries with developing and advanced economies. Nonetheless, large differences emerge with regard to the availability of international teaching resources. The transition rate from the lowest academic degree to programmes at the next level is much lower in countries with developing economies than in countries with advanced economies (25 per cent vs. 70 per cent). In addition, programmes from the former countries have higher student-faculty ratios and use lab sessions, seminars and tutorials less often. Differential and biological psychology/neuropsychology is less often taught in the former countries. In addition, there is larger variability of the quality of programmes within countries with developing economies. Conclusions are drawn for improving psychology education and training.
Four Activities to Promote Student Engagement with Referencing Skills
Author: Williams, Gareth J.
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Citations (References),Research Skills,Learning Activities,Writing Skills,Academic Discourse,Tutorial Programs,Scaffolding (Teaching Technique),Experiential Learning,Interaction,Evidence,Research Reports,Essays,Reference Materials,Study Skills,Undergraduate Students,Foreign Countries

Teaching academic writing skills in a way that engages students in deep learning is difficult and there is a risk of encouraging surface learning approaches. Moreover, linking the experience of the research process to understanding the provenance of research studies is difficult for students as they tend to experience research, referencing, citing, and related areas in disparate and unconnected ways. We report our initial experiences of designing a series of four mutually supportive tutorial activities that are based on the principles of scaffolding, social interaction, and experiential learning. The aim was to help students identify suitable research material that could be used as evidence in assignments and to promote their understanding of how evidence can be used effectively, through referencing, when writing reports and essays.
Using Replication Projects in Teaching Research Methods
Author: Standing, Lionel G.
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Replication (Evaluation),Research Methodology,Methods Courses,Psychology,Undergraduate Students,Experiments,Research Projects,Student Research,Honors Curriculum,Educational Benefits

It is suggested that replication projects may be valuable in teaching research methods, and also address the current need in psychology for more independent verification of published studies. Their use in an undergraduate methods course is described, involving student teams who performed direct replications of four well-known experiments, yielding results which were subsequently published online. Illustrative data are given for the one successful replication and three failures obtained, and practical suggestions are given for incorporating replication projects into a methods course as an alternative to the usual term project. It is also noted that the published success rates of replication attempts appear to be higher for those studies that were performed as class projects.
Picture It! The Use of Visual Methods in Psychology Teaching
Author: Watt, Sal
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Psychology,Visual Aids,Teaching Methods,Graduate Students,Participatory Research,Photography,Critical Viewing,Cooperative Learning,Teamwork,Autobiographies,Emotional Experience,Place Based Education,Foreign Countries,Qualitative Research

Photo elicitation theoretically located under Creative Analytic Practice was set as an assessment on a taught postgraduate programme. In groups of three to four, 30 students acted as both researcher and participant. Group topics were self-selected, each member took five photographs that group members reflected on. Topics chosen were varied and students reflexively critically reported their experience of the method. The power of photo elicitation saw some students engage in a cathartic journey which pedagogically raised concern. This paper reports both the potential and creativity of photo elicitation but also discusses and makes suggestions on how to overcome ethical issues.
Innovation in Psychology Teaching in Europe: A Scoping Survey of European Union Universities Use of Technology, Aims and Status of Teaching, Drivers of Change, and a Thematic Review of Recent Publications
Author: Reddy, Peter
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Teaching Methods,Psychology,Technology Uses in Education,Universities,Literature Reviews,Instructional Innovation,School Surveys,Questionnaires,Likert Scales,Educational Objectives,Educational Change,Educational Strategies,Educational Practices,Thematic Approach

To investigate innovation in psychology teaching in European Union (EU) higher education, Europlat partners were surveyed and 43 replies were received from 30 countries. Estimated use of e-learning and other technologies including e-books and journals, virtual learning environments, lecture recording, plagiarism detection, laboratory simulation and virtual world software is reported. A focus on the teaching of theory, key findings and research methods and on academic skills such as critical evaluation and academic writing emerged. Innovation is driven by rising numbers, technical change, and the need to find research time, but is also rooted in care for students' academic, personal and professional development. A thematic review of publications within the past five years about the learning and teaching of psychology identified 56 articles, mainly from two specialist journals, generating 120 codings to 16 themes. Results are discussed in relation to the changing higher education context and implications for the future importance of quality in learning and teaching are considered.
Creative Description: Audio Describing Artistic Films for Individuals with Visual Impairments
Author: Walczak, Agnieszka
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Visual Impairments,Films,Assistive Technology,Nonprint Media,Language Usage,Foreign Countries,Semi Structured Interviews,Production Techniques,Participant Satisfaction,Vocabulary

Audio description is a service aimed at widening accessibility to visual media such as film and television for all individuals, especially for people with sensory disabilities. It offers people who are blind or have low vision &quot;a verbal screen onto the world&quot; (Di´az Cintas, Orero, &amp; Remael, 2007, p. 13). The standard rule when preparing audio description for film is that the text be as objective as possible; subjective or qualitative judgments are not considered necessary. Using technical terms in an audio description script, such as camera angles, &quot;is discouraged and should only be used very sparingly&quot; (Rai et al., 2010, p. 8). However, the author states, literal and supposedly &quot;objective&quot; descriptions may not present blind and visually impaired users with an &quot;experience that is equal or equivalent to that of sighted persons&quot; (Udo &amp; Fels, 2009, p. 179). In this report, she proposes a new type of audio description for describing artistic films called creative description. By including emotive vocabulary and film terminology in the audio description script, &quot;the feel of the scene&quot; (Udo &amp; Fels, 2009, p. 181) can be better recreated, and can thus increase people's immersion in the film or television show.
Students' Conception of Learning Environment and Their Approach to Learning and Its Implication on Quality Education
Author: Belaineh, Matheas Shemelis
Date: 2017-07-23
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Attitudes,Educational Environment,Educational Quality,Cognitive Style,Multivariate Analysis,Questionnaires,Statistical Analysis,Study Skills,Measures (Individuals),Study Habits,College Students,Correlation,Academic Achievement,Foreign Countries

Quality of education in higher institutions can be affected by different factors. It partly rests on the learning environment created by teachers and the learning approach students are employing during their learning. The main purpose of this study is to examine the learning environment at Mizan Tepi University from students' perspective and their approach to learning, and evaluate its implication on quality education. The study is descriptive survey in its nature of quantitative approach. The Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) and Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST) are employed to measure the learning environment and approach to learning respectively. The study was targeted at six colleges of Mizan-Tepi University and randomly selected 382 students participated in the study. The following conclusions were derived from analysis made using correlation, cluster analysis, ANOVA and independent t-test. The learning environment/context as redefined in this study represents the teaching activities conducted in the classroom only. The whole picture of the response shows that the learning environment is conducive for students learning. However, the ANOVA result confirmed the existence of statistically significant difference among the six colleges on this variable. Gender is not a function to perceive the learning environment differently. A statistically significant and positive relationship was found between learning environment, deep approach and students' performance. It was confirmed that those students who perceived their learning context as conducive for their learning, adopted deep approach and have better achievement. But, those who conceived the learning environment as less conducive; adopted surface approach and have lower score. Finally, the result from cluster analysis shows 54% (n = 207) of students in the sample perceived their learning environment as supportive of their learning and adopted a desirable (high quality) learning approach while 46% (n = 175) perceived their learning environment as less conducive and adopted a low quality learning approach. Hence, it can be inferred that the teaching learning practice in this university is promising in the journey of ensuring quality education but it needs a great effort at all levels to make it to the standard.
Determining Merit Pay for Academic Administrators
Author: Brown, Angela
Date: 2014-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Merit Pay,Administrators,Scoring Rubrics,Guidelines,Salary Wage Differentials,College Administration

Annually, each institution shall report aggregated information on the professional, scholarly and entrepreneurial activities engaged in by the institution's respective faculty using the form prescribed by the chancellor.&quot; Please note that under this policy &quot;outside professional services, scholarly services or entrepreneurial activities by NSHE faculty members within their subject matter field and for compensation is recognized as a legitimate activity unless specifically prohibited by the employee's contract.&quot;
An Overall Perspective of Machine Translation with Its Shortcomings
Author: Akbari, Alireza
Date: 2014-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Translation,Computational Linguistics,Models,Accuracy,Efficiency,Educational History,Syntax,Natural Language Processing,Language Patterns,Ambiguity (Semantics),Ambiguity (Context),Paralinguistics,Language Styles,Literary Styles,Error Analysis (Language),Barriers

The petition for language translation has strikingly augmented recently due to cross-cultural communication and exchange of information. In order to communicate well, text should be translated correctly and completely in each field such as legal documents, technical texts, scientific texts, publicity leaflets, and instructional materials. In this connection, Machine translation is of great importance in translation. The term &quot;Machine Translation&quot; was first proposed by George Artsrouni and Smirnov Troyanski (1933) to design a storage design on paper tape. This paper sought to investigate an overall perspective of Machine Translation models and its metrics in detail. Finally, it scrutinized the ins and outs shortcomings of Machine Translation.
Adolescents' Conceptions of Democracy in Central/Eastern Europe and the United States
Author: Avery, Patricia G.
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Adolescents,Democracy,Questionnaires,Foreign Countries,Student Reaction,Civics,Citizenship Education,Secondary School Students,Student Surveys,Democratic Values,Freedom

The term democracy has an overwhelmingly positive connotation for most people (Diamond &amp; Plattner, 2008), yet it is a contested, fluid, and evolving concept that represents many different things to different people. This article presents our analysis of conceptions of democracy among groups of adolescents (n = 2,848, ages 13-19) in the Czech Republic, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Ukraine, and the United States. This study focused on students' responses to one open-ended item on a written questionnaire. Our inquiry is significant because the ability to provide a meaningful definition of democracy has been shown to be associated with support for democratic institutions, and more complex understandings of democracy have been associated with greater political involvement and commitment to democracy (Bratton, Mattes, &amp; Gyimah-Boadi, 2004; Miller, Hesli, &amp; Reisinger, 1997). We found that the vast majority of the students gave acceptable definitions of democracy and that students were most likely to describe democracy in terms of freedoms and rights and least likely to mention civic equality as an aspect of democracy. Additionally, we found that demographic characteristics, students' level of political engagement, and students' perception of classroom climate sometimes impacted the complexity of the students' conceptions of democracy.
Understanding Social Studies: Student and Teacher Voices in Relation to Theoretical Orientations
Author: Broom, Catherine
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Social Studies,Teacher Student Relationship,Student Empowerment,High School Students,Secondary School Teachers,Teacher Empowerment,Student Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Teacher Surveys,Student Surveys,Foreign Countries,Grade 9,Grade 11,Grade 12,Statistical Analysis

Social Studies can be understood, or theorized, in a number of different ways as a consequence of its history (Evans, 2004). This paper presents the findings of a research study of high school students' and teachers' conceptions of Social Studies in relation to four philosophical orientations, labeled the Classicist/Traditionalist, Essentialist, Progressivist and Reconstructionist frames. These four frames are developed from literature in the field. After describing these frames, the research methods of the British Columbia (BC), Canada survey study with teachers and students are summarized. Participants included close to 200 students and teachers in three separate grades. Findings and conclusions are presented next. These findings illustrate that Social Studies is variously understood by participants and that connections exist between participants' views of the subject and perceptions of its usefulness. The paper also describes students' knowledge of the Social Sciences and students' and teachers' comments on the subject. The paper ends with recommendations, developed from the findings, which aim to improve teaching practice and student learning and engagement in the subject.