The problem with which this investigation is concerned is an analysis of errors in looping and assignment made by novice assembly language computer programmers. This analysis is made after subjects write three computer programs. The verbal definition of the problem for each program specifies, without naming, either a for, while, or repeat looping structure. The purposes of the study are the following; to determine whether using the appropriate looping structure is related to writing a correct program; to determine the incidence of assignment errors in incorrect programs; to determine the degree of relationship between mathematical aptitude, and the type of assignment errors made; to determine the degree of relationship between use of the appropriate looping structure and mathematical, verbal, and scholastic aptitude; to determine the degree of relationship between gender and use of the appropriate looping structure, and to determine the degree of relationship between gender and the number of assignment errors.

All prelicensure baccalaureate nursing students are expected to graduate with baseline knowledge and clinical judgment skills that will allow them to provide safe and competent patient care to individuals across the lifespan. Research has shown that clinical judgment in new graduates is at an all-time low. There is an abundance of research on how to cultivate clinical judgment skills in both the didactic and simulations settings; however, very few studies have been conducted exploring how to assess and build clinical judgment skills in students in the clinical setting. A pilot study, followed by a quasi-experimental study, and a related correlational study, were performed to explore how clinical judgment can be assessed and enhanced in the prelicensure baccalaureate clinical setting. These studies included outcome variables of knowledge and self-confidence. The studies were guided by Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory as well as Tanner’s Clinical Judgment Model.The pilot study used an adapted form of the focus group method and aimed to determine the best way to apply the structured debriefing method of Debriefing for Meaningful Learning (DML) in the clinical setting. The pilot study included clinical faculty (N = 4) in a baccalaureate nursing program at a small college in Upstate N.Y. The study began with training on DML, followed by an asynchronous pre implementation survey where participants provided answers to interviewer questions via Google forms. Next the study involved 3 weeks of implementing DML with clinical groups in the clinical setting and concluded with a post implementation synchronous focus group that met via Zoom©. The results of the pilot study led to a few adaptations in the DML process including the creation of a faculty script, a student guide, a new concept map, and a change to when students were expected to complete the concept map during their clinical day. The quasi-experimental study took place at the same college and included participants (N = 62) in the course NSG 323 – Concepts II in both the Spring 2023 and Fall 2023 semesters. The intervention was DML and took place during three clinical experiences (one per week) in the first half of the semester. Participants and clinical faculty completed pretest measures in the week prior to beginning their clinical experiences. Pretest clinical judgment was measured during a simulation scenario by the participants’ clinical faculty using the Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric (LCJR). The LCJR is a 4-point Likert-type scale measuring 11 dimensions of clinical judgment under four subscales of noticing, interpreting, responding, and reflecting. Self- confidence was measured using a revision of the NLN Student Self-Confidence subscale of the NLN Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning instrument. The revised scale is an 11-item Likert-type scale. The revision involved changing items that include the word “simulation” to the word “clinical experience.” Knowledge was measured, posttest only, using scores on the second Unit Exam of the course. A mixed 2 x 2 Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) followed by simple main effects t tests were used to analyze the clinical judgment and self- confidence data, and independent samples t tests was used to analyze exam scores. Results for clinical judgment did not reveal a significant interaction between groups and time (F (1, 60) = .21, p = .652). There was a statistically significant main effect found for group on LCJR scores overall (F (1, 60) = 7.65, p = .008). Both pretest and posttest mean scores for the LCJR were lower in the intervention group (M = 22.54 and M = 25.88 respectively) than in the control group (M = 27.75 and M = 30.33 respectively). The results for self-confidence did not reveal any significant interaction between groups and time (F (1, 59) = 1.44, p = .235). The mean scores for the posttest were higher in the intervention group (M = 42.65) than in the control group (M = 40.83). Results also showed that while self-confidence scores from pretest to posttest for the intervention group increased, the scores from pretest to posttest for the control group decreased; however, the differences in groups did not reach statistical significance (F (1, 60) = .45, p = .504). An independent samples t test showed no significant difference in Unit II exam scores, measuring knowledge, between groups (p = .451, d = .20). A correlational study was completed exploring the relationships between clinical judgment, knowledge, and self-confidence using the data obtained in the quasi-experimental study. This study also explored the differences between groups for each correlation, and whether having prior health care experience impacted each outcome variable. Results showed no statistically significant correlation between pretest clinical judgment and pretest self-confidence scores (r = .09, p = .502), nor between posttest clinical judgment and self-confidence scores (r = -.22, p = .085) for the entire sample. However, there was a significant negative relationship between posttest self-confidence and clinical judgment in the control group (r = -.36, p = .034). The differences between groups in the pretest correlations of clinical judgment to self-confidence (zobs = .298, p = .764) and in the posttest correlations of clinical judgment to self-confidence (zobs = -1.61, p = .107) were not significant. There was also no statistically significant relationship revealed between both the pretest (r = -.10, p = .439) and posttest (r = -.18, p = .163) self-confidence scores and knowledge, as measured by Unit II exam scores for the entire sample, as well as within groups. The difference in correlations between groups on both the pretest self-confidence scores and exam scores (zobs = -1.29, p = .197) and posttest self-confidence scores and exam scores (zobs = -.643, p = .522) were not statistically significant. However, both pretest (r = .36, p = .004) and posttest (r = .39, p = .002) clinical judgment scores and posttest- only exam scores were revealed to have a positive statistically significant correlation for the entire sample, as well as in the intervention group only (r = .59, p = .002 and r = .632, p < .001 respectively). The difference in correlations between pretest clinical judgment and knowledge was significant (zobs = -2.29, p = .023). The correlation between posttest clinical judgment scores and exam scores for control group was .084, and .632 for the experimental group. The difference in correlations between posttest and knowledge was ~ .55, also statistically significant (zobs = -2.45, p = .0151). There is a long-held understanding in nursing education that the teaching-learning strategies in the clinical environment need to be evaluated and improved. While not revealed to have a statistically significant effect in this initial study, the use of structured debriefing methods should still be further explored in the clinical setting to determine whether the process can be an acceptable pedagogical approach to improve knowledge and clinical judgment in the clinical setting. The moderate positive statistically significant relationship between clinical judgment and knowledge found in this study aligns with Tanner’s (2006) theory that the development of both knowledge and clinical judgment is a related and cyclical process where both should be emphasized. The inverse relationship found between self-confidence and clinical judgment/knowledge, while not statistically significant in this study, suggests that students will benefit from honest and constructive feedback on their performance to accurately evaluate themselves and their ability to perform in the clinical setting.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Student Preparedness for Academic Writing examines perceptions of student preparedness for academic writing in the first-year literary studies course, English 178, located in the English Department at Stellenbosch University. The research was conducted during 2011 and 2012 making use of a survey which was completed by the 2011 first-year English 178 class, and also utilising a series of interviews with students, tutors and lecturers in 2012. Preparedness for English 178 is framed in terms of Pierre Bourdieu’s notion of socially constructed habitus. In addition to the thought of Bourdieu the thesis draws on the writings of Peter Elbow, Arlene Archer and Pamela Nichols, among others, to analyse and frame the quantitative and qualitative information yielded by the study. The dissertation assesses multiple interlocking elements that comprise student preparedness and finds striking discrepancy between student perception of their preparedness and that of the lecturers and tutors. While tutors, lecturers and the report of the National Benchmark Test all suggest that at least half of all first-year students are poorly prepared for academic writing, only about 21% of students perceive themselves to be poorly prepared. Possible reasons for the difference in views between students and other sources are explored. The thesis concludes by asking if the English 178 course at Stellenbosch University truly tests the students’ academic writing abilities and if the course is balancing its “obligations to students [with the]… obligation[s] to knowledge and society” (Elbow 327). / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie verhandeling ondersoek persepsies van studentevoorbereidheid vir akademiese skryf in die eerstejaars-letterkundekursus, Engels 178, gesetel in die Departement Engels aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch. Die navorsing is gedurende 2011 en 2012 gedoen deur gebruik te maak van ’n vraelys wat deur 2011 se Engels 178-eerstejaarsklas voltooi is, asook van ’n reeks onderhoude met studente, tutors en lektore in 2012. In hierdie verhandeling word voorbereidheid vir Engels 178 in terme van Pierre Bourdieu se konsep van sosiaal gekonstrueerde habitus beskryf. Benewens Bourdieu se denke word daar ook na die werke van onder andere Peter Elbow, Arlene Archer en Pamela Nichols verwys om die kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe inligting wat uit die studie voortgekom het, te ontleed en te situeer. Die verhandeling assesseer die veelvuldige ineengeskakelde elemente wat studentevoorbereidheid omvat, en bevind ’n opvallende teenstrydigheid tussen studente se persepsie van hulle eie voorbereidheid en lektore en tutors se persepsie van studente se voorbereidheid. Terwyl tutors en lektore se ervaring en die Nasionale Normtoetsverslag alles daarop wys dat ten minste die helfte van alle eerstejaarstudente swak voorbereid is vir akademiese skryf, beskou slegs ongeveer 21% van studente hulself as swak voorbereid. Moontlike redes vir die verskil in beskouings tussen studente en ander bronne word ondersoek. Die verhandeling sluit af met die vraag of die Engels 178-kursus aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch werklik studente se akademiese skryfvaardighede toets, en of die kursus wel ’n ewewig handhaaf tussen verpligtinge teenoor studente en ’n verantwoordelikheid teenoor kennis en die samelewing (Elbow 327).

Educational assessment is an ever-present component of any formal learning environment that has critical consequences for students.  Despite this relevance, there is a gap in knowledge regarding one of its foundations --namely, assessment fairness.  In particular, social class-based fairness of classroom assessment practices has been understudied at the higher education level.  We know little about how fairness is threatened due to class-related issues, and which strategies are deployed, by instructors and college students, to counter those threats.  Also, a gap in empirical knowledge exists regarding how working-class students resist those potentially unfair assessment practices. Therefore, the purpose of this multiple-case study was to explore how social class-based fairness was enacted in classroom assessment, and how working-class college students reacted when confronted with unfairness.  Data collection took place at two different Chilean universities: one affluent and one non-affluent university, in which I interviewed thirty faculty members and working-class students, and analyzed course syllabi, examples of assessment instruments, and examples of written feedback.  Guided by a conceptual framework formed by three bodies of theories and research (fairness in educational assessment, social reproduction in education, and student resistance), I conducted qualitative analyses that uncovered the findings of this study. I found that important threats to class-based fairness were present in all the phases of the assessment cycle (i.e., assessment construction, examination, grading, and provision of feedback), at both the affluent and the non-affluent institutions (although the threats were more prevalent in the former than in the latter).  At the same time, I found that instructors and students deployed a wide array of strategies in order to counter those threats, but their effectiveness varied.  However, some of the class-based threats to fairness did not have strategies countering them, leading me to conclude that unfair classroom assessment practices make higher education harder for working-class students than for their more affluent peers. Finally, I found that working-class students engaged in actions aimed to resist the classroom assessment practices that they perceived to be unfair. They exhibited conformity, conformist resistance, and transformational resistance, and engaged in both subtle and more disruptive forms of resistance.  Important differences between students in the affluent and the non-affluent universities emerged, regarding their perspectives, actions, and forms of resistance.  This study offers a number of strategies that faculty members could adopt to achieve fairer assessment, as well as an array of situations that constitute threats to class-based fairness and which they should avoid.  This study also highlights areas of training and reflection (such as provision of quality feedback and self-reflection on class privilege and ingrained stereotypes toward working-class students) that university administrators should include in faculty development initiatives.

Thesis (MEd (Curriculum Studies)--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / AFRIKAANS OPSOMMING: Die prosevaardighede en die vermoë om ‘n wetenskaplike ondersoek uit te voer deur graad nege leerlinge, is ondersoek. Die begrip van hierdie vaardighede, byvoorbeeld waarneming, meting en data versameling, sowel as die beredenerings wyses tydens die oordrag van die bevindinge (resultate) van die ondersoek, is ook geëvalueer. Die proses in totaliteit is geëvalueer deur die gebruik van drie take insluitende geskrewe ondersoeke, onderhoude en waarnemings. Twee-en veertig Natuurwetenskap leerlinge van die primêre skool het aan die ondersoek deelgeneem. Die geskrewe ondersoek was die grondslag (fundamentele) aktiwiteit om die leerlinge se begrip van ‘n wetenskaplike ondersoek te evaluur. Die onderhoude was onderverdeel in vyf afdelings insluitende die doel, die belangrikheid, die voordele van die verstaan van prosesvaardighede, sowel as die probleme en uitdagings ondervind terwyl die leerlinge aktief betrokke was by of self besig was met die uitvoering van wetenskaplike ondersoeke. Die meerdeheid data (inligting) was verkry deur die waarneming van leerlinge wat saamwerk tydens die uitvoering van die ondersoekeie ondersoeke. ‘n Ontleding van die leerlinge se prestasie in die opdragte, individueel, sowel as in groep verband is gedoen. ‘n Ontleding van die leerlinge prestasie het getoon dat min leerlinge voldoende (bevredigende) begrip toon aangaande data (inligting) versameling en die oordra (kommunikasie) van die bevindinge (resultate). Die resultate van die ontleding onthul (toon) dat die gedeeltelike bereiking van die vereistes vir die uitvoering van ‘n wetenskaplike ondersoek die norm was. Hierdie leerlinge se waarnemings en meetings was onakkuraat, kon slegs sommige veranderlikes identifiseer, het slegs basiese wyses gebruik om die inligting (data) te versamel en te verwerk, en die oordrag (kommunikasie) van resultate was onvoldoende. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research study explored Grade 9 learners’ process skills and their ability to conduct a scientific investigation. The understanding of these skills, for example observation, measurement and data collection, that these learners drew upon, and the way they reasoned while communicating their findings in the investigation, were also examined. This whole process was evaluated using three tools: a written survey, interviews, and observations of 42 Natural Sciences learners at the primary school. The written survey was the base-line tool to evaluate the learners’ understanding of scientific investigation. The interviews were done in five categories: the purpose of scientific investigation, the role and the advantages of understanding process skills, the problems and challenges encountered when learners are performing scientific investigations and experiences gained in conducting a scientific investigation. The main body of data was obtained from observing learners working cooperatively in the actual process of conducting scientific investigations. An analysis of their performance of tasks, both individually and as part of the group, was conducted. An analysis of the sample of learners’ performances revealed that few learners display a satisfactory understanding of how to collect data and communicate their findings. Instead, only a partial achievement of the requirements of conducting a scientific investigation was the norm. These learners observed and measured inaccurately, identified only some variables, established only simple trends in the process of collecting data, and did not form enough structure to communicate their findings.

Thesis (MPhil (Curriculum Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Transformatoriese verandering in onderwysstelsels wêreldwyd word gekenmerk deur 'n nuwe benadering ten opsigte van assessering. Hierdie soort assessering wat bekend staan as assessering-vir-leer behoort deurlopend, diagnosties en ontwikkelend van aard te wees. Dit is assessering wat nie net gemik is op 'n finale oordeel nie, maar wat ten doel het om leer en ontwikkeling met behulp van assessering by leerders te bevorder. Assessering-vir-leer maak dus 'n onlosmaaklike deel van die onderrig- en leerproses uit en gebeur nie slegs aan die einde van die leerproses nie. Hierdie navorsing is gebed in die volgende navorsingsvraag: Tot watter mate word assessering-vir-leer in die Ekonomiese en Bestuurswetenskappeleerarea in die Intermediêre Fase gebruik om leerdervordering te begelei en te ondersteun? Die mate waartoe die beginsels vir assessering-vir-leer in die onderrigpraktyk van onderwysers geïntegreer word om Intermediêre Faseleerders in die leerarea Ekonomiese en Bestuurswetenskappe (EBW) in 'n landelike skool te ondersteun is dus ondersoek. 'n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp binne die interpretatiewe navorsingsparadigma is gebruik om data te genereer ten einde die navorsingsvraag te beantwoord. Onderwysers en leerders is in die studie as respondente gebruik. Die navorsingsresultate het getoon dat onderwysers nog vasgevang is in praktyke van assessering-van-leer wat fokus op die insameling van punte eerder as op die gebruik van assesseringsinligting ten einde verdere leer by leerders te bevorder. Waar daar wel tekens van assessering-vir-leer in die praktyk van onderrig-en-leer by onderwysers plaasvind, is dit toevallig en nie intensioneel nie. Voortvloeiend uit die bevindinge word aangevoer dat, met die nodige ondersteuning, onderwysers beginsels vir assessering-vir-leer in hul klaskamerpraktyk kan integreer ten einde meer effektiewe onderrig en leer in die betrokke skool te bevorder. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Transformational change in teaching systems worldwide is characterised by a new approach regarding assessment. This type of assessment, known as assessment for learning, should be continuous, diagnostic and developmental by nature. This is assessment that does not only focus in a final judgement, but which aims to promote learning and development by means of assessment in learners. Assessment-for-learning therefore forms an integral part of the teaching and learning process and does not only happen at the end of the learning process. This research is embedded in the following research question: To which extent is assessment-for-learning used in the Economic and Management Sciences learning area in the Intermediate Phase to guide and support learner progress? The extent to which the principles for assessment-for-learning are integrated in the teaching practice of teachers to support Intermediate Phase learners in the learning area Economic and Management sciences (EMS) in a rural school was therefore researched. A qualitative research design within the interpretative research paradigm was used to generate data in order to answer the research question. Teachers and learners were used as respondents in the study. The research results showed that teachers are still caught up in practices of assessment of learning which focus on the collection of marks rather than on the use of assessment information in order to promote further learning in learners. Where there are signs that assessment for learning indeed takes place in the practice of teaching and learning by teachers, it is incidental and not intentional. Based on the results, it can be said that, with the necessary support, teachers may be able to integrate principles for assessment for learning into their classroom practice so as to promote more effective teaching and learning in the school concerned.

by Kitty Nim-yu Li. / Title in Chinese: / Bibliography: leaves 99-105 / Thesis (M.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1986

Tao Sim-cheung, Victoria. / Thesis (M.A.Ed.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1992. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 98-115). / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.ii / ABSTRACT --- p.iii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.v / LIST OF TABLES --- p.viii / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.x / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction / Background of the study --- p.1 / Significance of the study --- p.5 / Encouraging students to become better readers --- p.5 / Exploring the impact of coope- rative learning --- p.6 / Understanding the potential of CALL --- p.9 / Description of key terms --- p.11 / Cloze procedure --- p.11 / Cooperative learning condition --- p.12 / CALL (Computer-assisted language learning) --- p.13 / Purpose of the study --- p.13 / Null hypotheses --- p.14 / Outline of the thesis --- p.15 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Review of Related Literature / Literature related to cloze procedure --- p.17 / Historical view of cloze procedure --- p.17 / Variations of cloze procedure --- p.18 / Cloze procedure-- researchable and teachable --- p.20 / Literature related to cooperative learning --- p.23 / Efficacy of cooperative learning --- p.23 / Individualistic and cooperative learning on student achievement --- p.25 / Cooperative vs individual completion of a cloze passage --- p.27 / Literature related to CALL --- p.29 / Practicability of CALL --- p.29 / Interactive CALL for groups --- p.33 / Automated cloze procedure as research and teaching tools --- p.35 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Methodology / Research design --- p.37 / Material and courseware design --- p.39 / Sampling design --- p.41 / Procedure --- p.44 / Variables --- p.47 / Statistical instrumentals --- p.47 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Results / Tests for the null hypotheses --- p.49 / Hypothesis 1 --- p.50 / Hypothesis 2 --- p.54 / Hypothesis 3 --- p.57 / Hypothesis 4 --- p.66 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Discussions and Limitations / Discussions --- p.70 / Evaluations of CALL --- p.70 / Individualistics versus cooperative CALL --- p.78 / Effectiveness of cooperative learning strategies --- p.80 / Superiority of the narrative text structure --- p.85 / Interactions between ability and achievement --- p.87 / Reflection of the attitudinal score --- p.89 / Limitations --- p.89 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Conclusions and Recommendations / Conclusions --- p.92 / Recommendations --- p.94 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.98 / Chapter APPENDIX A --- Pretest --- p.116 / Chapter APPENDIX B --- Posttest & Retention Test --- p.118 / Chapter APPENDIX C --- Attitude Questionnaire --- p.121 / Chapter APPENDIX D --- Item-Total Statistics of Questionnaire --- p.127

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education