Student Number: 0110826H - MSc research report - School of Occupational Therapy - Faculty of Health Sciences / A comparative study was undertaken to assess the reliability of the MVPT-3 when the instructions were translated into Afrikaans and the scores were then compared to the normative data obtained during the standardization process on a normal population of American children. The study was undertaken by testing 80 randomly selected, normally distributed, Afrikaans first language speaking eight year old children from the eastern suburbs of Pretoria, South Africa. The study confirmed that the MVPT-3 is reliable when the instructions are given in Afrikaans with a Chonbach’s alpha score of 0.79 compared to 0.83 obtained for the American population. The item analysis revealed some anomalies that suggest that the test may have a cultural bias as many items had a negative sign in the item analysis. Afrikaans girls and boys performed differently on the test, suggesting that the test may need to be adjusted for differing skills in the visual perception. There were a high number of non-contributing items that suggest that some items in the test may not be valid for South African Children.

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EVALUATION OF PARAGLIDING THEORY TEST ITEMS FOR PILOT LICENSE APPLICANTS Objectives: The aim of this work is to evaluate and optimize a set of paragliding the theoretical items appropriate for testing pilot license applicants of LAA ČR. Methods: This aim is realized by means of the theory of testing. Basic methods of testing form the background research of this work. The items were de- signed as multiple-choice, to select one correct answer. These items were assigned to the applicants for pilot licenses and were evaluated by the apparatus of testing. Microsoft Excel 2003 was used for collecting data and results evaluation. The computation according to the formulas in the theoretical part was performed in Matlab 2007b. Based on this analysis, the results were presented and optimization of these items was proposed. Results: Three hypotheses were examined in this work. The first dealt with a rela- tion between evaluated difficulty of test items and their points value, which was assigned by the LAA ČR. The second hypothesis concerned the number of used distractors. The third hypothesis was focused on the sensitivity of the items. The evaluated difficulty of test items matched items point value in 26 % of the number of items. 92 % of the alterna- tives were used and sufficient sensitivity had 78 % of...

<p>This is a descriptive ethnographical study with the purpose of examining teachers’ and students’ experiences of oral examination at a State Pedagogical University in western Russia. The study also focused on finding the characteristics of oral examination and the contextual factors influencing its implementation. The research was done using participatory observations and interviews. The results show that interviewees experience oral assessment in general as positive. Their descriptions are summarised and analysed using a number of key concepts, of which flexibility, subjectivity, individualisation, and fairness are the most important. The study also shows that contextual factors such as culture, traditions, and organisational framework have large impact on how the examination is done. The conclusion is that oral examination has both gins and losses, since the teacher’s active participation creates possibilities for individualisation and deep probing of the students’ knowledge, but is also a source of bias because of its subjectivity.</p>

This is a descriptive ethnographical study with the purpose of examining teachers’ and students’ experiences of oral examination at a State Pedagogical University in western Russia. The study also focused on finding the characteristics of oral examination and the contextual factors influencing its implementation. The research was done using participatory observations and interviews. The results show that interviewees experience oral assessment in general as positive. Their descriptions are summarised and analysed using a number of key concepts, of which flexibility, subjectivity, individualisation, and fairness are the most important. The study also shows that contextual factors such as culture, traditions, and organisational framework have large impact on how the examination is done. The conclusion is that oral examination has both gins and losses, since the teacher’s active participation creates possibilities for individualisation and deep probing of the students’ knowledge, but is also a source of bias because of its subjectivity.

Brigham Young University (BYU) first implemented the Spanish Computer Adaptive Placement Examination (S-CAPE) during the Fall Semester of 1986 and it has been used ever since. The S-CAPE was designed to determine course placement into beginning and intermediate classes for students who have previously studied Spanish. A 10% increase occurred this year (2014) in students who have served missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Many of these returned missionaries gained language proficiency on their missions, and some go to BYU to begin or continue their studies. Because of the increase in enrollment of students with intermediate and advanced Spanish fluency, the BYU Department of Spanish and Portuguese needed a way to accurately place these students. This study analyzed the S-CAPE to see if it was reliable and capable of placing more advanced students. The S-CAPE was not originally designed to place students above SPAN 206. In addition, other factors that contribute to student placement at BYU are evaluated. Recommendations are made for improving the validity of the S-CAPE, as well as the language skills tested by the S-CAPE. Further recommendations are made to upgrade the process of placing students registering for Spanish at BYU.

As pesquisas para padronização de instrumentos de avaliação de resultados terapêuticos têm sido produtivas, uma vez que a aproximação entre a pesquisa e a prática clínica permite ao profissional perceber a importância dessa avaliação de processo e de resultados. Com isto, a necessidade dos psicólogos contarem com instrumentos de avaliação, capazes de auxiliá-los nessa tarefa, tem se mostrado cada vez mais essencial. No entanto, a carência de instrumentos válidos para a realidade brasileira impõe limitações a estes profissionais. O Outcome Questionnaire - OQ-45.2 é um dos instrumentos utilizados para avaliar os ganhos obtidos pelo paciente na psicoterapia, com pesquisas realizadas em vários países. Trata-se de uma escala do tipo Likert de cinco pontos, dividida em três subescalas: desconforto subjetivo (SD), relações interpessoais (IR) e desempenho do papel social (SR). Esta pesquisa teve o objetivo de avaliar as propriedades psicométricas da versão em português do OQ-45.2. A amostra foi composta por 419 participantes adultos, subdivididos em dois grupos, um de pacientes (N = 59) e outro de não pacientes (N = 360), sendo 156 homens e 263 mulheres, com idades variando de 18 a 78 anos. O estudo de precisão do OQ-45.2 foi realizado pelo método de teste-reteste, com intervalo de 7 a 14 dias, e o alfa de Cronbach. Para a escala total a precisão pelo reteste foi de 0,895 e para as subescalas variou de 0,756 a 0,883, indicando estabilidade temporal satisfatória. O alfa de Cronbach para a escala total foi de 0,95, semelhante ao do estudo americano (0,93). Os dados de validade foram obtidos pela correlação entre o resultado global e os das subescalas, por meio da comparação entre grupos contrastantes de pacientes e não pacientes e da validade simultânea com a Escala de Avaliação de Sintomas (EAS-40), o Inventário de Depressão de Beck (BDI II) e o Questionário Geral de Saúde (QSG). As correlações das subescalas com a pontuação total e entre as subescalas foram significantes, mas a subescala SR mostrou correlações menores que as outras. Foram obtidas diferenças estatisticamente significantes (p < 0,001) entre as médias dos dois grupos, o que mostra a sensibilidade da escala para avaliação dos pacientes. O resultado do OQ 45.2 se correlacionou significativamente com os três instrumentos utilizados para o estudo de validade, sendo que as correlações com os escores totais dos instrumentos foram: 0,80 com a EAS-40, 0,83 com o BDI-II e 0,88 com o QSG. Também foram calculadas as correlações entre cada item com o escore total do OQ-45.2, tendo sido encontrados quatro itens com correlações menores do que 0,20. Assim os estudos psicométricos indicaram a adequação da escala para o uso no Brasil, embora ainda seja necessária a confirmação de sua estrutura fatorial e de estudos referentes a mudanças obtidas na psicoterapia / Researches for standardization of therapeutic assessment tools have been productive, since the connection between research and clinical practice allows the professional to realize the importance of the assessment process and results. In this way, the psychologists need of available assessment tools, which can assist them in this task, has become ever more essential. However, the lack of valid instruments to the Brazilian reality imposes limitations to these professionals. The Outcome Questionnaire - OQ-45.2 is one of the instruments used to measure the patients progress in psychotherapy and it was studied in several countries. It is a Likert five points scale, divided into three subscales: Symptom Distress (SD), Interpersonal Relationships (IR) and Social-Role performance (SR). The goal of this research was to assess the psychometric properties of the OQ-45-2 Portuguese version. The sample was composed by 419 adult participants, divided in two groups, one group of patients (N = 59) and the other of non-patients (N = 360), 156 men and 263 women, age ranging from 18 to 78 years. The reliability study of the OQ-45.2 was conducted by the test-retest method, using intervals ranging from 7 to 14 days, and by the Cronbach\'s alpha coefficient. The retest reliability for the total score was 0.895 and for the subscales ranged from 0.756 to 0.883, indicating satisfactory temporal stability. The Cronbach\'s alpha for the total scale was 0.95, similar to the American study (0.93). The validity data were obtained by correlations between the total score and the subscales scores; by comparing contrasting groups of patients and non patients and concurrent validity with the Symptom Assessment Scale (EAS-40) Beck Depression Inventory (BDI II) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Correlations of the subscales with the total score and subscales scores were significant, but the SR subscale showed lower correlations than others. Differences between the means of two groups were significant statistically (p <0.001), which shows the sensitivity of the scale to assess patients. The results of OQ-45.2 correlated significantly with the three tests used in validity study and correlations between the total scores of the tests were 0.80 with the EAS-40, 0.83 with the BDI-II and 0.88 with the GHQ. Correlations total of total score of OQ-45.2 with each item were also calculated and were found four items correlations lower than 0.20. Therefore, the psychometric studies indicated the appropriateness of the scale for use in Brazil, although it is still necessary the confirmation of its factor structure and studies regarding changes obtained in psychotherapy

A presente pesquisa teve o objetivo de atualizar os parâmetros psicométricos do Psicodiagnóstico Miocinético PMK. Foi estudada uma amostra composta por 210 sujeitos adultos, todos destros, divididos em quatro grupos, um com 50 mulheres depressivas, um com 50 pacientes esquizofrênicos (35 homens e 15 mulheres), um com 50 reincidentes do sexo masculino do Sistema Prisional do Estado de São Paulo, que cometeram crimes de furto e/ou roubo e um grupo de controle, com 60 participantes (29 mulheres e 31 homens). Os instrumentos utilizados foram a entrevista clínica estruturada para o DSM-IV-TR, também conhecida como SCID-NP, com a finalidade de observar a presença de morbidades entre os presos e o grupo controle e de comorbidades entre os depressivos e esquizofrênicos, o Teste Palográfico, usado como critério no estudo de validade, e o PMK. A precisão foi obtida por meio do teste-reteste, somente com os protocolos da amostra controle e a validade, pelo método de grupos contrastantes e pelo método de validade simultânea. Para a precisão, foi calculado o coeficiente de correlação de Pearson e também utilizado o teste t para determinar se existiam diferenças entre os resultados das duas aplicações. Para os grupos contrastantes foi utilizada a ANOVA de um fator e o teste Post hoc de Tukey, com a finalidade de observar possíveis diferenças significativas das medidas do PMK entre os grupos. Nesta análise, os resultados foram comparados de acordo com o gênero dos participantes. Para a validade simultânea, os dados do Tônus Vital e da Agressividade do PMK e os da Produtividade, Direção das Linhas e Ganchos do Palográfico foram transformados em nota z e correlacionados por meio do coeficiente de correlação de Pearson, primeiramente com a amostra total e posteriormente com o grupo de depressivas e com o grupo de presos, separadamente. Os resultados do estudo de precisão indicaram que boa parte das medidas e dos traçados do PMK apresentou satisfatória estabilidade temporal, não sendo encontrada nenhuma diferença significativa entre teste e reteste. Ao todo, 64% das correlações foram superiores a 0,60, e as maiores médias das correlações foram para o Tônus Vital, a Agressividade e a Dimensão Tensional. As obtidas para o Predomínio Tensional foram as que apresentaram valores mais baixos, embora as correlações entre as aplicações tenham sido, todas, moderadas. Os resultados da validade entre grupos contrastantes demonstraram que, entre as mulheres, as diferenças significativas ocorreram, principalmente, no Tônus Vital, na Emotividade e na Dimensão Tensional. Entre os homens, na Agressividade, na Emotividade (com e sem sinal no DS) e na Dimensão Tensional. Os resultados da validade simultânea revelaram que as maiores correlações ocorreram entre as medidas da Agressividade do PMK com os Ganchos à direita do Palográfico. As correlações obtidas para o Tônus Vital também foram, na maior parte dos casos, significativas. A partir desses resultados, considerou-se que o PMK possui parâmetros científicos que permitem afirmar que ele é um teste preciso e válido para discriminar quadros clínicos de não clínicos / The present research had the purpose to update psychometric parameters of the Myokinetic Psychodiagnosis PMK. Participated a sample of 210 adult subjects, all right handed, divided into four groups, the first composed by 50 depressed women, the second by 50 schizophrenic patients (35 men and 15 women), the third by 50 male prisoners from the Prison System of the São Paulo State who had rescinded thefts and/or steals crimes, and a control group with 60 participants (29 women and 31 men). The instruments used were the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV-TR, also known as SCID-NP, in order to observe the presence of morbidity among prisoners and the control group and the co morbidity among depressed and schizophrenics. The Test Palográfico, was used as the validity criterion of the PMK test. The reliability was obtained by test-retest, restricted to the control sample and validity by the method of contrasting groups and the simultaneous validity. For the reliability was calculated the Pearson correlation coefficient and also the t test was used to verify if there were differences between the test-retest results. To evaluate the validity by contrasting groups it was used the one-way ANOVA and Pos hoc Tukey test, in order to determinate possible differences of PMK measures between groups. For simultaneous validity, data from PMK Vital Tonus and Aggressiveness and Productivity, Direction Lines and Hooks of Palográfico were transformed in z scores and then correlated by Pearson correlation coefficient, using data from the total sample and from the depressive group and the prisoner group independently. Results of the reliability study indicated that most of measures of PMK had a satisfactory temporal stability and no significant difference between test and retest means was found. Altogether, 64% of correlations were above 0.60 and higher means of correlations were for the Vital Tonus, Aggressiveness and Tensional Dimension. Correlations for Tensional Predominance showed the lowest values, although they can be considered moderate. Results of contrasting groups showed that, among women, significant differences were observed mainly in Vital Tonus, Emotionality and Tensional Dimension, and among men in Aggressiveness, Emotionality (with an without DS signal) and Tensional Dimension. The concurrent validity showed that significant correlations occurred mainly between PMK Aggressiveness measures and Palográfico Hooks at right. Vital Tonus correlations were in most cases significant. These results indicate that the PMK Test presents scientific parameters that allow to confirm that its a reliable and valid test to discriminate clinical cases from those non-clinical

<p>This paper is concerned with the newly reformed national English test for Chinese college students, called the College English Test (CET) Band 4 (or Level 4). By comparing the test before and after it was reformed, there will be a close examination with regard to the aspects of test reliability, construct validity, authenticity, interactiveness, impact and practicality. With an extra focus on how vocabulary and grammar are tested, the paper aims to investigate the extent to which the new system is considered useful and how effective it is in testing vocabulary and grammar.</p>

This paper is concerned with the newly reformed national English test for Chinese college students, called the College English Test (CET) Band 4 (or Level 4). By comparing the test before and after it was reformed, there will be a close examination with regard to the aspects of test reliability, construct validity, authenticity, interactiveness, impact and practicality. With an extra focus on how vocabulary and grammar are tested, the paper aims to investigate the extent to which the new system is considered useful and how effective it is in testing vocabulary and grammar.