Large-scale assessments are increasingly being used for more than one purpose, such as admissions, placement, and diagnostic decision-making, with each additional use requiring validation regardless of previous studies investigating other purposes. Despite this increased multiplicity of test use, there is limited validation research on adding diagnostic purposes—with the intention of directly benefiting teaching and learning—to existing large-scale assessments designed for high-stakes decision-making. A challenge with validating diagnostic purposes is to adequately balance investigations into the score interpretations and the intended beneficial consequences for teachers and students. The Assessment Use Argument (AUA) makes explicit these internal and consequential validity questions through a two-stage validation argument (Bachman & Palmer, 2010). This research adopted the AUA to examine the appropriateness of the Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL) Assessment for diagnostic purposes, by forming a validity argument that asked, to what extent did the CAEL essay meet the new diagnostic scoring challenges from the rater perspective, and a utilization argument centered on teachers' and students’ uses of the diagnostic information obtained from the assessment. This study employed three research phases at an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) program in one Canadian university. Data collection strategies included interview and verbal protocol data from two raters (Phase 1), interview and classroom observation data from one EAP course instructor (Phase 2), and interview and open-ended survey data from 47 English Language Learners (Phase 3). A multifaceted perception of CAEL for diagnostic purposes was observed: raters noted the greatest diagnostic potential at higher score levels, and teacher and student perceptions were largely influenced by previous diagnostic assessment experiences. This research emphasized the necessity of including multiple perspectives across contexts to form a deeper realization of the inferences and decisions made from diagnostic results. / Thesis (Ph.D, Education) -- Queen's University, 2013-04-29 09:40:22.649

This study aims to investigate Korean teachers’ beliefs and their practice with respect to classroom-based English language assessment; thus it examines the teachers’ current working principles of assessment and their practices. This study also sets out to uncover, and to gain an in-depth understanding of further issues which emerged from the dissonance between the teachers’ beliefs and their practice. Following a discussion of the English teaching and assessment context, the first part of the study examines mainstream theories of language testing or assessment; it then considers how closely classroom-based assessment in Korean primary schools conforms to these theoretical principles. The second part of the study presents a small-scale research project. Four stages in teachers’ classroom-based assessment were examined; planning, implementation, monitoring, and recording and dissemination. A questionnaire was developed reflecting these stages; its findings were analyzed statically and qualitatively. Further qualitative data was also collected and analyzed through interviews with volunteer participants. This is based on an analysis of teachers’ firsthand experience and their opinions of the assessment of English as a foreign language. The results of the study revealed that generally the teachers hold and exercise their own firm beliefs regarding classroom-based assessment, and have a good knowledge of assessment or testing principles; thus they carried out their assessment using appropriate procedures taking into account the context of English teaching and assessment in which they operate. However, there were a number of issues which emerged from their assessment beliefs and their practice. It became clear that they did not put some of their principles into practice; a number of important factors, which are normally outside the teachers’ control, were found to be responsible for this, these include: overcrowded classrooms, heavy teaching loads, the central bureaucracy of the education system which controls primary education, and a shortage of funding for foreign language teaching. Teachers were also affected by the rather complex relationship with other teachers, head teachers, and even the parents of the students. However, it is evident that the teachers are constantly developing their skills and knowledge regarding assessment in order to address any possible challenges or tasks given to them. In addition, certain areas needing further investigation were identified. Based on the literature review and the findings of the research, tentative implications and recommendations for the development of classroom-based language assessment are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to explore ESL teachers’ perceptions and use of classroom-based reading assessments. The research questions underpinning this study were: 1) What types of classroom-based reading assessments are used in ESL classrooms and how are they used? 2) What are ESL teachers’ perceptions regarding the function and effectiveness of classroom-based reading assessments? 3) What and how do external factors influence ESL teachers’ use of classroom-based reading assessments? 4) What and how do internal factors influence ESL teachers’ use of classroom-based reading assessments? The participants of this study were six middle school ESL teachers and seven elementary school ESL teachers. Data consisted of interviews with the participating ESL teachers, classroom observations, and assessment materials. The finding of this study indicated that there were three kinds of classroombased reading assessments commonly used by ESL teachers in the classrooms: tests, observation, and using writing to assess reading. These classroom-based reading assessments served ESL teachers in two ways: helping teachers make decisions about individual students and helping teachers make decisions about instruction. In addition, classroom-based reading assessments were viewed as effective instructional instruments. ESL teachers highly valued classroom-based reading assessments, considered them accurate and valuable, and thought these assessments could provide great help to the daily teaching of reading. Students, statewide mandated standardized tests, and districts were three major forces that influenced this assessment process. Four conclusions can be drawn from this study. First, classroom-based reading assessments played a central role in ESL teachers’ teaching and assessing of reading. Second, ESL teachers highly valued classroom-based reading assessments, considering them valuable, accurate, and efficient. Compared to statewide mandated standardized testing, ESL teachers preferred classroom-based reading assessments. Third, ESL teachers’ use of classroom-based reading assessments was largely under the control of districts or school authorities and there were many disagreements on the ways of assessing reading of ESL students between teachers and the districts or schools. Finally, statewide mandated standardized testing had distorted ESL teachers’ use of classroom-based reading assessments in practice.

The objective of this study was to examine the educational intervention that restaurant employees received to see if it reduced the number of food violations in Orange County, California, U.S.. The class, which began in 2007, is known as the Food Employee Education and Sanitation Training (FEEST). This study revealed that the post-test results from FEEST demonstrated a significant improvement in food safety knowledge, and almost all of the participants showed a significant improvement in food safety knowledge. A comparison of inspection reports immediately before and after participation in FEEST showed that food establishments greatly reduced the number of major violations, but the reduction in minor violations was minimal. Further results showed that overall, post-class inspections were not helpful in reducing the number of violations. Moreover, results showed that out of the participating restaurants, those that received a fee and formal letter requiring correction of the violations, known as a Notice of Violation (NOV) or Notice of Decision (NOD), do well on inspection reports in reducing major violations than those who did not receive one, but both types of restaurants were not able to significantly reduce the number of minor violations. These results might be associated with the knowledge and commitment of the restaurant employees. Restaurant employees are not using the food safety knowledge they gained during the educational intervention. Therefore, further training is required to educate restaurant employees, and more should be done to encourage the practice of safe food handling and sanitation.

Background: There is an established need to manage teasing and bullying of children who stutter (CWS) through changing the attitudes of their peers. The intervention, the Classroom Communication Resource (CCR), was implemented by teachers in classrooms. The primary objective of the main study was to determine the effectiveness of the CCR through a cluster Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT). The secondary objective of this study was to determine the treatment effect of the Stuttering Resource Outcomes Measure (SROM) within the subscales of Positive Social Distance (PSD), Social Pressure (SP) and Verbal Interaction (VI). The subgroup objective was to determine the primary objective between and across lower and higher school quintile clusters. Method: A cluster RCT was conducted. Participants in grade 7, aged 11 years and older, were randomly assigned to control and intervention groups using school and subgroup (quintile) clusters classifications. Following randomisation, stratification took place using a 1:1 allocation ratio. Participants viewed a video of a child who stuttered at baseline. Teachers administered the CCR (social story, role-play, discussion) in intervention groups only over a 60-90 minute session after they received an hour of training. Peer attitudes were measured at baseline and at 6 months post-intervention using the SROM in intervention and control groups. Results: A total of 10 schools were included whereby they were randomly allocated to control (k=5) and intervention groups (k=5). Within the schools, 454 participants were included with n =223 participants in the intervention and n= 231 in the control group. The study showed no statistically significant difference on the global SROM score (mean difference: -0.11 [95% confidence interval: -1.56, 1.34]; p = 0.88). Similarly, no significant differences were noted on SROM subscales: PSD (1.04 [-1.02,311]; p =0.32), SP (-0.45 [-1.22, 0.26]; p=0.21) and VI (0.05 [-1.01, 1.11]; 0.93), the secondary objective of this study. No significant subgroup effect on the global SROM score (lower vs higher quintile subgroups) [interaction p-value = 0.52] was observed during subgroup analysis. Results were however consistent with the hypothesis and quintile subgroups behaved similarly. Results were found clinically important when considering confidence intervals as well as the magnitude and direction of treatment effect. Conclusion: While the treatment effect showed no statistically significant differences on the global SROM and within the constructs of PSD, SP and VI, a clinically important result was noted when evaluating the meaningfulness of this study as well as its implications. Subgroup analysis showed that the quintiles behaved similarly, showing that the CCR was appropriate for schools within the lower and higher quintiles.

This paper reports on a meta-analysis performed on forty one studies evaluating classroom-based substance abuse primary prevention programs. Studies included were delivered in a classroom to the general student body, had a primary focus of substance abuse prevention, measured behavior change, and were published in peer-reviewed outlets between 2000 and 2011. Comprehensive Meta-Analysis was used to calculate a random effects Cohen’s d and moderator analyses. Results indicated a significant effect for alcohol (d=0.10) and tobacco (d=0.09) in multi-target interventions. Specific program components and characteristics associated with more effective prevention programs are discussed. Despite the best efforts of those who develop and deliver intervention programs, as a whole, the impact is smaller than “small.” New or evolved programs should seek to incorporate the best predictors of effectiveness thereby improving efficacy.

No description available.

Yes / This paper explores why teachers adopt physically active learning (PAL). Data were collected through ‘go-alongs’ supplemented by individual interviews with 13 teachers in seven Norwegian lower secondary schools. Data were then analysed thematically. Results indicated that as well as to enhance their teaching and pupils' learning, teachers adopt PAL to adhere to school policy (The Conforming Teacher), to be an innovative educator (The Innovating Teacher), and, because it matches past positive personal experiences (The Connecting Teacher). The findings can be used to shape PAL teacher training programs to increase the likelihood of adoption.

The purpose of this study was to apply a mixed-methods approach using an exploratory case study design to identify the impacts of a physical activity intervention program on student engagement in an elementary school setting. This exploratory case study research examined teachers’ perceptions of student engagement prior to and following implementation of a classroom-based physical activity intervention program, ABC for Fitness. Participants completed the Teacher Assessment of Student Engagement survey of student engagement and behavior, participated in an ABC for Fitness workshop, semi-structured interviews, a question and answer session, a mid-point check-in, and completed daily written behavior incident logs. Results indicated three main findings: 1) intervention teachers’ ratings and perceptions of student engagement improved; 2) intervention teachers’ attitudes towards students improved; and, 3) intervention teachers’ level of engagement in the classroom improved following implementation of the ABC for Fitness program. The demonstration of the ABC for Fitness program on student engagement levels during the three week intervention examination of its long-term effectiveness. With so much of the public educational discussion revolving around student engagement and student success, a detailed look into a classroom-based physical activity program would be a cost-effective approach to student engagement which is linked to student success.

There is a pervasive belief in the United States that the college experience typically includes frequent social activities characterized by widespread alcohol use. Unfortunately, awareness of the hundreds of deaths and wide variety of other harms experienced by college students as a result of alcohol use is much less pervasive. In an effort to increase awareness of the negative impact of alcohol use on college campuses, the NIAAA commissioned a panel composed of scientists and college presidents to document alcohol-related harms and identify strategies that have been found to be effective in reducing risky alcohol use based on empirical evidence. The final report of this expert panel was released as a "Call to Action" for institutions nationwide in an effort to increase understanding of the severity and prevalence of risky alcohol use, and to provide descriptions of programs that were considered effective based on empirical evidence. Unfortunately, there were very few strategies found to be effective, and one of the effective approaches could only be implemented in specialized laboratories operated by scientists with expertise in expectancy challenge. Due to the severity and pervasiveness of the college alcohol problem and the limited number of strategies deemed effective, there is clearly a pressing need to develop and validate an expectancy challenge method that could be implemented by any institution without being limited by the need for a specialized laboratory and highly trained personnel. Achievement of these goals was the focus of the present project. To this end, an expectancy challenge curriculum designed for delivery in a college classroom was developed based on a laboratory delivered protocol previously found to be effective in reducing alcohol use among college students, and a classroom delivered curriculum previously found to be effective with high school students. The newly developed college classroom curriculum was implemented in a single session with groups of students during their regular class time in their usual classroom. Measures of alcohol use and associated harms were completed anonymously by each participant before completing the curriculum and for the month following completion of the curriculum. Analyses indicated significant reductions in alcohol consumption among males and females in comparison to students who were randomly assigned to a wait-list control condition. Unfortunately, significant reductions in alcohol-related harms were not found. The time periods for baseline and follow-up were only one month each, and that limitation in the number of opportunities to experience harms limits the likelihood of demonstrating a significant reduction in harms as well. Overall, this project represents an important advance in the development of alcohol use reduction strategies that are theory-based and effective in reducing alcohol use based on empirical evidence. In addition, the curriculum that was developed and validated in this project represents the first expectancy challenge method that can be readily implemented at any institution willing to devote one hour to reducing their students' risk for a long list of negative consequences associated with alcohol use on college campuses. Motivation and a typical classroom are all that is needed.