Process skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, information processing, teamwork, and communication are important for student success in their coursework and eventually the workplace, but these skills are not always explicitly taught or assessed in undergraduate courses. These skills should be assessed in order to identify areas for student improvement and because assessment practices can provide clear goals to students. However, my analysis of the current literature suggests that instructors do not have the tools necessary to effectively assess and provide feedback on these skills, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduate courses. To meet this need of assessing and providing feedback to students, rubrics and other instructional resources have been developed to assess process skills as part of the Enhancing Learning by Improving Process Skills in STEM (ELIPSS) Project. Surveys and interview data indicated that the rubrics were practical for instructors to use to provide feedback to students, represented all relevant aspects of the skills, measured the processes that students used when completing tasks, and could be reliably used by multiple raters. During rubric development, the resources were propagated to the STEM instructor community, and the effectiveness of the propagation methods were examined. The highest rates of adoption resulted from hearing about the rubrics from a colleague or attending a presentation about the rubrics. Additionally, running the ELIPSS workshops and creating the ELIPSS website that people found from searching the internet each led to moderate adoption rates. These results support the idea that a multifaceted propagation strategy may be most effective for researchers who are developing assessment tools. When studying the ways in which STEM instructors were implementing the ELIPSS rubrics, it was found that the instructors each developed different strategies that suited their intended learning outcomes and instructional environments by assessing and providing feedback to students in a variety of ways. Instructors with different class sizes, course levels, online course management systems, and access to teaching assistants all adapted the rubric implementation strategy to fit their unique classroom environments. Multiple instructors reported that they were better able to articulate professional skill expectations to their students through the use of the rubrics. Additionally, they were more aware of how their students interacted with one another in groups after using the interaction rubrics. These results indicate that ELIPSS rubrics can encourage more reflective practice in undergraduate instructors by providing them with more information about their students that can be used to modify their teaching methods. Further work was done to examine how students developed process skills in a first-year chemistry laboratory course. Students in a first-year chemistry laboratory course used the ELIPSS rubrics to assess their own process skills, and they were also assessed by a teaching assistant. Additionally, students reported their understanding of process skills and their perceived improvements over the course of the semester. The results suggest that students understand interpersonal process skills such as teamwork and communication better than they understand cognitive process skills such as critical thinking and information processing. While the evidence further suggests that students improved their process skills, and students reported that they improved their process skills, the students showed inconsistent abilities to self-assess and provide justification for their assessment using rubrics.

Background: Constructive alignment (CA) is a pedagogical approach that emphasizes the alignment between the intended learning outcomes (ILOs), teaching and learning activities (TLAs) and assessment tasks (ATs) as well as creation of a teaching/learning environment where students will be able to actively create their knowledge. Objectives: This paper aims at investigating the extent of constructively-aligned courses in Computer Engineering and Informatics department at Dalarna University, Sweden. This study is based on empirical observations of teacher’s perceptions of implementation of CA in their courses. Methods: Ten teachers (5 from each department) were asked to fill a paper-based questionnaire, which included a number of questions related to issues of implementing CA in courses. Results: Responses to the items of the questionnaire were mixed. Teachers clearly state the ILOs in their courses and try to align the TLAs and ATs to the ILOs. Computer Engineering teachers do not explicitly communicate the ILOs to the students as compared to Informatics teachers. In addition, Computer Engineering teachers stated that their students are less active in learning activities as compared to Informatics teachers. When asked about their subjective ratings of teaching methods all teachers stated that their current teaching is teacher-centered but they try to shift the focus of activity from them to the students. Conclusions: From teachers’ perspectives, the courses are partially constructively-aligned. Their courses are “aligned”, i.e. ILOs, TLAs and ATs are aligned to each other but they are not “constructive” since, according to them, there was a low student engagement in learning activities, especially in Computer Engineering department. / <p>Högskolepedagogik, högskolepedagogisk utbildning, BHU</p>

Syftet med studien är att undersöka om och i sådana fall hur innehållet i två läromedel för årskurs 3 förbereder eleverna inför de nationella proven i matematik. För att undersöka detta analyseras de två läromedlen Favorit matematik och Rik matematiks läroböcker för årskurs 3. Analysen utgår från de förmågor som de nationella proven år 2019 prövar. För att få svar på studiens forskningsfrågor genomförs två semistrukturerade intervjuer med verksamma lärare samt en läromedelsanalys. Resultatet visar på att läroböckerna prioriterar de fem matematiska förmågorna olika. Resultatet visar även på att lärare upplever läroböcker som mastiga och att lärarhandledningen har en stor betydelse för undervisningen. Studiens slutsats är att för att för att upprätthålla en högkvalitativ undervisning är det inte hållbart att endast utgå ifrån ett läromedel. Läraren behöver besitta ämnes- och ämnespedagogisk kompetens så att alla matematiks förmågor kan utvecklas. När en skola väljer att arbeta med ett nytt läromedel är det av stor vikt att hela konceptet med läromedlet anammas och inte endast läroboken.

Dieser Beitrag möchte mit der Weiterentwicklung von Assessment Literacy für zukunftsfähige Lern- und Prüfungsumgebungen an Hochschulen (Advanced Learning and Examination Spaces) einen Beitrag zur Qualitätssicherung von Studium und Lehre leisten. Dazu wird die Entwicklung von Assessment Literacy bei Hochschullehrenden auf zwei Stufen dargelegt: Zunächst werden exemplarische Problemfelder aus verschiedenen Prüfungsformaten beschrieben und Lösungsvorschläge angeboten, um Ansatzpunkte für die Reflexion der eigenen Prüfungspraxis zu liefern (Kap. 2.1). Auf einer zweiten Stufe werden Assessments als Teil von kompetenzorientierten Lern- und Prüfungsumgebungen gesehen. Dazu wird das Konstrukt Kompetenz, dessen Bedeutung im Hochschulkontext sowie das Constructive Alignment als hochschuldidaktisches Planungsmodell für eine kompetenzorientierte Hochschullehre und als Steuerungsinstrument für die Qualitätssicherung von Prüfungen skizziert. Vor diesem Hintergrund werden Ansatzpunkte für das Konzept einer Assessment Literacy in Higher Education abgeleitet, die Funktionsweisen, Rahmenbedingungen und Formate des Prüfens in einen systematischen Zusammenhang bringen sollen (Abb. 1). Diese Wissenssammlung beansprucht nicht dem Leser Unbekanntes zu entdecken. Vielmehr soll Vorhandenes gesammelt, gesichtet, geordnet und bewertet werden und so als Ausgangsbasis für künftige Forschungen im Bereich des Lehrens und Lernens an Hochschulen dienen.

Dieser Beitrag möchte mit der Weiterentwicklung von Assessment Literacy für zukunftsfähige Lern- und Prüfungsumgebungen an Hochschulen (Advanced Learning and Examination Spaces) einen Beitrag zur Qualitätssicherung von Studium und Lehre leisten. Dazu wird die Entwicklung von Assessment Literacy bei Hochschullehrenden auf zwei Stufen dargelegt: Zunächst werden exemplarische Problemfelder aus verschiedenen Prüfungsformaten beschrieben und Lösungsvorschläge angeboten, um Ansatzpunkte für die Reflexion der eigenen Prüfungspraxis zu liefern (Kap. 2.1). Auf einer zweiten Stufe werden Assessments als Teil von kompetenzorientierten Lern- und Prüfungsumgebungen gesehen. Dazu wird das Konstrukt Kompetenz, dessen Bedeutung im Hochschulkontext sowie das Constructive Alignment als hochschuldidaktisches Planungsmodell für eine kompetenzorientierte Hochschullehre und als Steuerungsinstrument für die Qualitätssicherung von Prüfungen skizziert. Vor diesem Hintergrund werden Ansatzpunkte für das Konzept einer Assessment Literacy in Higher Education abgeleitet, die Funktionsweisen, Rahmenbedingungen und Formate des Prüfens in einen systematischen Zusammenhang bringen sollen (Abb. 1). Diese Wissenssammlung beansprucht nicht dem Leser Unbekanntes zu entdecken. Vielmehr soll Vorhandenes gesammelt, gesichtet, geordnet und bewertet werden und so als Ausgangsbasis für künftige Forschungen im Bereich des Lehrens und Lernens an Hochschulen dienen.

Der vorliegende Beitrag beleuchtet als Teil eines Blended-Learning Ansatzes vorrangig den Einsatz von Live-Umfragen (ARS – Audience Responce Systems) im Vorlesungsrahmen. Gerade naturwissenschaftlich geprägte Studiengänge (hier die Fachrichtung Physik) sind häufig durch Frontalunterricht geprägt. Das maßgebliche Ziel des Projektes war es, das Format durch gezielte Einbindung der Studierenden aufzulockern und die Diskussionskultur in der Lehrveranstaltung zu stärken. Einhergehend mit der Aktivierung erhalten die Lernenden eine unmittelbare Rückmeldung zu ihrem Wissensstand und die/ der Lehrende ein Feedback zu möglichen Wissenslücken. Die Live-Umfragen fanden über die Online- Plattform invote.de in Form von Single-Choice-Fragen statt. Erweitert wurde dieser Ansatz, indem diese Inhalte ebenfalls für eine asynchrone Wissensvermittlung im Lernmanagement-System (LMS) Moodle implementiert und mit Feedback flankiert wurden. Dies führte im Vergleich zu früheren Iterationen der Lehrveranstaltung zu einem höheren Aktivitätslevel des Plenums und fachlich fundierten Diskussionen. In Evaluationen zum Ende des Semesters sowie in persönlichen Gesprächen mit den Studierenden, wurde der Einsatz der Fragen in synchroner sowie asynchroner Form explizit als Zugewinn für die Qualität der Lehrveranstaltung herausgestellt.

Recently, the school of electrical engineering and computer science (EECS) at the Royal institute of technology (KTH) proposed to introduce a new learning module for the course Engineering Methods - II1300. The module is to introduce both C programming and LEGO robot EV3 programming, to help the students to complete a course project. A literature study was first conducted to investigate how a learning module should be designed and what information was needed. Data from a survey routinely performed by the department and another in this work were collected. The data showed a wide variety in background knowledge among the students who attended the course. Many students believed that they did not receive enough learning material to complete the C assignments nor sufficient instructions for programming the LEGO robot. Based on the data analyses and guided with the Constructive Alignment method and the Scaffolding theory, a specification was created, and the desired learning module was developed. The module provides necessary instructions, good code examples and relevant resources that may be needed. It arranges a balanced amount of learning activities. It is expected to guide the learningprocess and improve the learning efficiency, and to facilitate the teaching process and reduce the workload. The learning module highlights a structured and modular way to teach fundamentals of C programming using the Scaffolding teaching method in conjunction with Constructive Alignment. The module can be reused with small modifications for similar courses by substituting the contents. Moreover, the strategy and the methods, which the project adopted to develop the module, are rather general and in principle are applicable to most online course development. / Nyligen föreslog Skolan för elektroteknik och datavetenskap (EECS) på KungligaTekniska Högskolan (KTH) att införa en ny inlärningsmodul för kursen Engineering Methods - II1300. Modulen ska introducera både C-programmeringoch LEGO-robot EV3-programmering, för att hjälpa eleverna att slutföra ett kursprojekt. En litteraturstudie genomfördes först för att undersöka hur en inlärningsmodul ska utformas och vilken information som behövs. Data från en undersökningsom rutinmässigt utförts av institutionen och en annan i detta arbete samlades in. Uppgifterna visade en stor variation i bakgrundskunskaper blandde studenter som deltog i kursen. Många studenter trodde att de inte fick tillräckligt med läromedel för att slutföra C-uppgifterna eller tillräckliga instruktionerför att programmera LEGO-roboten. Baserat på dataanalyserna och styrs med Constructive Alignment metoden och Scaffoldning teorin skapades en specifikation och den önskade inlärningsmodulen utvecklades. Modulen innehåller nödvändiga instruktioner, bra kodexempel och relevanta resurser som kan behövas. Det ordnar en balanserad mängd lärande aktiviteter. Det förväntas vägleda inlärningsprocessen och förbättra inlärningseffektiviteten och underlätta undervisningsprocessen och minska arbetsbelastningen. Lärningsmodulen belyser ett strukturerat och modulärt sätt att undervisa i grunderna i C-programmering med hjälp av undervisningsmetoden Scaffolding i samband med Constructive Alignment. Modulen kan återanvändas med små ändringar för liknande kurser genom att ersätta innehållet. Dessutom är strategin och metoderna, som projektet antog för att utveckla modulen, ganska allmän och är i princip tillämpliga för de flesta online kursutveckling.

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The aim of this thesis is to promote a dialogue about constructive alignment (Biggs, 1996) with a particular focus on the use of reflective writing as an assessed task in courses of teacher education and the influence it has, or does not have, on teacher reflection and/or in improving practice. The work is set against a national context in which time to reflect is being written out of teacher education as a consequence of policy which locates ‘training’ to teach increasingly within the busy-ness of school life. Persuaded by principles of constructive alignment and, therefore, troubled by student teachers’ perceptions of complex assignments which appear to have little relevance to their practice as teachers, I have undertaken an action research study (McAteer, 2013; Norton, 2009; and Wells, 2001), beginning with a conviction that it is possible to design assessment tasks which truly integrate professional and academic requirements and influence the learning activity of student teachers in ways which are meaningful for their development as teachers. Using an adaptation of the Ward and McCotter (2004) ‘Reflection Rubric’ to locate characteristics of reflection within the reflective writing submitted for assessment, the study evaluated the relationship between written reflection and academic and professional attainment and found little evidence that engagement in the reflective writing assignment had contributed to the participants’ development as teachers. I conclude that the assessment strategies of students and of the course had been either not aligned or destructively aligned. The thesis narrates my journey to the adoption of a socio-constructivist perspective, leading to greater insight into the relationship between established assessment practice and the learning activity of student teachers, and a questioning of my practice. Crucially, the notion of a ‘framework for assessment’ is broadened to encompass all assignment-related activity, the people involved and the timeframe, in addition to the task and criteria. I conclude by identifying a desire to know more about the national view of assessment in teacher education, seeking a network of colleagues in order to explore ways in which counterparts in other institutions are supporting student teachers to develop reflective practice and assess reflective writing.

<p>Syftet med studien var att undersöka försvarsmaktlärares uppfattning om</p><p>relationen mellan kursernas examinationsform och faktorer som har med de</p><p>studerandes lärande att göra. Studien hade dessutom som syfte att undersöka om</p><p>det finns några betydande skillnader i uppfattning mellan skolor med olika</p><p>karaktär i form av generalist- eller specialistinriktning på utbildningen.</p><p>Konstruktionen av empirisk data har möjliggjorts genom att vi har intervjuat</p><p>lärare från två olika skolor, dels Militärhögskolan i Halmstad (MHS H) dels</p><p>Försvarsmaktens tekniska skola (FMTS).</p><p>För att kunna tolka vårt resultat har vi använt oss av två referensramar. Det är</p><p>Marton och Booth teoretiska referensram om lärandet samt Biggs teorier om</p><p>konstruktiv gruppering av de faktorer som främjar lärandet. Resultatet pekar på</p><p>att det är av betydelse för de studerandes lärande att lärarna gör medvetna val för</p><p>att examinationen skall vara ett stöd i lärandet och inte enbart en</p><p>kontrollfunktion. Vidare kan vi konstatera att det inte föreligger några skillnader</p><p>i uppfattning om examinationens vikt för lärandet utan skillnaden ligger i</p><p>uppfattning om i vilken grad man faktiskt har möjlighet att realisera sina planer</p><p>med hänsyn taget till de ramfaktorer som styr planeringen av den genomförda</p><p>utbildningen.</p>