NAPLAN versus In-School Assessment: How Similar or Different are Students’ Results?

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 5-25
Author(s):  
Jihyun Lee ◽  
William McArthur ◽  
Neville John Ellis
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
National Assessment ◽  
Large Scale Assessment ◽  
School Based ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Positive Correlations ◽  
Student Performance Data

The purpose of this study was to compare students’ results in mathematics from a large-scale standardized assessment, the National Assessment Program: Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN), with a set of teacher-developed, school-based assessments. A case study of an all-boys secondary school in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, was conducted over three years with a total 1,456 student-participants. We found strong positive correlations existed between the NAPLAN data and certain school-based assessment data, such as monthly tests, but such results were not consistent across all classes. We conclude that NAPLAN data when considered in isolation, might be of limited benefit to teachers and students for diagnostic purposes. We therefore offer practical suggestions as to how student performance data generated from a large-scale assessment like NAPLAN might be best utilized and interpreted for formative assessment purposes in the school to optimally benefit individual students’ learning.

scholarly journals Predicting Shifts in Land Suitability for Maize Cultivation Worldwide Due to Climate Change: A Modeling Approach

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 295
Author(s):  
Yuan Gao ◽  
Anyu Zhang ◽  
Yaojie Yue ◽  
Jing’ai Wang ◽  
Peng Su
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Land Suitability ◽  
Large Scale Assessment ◽  
Scale Assessment ◽  
Maize Cultivation ◽  
Large Scale Screening ◽  
Selection Of

Suitable land is an important prerequisite for crop cultivation and, given the prospect of climate change, it is essential to assess such suitability to minimize crop production risks and to ensure food security. Although a variety of methods to assess the suitability are available, a comprehensive, objective, and large-scale screening of environmental variables that influence the results—and therefore their accuracy—of these methods has rarely been explored. An approach to the selection of such variables is proposed and the criteria established for large-scale assessment of land, based on big data, for its suitability to maize (Zea mays L.) cultivation as a case study. The predicted suitability matched the past distribution of maize with an overall accuracy of 79% and a Kappa coefficient of 0.72. The land suitability for maize is likely to decrease markedly at low latitudes and even at mid latitudes. The total area suitable for maize globally and in most major maize-producing countries will decrease, the decrease being particularly steep in those regions optimally suited for maize at present. Compared with earlier research, the method proposed in the present paper is simple yet objective, comprehensive, and reliable for large-scale assessment. The findings of the study highlight the necessity of adopting relevant strategies to cope with the adverse impacts of climate change.

Data-Based Program Modification: A Continuous Evaluation System with Computer Software to Facilitate Implementation

1983 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 50-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynn S. Fuchs ◽  
Stanley L. Deno ◽  
Phyllis K. Mirkin
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Software Package ◽  
Evaluation System ◽  
Computer Software ◽  
Instructional Effectiveness ◽  
Technical Adequacy ◽  
Continuous Evaluation ◽  
System Data ◽  
Student Performance Data

This paper provides a rationale for and describes a continuous evaluation system, data-based program modification (DBPM), which has demonstrated technical adequacy, logistical feasibility, and instructional effectiveness. Additionally, the paper illustrates the use of DBPM with a case study, and then describes the DBPM software package that stores, summarizes, analyzes, and displays a graph of student performance data.

scholarly journals Results of process evaluation of the Unplugged school-based prevention program in Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
F Vigna-Taglianti ◽  
I N Emelurumonye ◽  
L Donati ◽  
M Alesina ◽  
I Akanidomo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Process Evaluation ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Prevention Program ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
School Based ◽  
Class Climate ◽  
Prevention Interventions ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Background The UNODC with the collaboration of the Government implemented in Nigeria a large-scale project to promote healthy lifestyles in schools, families and communities. Within the project, the prevention program Unplugged was tested through a randomized controlled trial. This study aims to evaluate the implementation of the program in the intervention schools and the satisfaction of teachers and students. Methods 32 schools were randomly extracted from a list of 60 schools provided by the Federal Ministry of Education. 16 schools were randomly allocated to intervention and implemented Unplugged. To monitor program implementation, the teachers filled a form reporting data on fidelity of implementation. To monitor satisfaction, teachers and students filled an anonymous form at the end of the program. Results 69% of intervention schools participated in the process evaluation. The duration of the units was on average 55 min. The implementation rate was very high. All classes implemented six units whilst less than 10% did not implement the other six units. The highest rate of not implementing classes was observed for unit 11 and 12. The highest student interest as declared by the teachers was observed for Unit 1 and 8, the highest interactivity for Unit 9 and 8. Most teachers found the units easy to lead and referred an improvement of teaching skills, knowledge about substances, relationship with the students and class climate, and found very useful the Teacher Handbook. Ninety percent of students considered Unplugged useful for their choices, for 82% it improved the vision of themselves, for 95% their knowledge, for 80% the relationship with mates and for 77% the relationship with teachers. 97.5% of students would like to have a similar program next year. Conclusions Unplugged reached in Nigeria very good results in terms of implementation and satisfaction of teachers and students. Process evaluation is useful to improve the quality of prevention interventions. Key messages School based prevention interventions like Unplugged can be successfully implemented in low income countries, especially when supported by printed Handbook for teachers. Teachers and students participating in Unplugged perceived an improvement of class climate and relationship between teachers and students due to the program.

scholarly journals Can Bibliographic Pointers for Known Biological Data Be Found Automatically? Protein Interactions as a Case Study

2001 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 196-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Blaschke ◽  
Alfonso Valencia
Keyword(s):  
Protein Interactions ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Biological Data ◽  
Positive Finding ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Large Scale Assessment ◽  
Low Coverage ◽  
Standard Protein

The Dictionary of Interacting Proteins(DIP) (Xenarioset al., 2000) is a large repository of protein interactions: its March 2000 release included 2379 protein pairs whose interactions have been detected by experimental methods. Even if many of these correspond to poorly characterized proteins, the result of massive yeast two-hybrid screenings, as many as 851 correspond to interactions detected using direct biochemical methods.We used information retrieval technology to search automatically for sentences in Medline abstracts that support these 851 DIP interactions. Surprisingly, we found correspondence between DIP protein pairs and Medline sentences describing their interactions in only 30% of the cases. This low coverage has interesting consequences regarding the quality of annotations (references) introduced in the database and the limitations of the application of information extraction (IE) technology to Molecular Biology. It is clear that the limitation of analyzing abstracts rather than full papers and the lack of standard protein names are difficulties of considerably more importance than the limitations of the IE methodology employed. A positive finding is the capacity of the IE system to identify new relations between proteins, even in a set of proteins previously characterized by human experts. These identifications are made with a considerable degree of precision.This is, to our knowledge, the first large scale assessment of IE capacity to detect previously known interactions: we thus propose the use of the DIP data set as a biological reference to benchmark IE systems.

Vocabulary Intervention for Secondary-Level Youth

1992 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 207-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colleen S. Stump ◽  
Thomas C. Lovitt ◽  
Susan Fister ◽  
Karen Kemp ◽  
Rickey Moore ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Research Translation ◽  
Vocabulary Intervention ◽  
Project Outcomes ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Student Reactions ◽  
Student Performance Data

A research-translation project introduced a precision-teaching vocabulary intervention to 36 general and special education teachers through two workshops over a two-year period. (The teachers, in turn, introduced the approach to 694 students, 125 of whom were youth with learning disabilities). The goals of the project were threefold: (a) to determine if, after attending one-day training sessions, teachers were able to implement the vocabulary approach with their students; (b) to evaluate the degree to which the intervention influenced student performance, especially that of pupils with learning disabilities; and (c) to gather teacher and student reactions to the approach. Project outcomes revealed that (a) all but one teacher who received training implemented the approach and collected student performance data; (b) the majority of students, whether general or special education youth attending mainstream or special education settings, demonstrated increased accuracy and fluency on timed vocabulary quizzes; and (c) both teachers and students found the approach worthwhile and enjoyable.

scholarly journals Projected costs associated with school-based screening to inform deployment of Dengvaxia: Vietnam as a case study

2018 ◽  
Vol 112 (8) ◽  
pp. 369-377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugo C Turner ◽  
Bridget A Wills ◽  
Motiur Rahman ◽  
Hoang Quoc Cuong ◽  
Guy E Thwaites ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
World Health ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Future Cost ◽  
Dengue Vaccine ◽  
School Based ◽  
Operational Costs ◽  
Financial Costs ◽  
The World

Abstract Background After new analysis, Sanofi Pasteur now recommends their dengue vaccine (Dengvaxia) should only be given to individuals previously infected with dengue and the World Health Organization’s recommendations regarding its use are currently being revised. As a result, the potential costs of performing large-scale individual dengue screening and/or dengue serosurveys have become an important consideration for decision making by policymakers in dengue-endemic areas. Methods We used an ingredients-based approach to estimate the financial costs for conducting both a school-based dengue serosurvey and school-based individual dengue screening within a typical province in Vietnam, using an existing commercial indirect immunoglobulin G enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. This costing is hypothetical and based on estimates regarding the resources that would be required to perform such activities. Results We estimated that performing a school-based individual screening of 9-year-olds would cost US$9.25 per child tested or US$197,827 in total for a typical province. We also estimated that a school-based serosurvey would cost US$10,074, assuming one class from each of the grades that include 8- to 11-year-olds are sampled at each of the 12 selected schools across the province. Conclusions The study indicates that using this vaccine safely on a large-scale will incur noteworthy operational costs. It is crucial that these be considered in future cost-effectiveness analyses informing how and where the vaccine is deployed.

Conservation challenges and benefits of multispecies reintroductions to a national park – a case study from New South Wales, Australia

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reece D. Pedler ◽  
Rebecca S. West ◽  
John L. Read ◽  
Katherine E. Moseby ◽  
Michael Letnic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
National Park ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Institutional Processes ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Legislative Policy

Species reintroductions into predator-controlled areas are an increasingly used conservation tool. Typically, ecological outcomes of such projects (e.g. recruitment, predation) are the focus but seldom necessary legislative, policy, social and institutional processes required for establishing large projects. This particularly applies to protected areas, managed by governments for conservation. Reintroductions are recommended for a third of threatened Australian vertebrates, with the New South Wales Government boldly embarking on a 2013 initiative to return locally extinct mammals to three protected areas. We detail the legislative, policy, social and institutional processes required for one of these sites, Wild Deserts, in Sturt National Park. Seven locally extinct species, including the greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis), western barred bandicoot (Perameles bougainville), golden bandicoot (Isoodon auratus), greater stick-nest rat (Leporillus conditor), crest-tailed mulgara (Dasycercus cristicauda), western quoll (Dasyurus geoffroii) and burrowing bettong (Bettongia lesueur) will be reintroduced into two exclosures. The scale of the project required identification of an appropriate location, satisfaction of statutory requirements for major infrastructure in a national park, assessments of potential ecological costs and benefits, engagement of the national park agency and other stakeholders (Traditional Owners, other government agencies, neighbours), and staff training to meet government agency requirements. We outline the resourcing, costs and benefits of such a project on government-managed land along with lessons learnt for similar large-scale restoration and reintroduction projects. Future projects would benefit from understanding legislative and policy frameworks and the need for transparency, while maximising efficiencies.

scholarly journals Use of Large Scale Assessment Finding in South Asia: An Experience of Nepal

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
pp. 80-90
Author(s):  
Chandra Mani Paudel ◽  
Ram Chandra Panday
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
International Student ◽  
Student Assessment ◽  
Asia Pacific ◽  
National Assessment ◽  
Large Scale Assessment ◽  
International Student Assessment ◽  
Asian Context ◽  
Mathematics And Science

This paper tries to present results from a systematic review of literature that reviewed the large-scale assessments finding in the South Asian context especially focusing Nepal. The main objective of the LEAP programme is to reform the quality of learning in the Asia-Pacific region by developing capacity of the Member States to collect, analyze and utilize international and national assessment data identifying learning enablers. The review has identified the high order skills overshadowed by rote learning. It has also employed Item Response Theory (IRT) making assessments comparable and connected with the previous levels. International Assessments such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) collected vast amounts of data on schools, students and households. The use of education-related “big data” for evidence-based policy making is limited, partly due to insufficient institutional capacity of countries to analyze such data and link results with policies.

scholarly journals Stakeholders’ Support for Large Scale Assessment in Schools: A Case of Annual National Assessment (ANA) in South African Schools

2020 ◽  
pp. 103-113
Author(s):  
Oluwatoyin Ayodele Ajani ◽  
Nonhlanhla Doris F. Khumalo ◽  
Mncedisi C. Maphalala ◽  
Samantha Govender
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Teacher Development ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
National Assessment ◽  
Large Scale Assessment ◽  
Scale Assessment ◽  
Standardised Testing

Assessment is a crucial aspect of teaching and learning; it includes various means of assessing what learners could reproduce as product of learning. Annual National Assessment (ANA) is a large scale assessment with the sole aim of measuring learners’ achievement, growth and progress. Since the introduction and implementation of ANA in 2010, the analysis of the results from 2011 to 2014 has shown very little improvement in learner performance. This qualitative study sought to ascertain how stakeholders supported standardised testing to overcome its limitations, and can be used to improve teaching and learning in South African schools. The theoretical framework that underpins this study is the Hard Accountability Model. Themes were generated from the collected data from ten English teachers, ten Mathematics and ten Heads of Departments from ten grade six primary schools in King Cethswayo district, Kwa-Zulu Natal Province of South Africa. Findings revealed that stakeholders did not support adequately ANA to fulfil its purpose in schools. The study also indicated inadequate teacher development programmes to regularly capacitate teachers on how to improve ANA results. The study therefore recommended that the Department of Basic Education should ensure that teacher developmental programmes are conducted while curriculum advisors and School Management Teams should strengthen their supervision and monitoring in schools.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document