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11 – 20 of over 120000Anthony Afful-Dadzie, Eric Afful-Dadzie, Stephen Nabareseh and Zuzana Komínková Oplatková
The purpose of this paper is to propose a new assessment methodology for the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) using fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method (FCEM) and the Delphi…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a new assessment methodology for the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) using fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method (FCEM) and the Delphi technique. The proposed approach by its design simplifies the review processes and also quantifies the outcome of the assessment result for easier interpretation and benchmarking among member countries. The proposed hybrid method demonstrates how the subjective APRM thematic areas and their objectives can be efficiently tracked country by country while addressing the key identified challenges.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a numerical example, a demonstration of how the APRM assessment could be carried is shown using the FCEM and the Delphi method. The APRM's own thematic areas are used as the evaluation factors and the weights are assigned using Delphi technique. A novel remark set is constructed to linguistically describe the performance of a country against each or all of the thematic areas. Then in line with the maximum membership degree principle, the position of the maximum number would correspond to its respective remark element to indicate the level of performance.
Findings
The result shows a hybrid method of FCEM and Delphi used to determine whether a member country has “achieved”, “on track”, “very likely to be achieved”, “possible if some changes are made” or “off-track” on the four focus areas of the APRM. The method provides a well-organized way of tracking progress of member countries. It is also an ideal method of tracking progress of individual thematic areas and objectives. Moreover, the simplicity of the proposed method, the preciseness of the final result it generates and the clear interpretation of the result makes it a stronger alternative to the current approach for assessing member countries.
Practical implications
The APRM is a respected body with the backing of the heads of state in Africa. As most African countries become conscious of the pressure to meet international standards as far as governance performance is concerned, this proposed assessment methodology if adopted would go a long way in improving performance evaluation on the continent.
Originality/value
The proposed methodology is unique in its simplicity and its ability to evaluate any of the APRM thematic areas independent of the others. This means an overall performance can be tracked as well as that of individual evaluation factors.
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W. James Popham, David C. Berliner, Neal M. Kingston, Susan H. Fuhrman, Steven M. Ladd, Jeffrey Charbonneau and Madhabi Chatterji
Against a backdrop of high-stakes assessment policies in the USA, this paper explores the challenges, promises and the “state of the art” with regard to designing standardized…
Abstract
Purpose
Against a backdrop of high-stakes assessment policies in the USA, this paper explores the challenges, promises and the “state of the art” with regard to designing standardized achievement tests and educational assessment systems that are instructionally useful. Authors deliberate on the consequences of using inappropriately designed tests, and in particular tests that are insensitive to instruction, for teacher and/or school evaluation purposes.
Methodology/approach
The method used is a “moderated policy discussion”. The six invited commentaries represent voices of leading education scholars and measurement experts, juxtaposed against views of a prominent leader and nationally recognized teacher from two American education systems. The discussion is moderated with introductory and concluding remarks from the guest editor, and is excerpted from a recent blog published by Education Week. References and author biographies are presented at the end of the article.
Findings
In the education assessment profession, there is a promising movement toward more research and development on standardized assessment systems that are instructionally sensitive and useful for classroom teaching. However, the distinctions among different types of tests vis-à-vis their purposes are often unclear to policymakers, educators and other test users, leading to test misuses. The authors underscore issues related to validity, ethics and consequences when inappropriately designed tests are used in high-stakes policy contexts, offering recommendations for the design of instructionally sensitive tests and more comprehensive assessment systems that can serve a broader set of educational evaluation needs. As instructionally informative tests are developed and formalized, their psychometric quality and utility in school and teacher evaluation models must also be evaluated.
Originality/value
Featuring perspectives of scholars, measurement experts and educators “on the ground”, this article presents an open and balanced exchange of technical, applied and policy issues surrounding “instructionally sensitive” test design and use, along with other types of assessments needed to create comprehensive educational evaluation systems.
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The research explores the emerging specialty of learning space assessment with a focus on how new information professionals represented by graduate students in an academic…
Abstract
Purpose
The research explores the emerging specialty of learning space assessment with a focus on how new information professionals represented by graduate students in an academic libraries course defined quality criteria for library spaces and how they approached designing and conducting a one-shot multi-site space assessment project.
Design/methodology/approach
The instructor-investigator adopted a diachronic collective case study strategy, using documents generated by six cohorts over three academic years. The data included 180 online discussion posts, 97 individual site assessments and 32 group project reports. Data were analysed quantitatively and qualitatively to identify patterns and trends in student behaviour.
Findings
The analysis revealed a strong trend among students for creating their own evaluation frameworks in preference to reusing existing professional tools in their current form; the proportion of students who developed their own criteria or combined existing criteria in new ways shifted from 40 per cent to 80 per cent in three years. Their approaches demonstrated willingness and ability to engage in independent and creative thinking, and readiness to explore interdisciplinary and international perspectives on space. They also displayed a commitment to accessible, flexible and adaptable user-centred design for active, collaborative learning and to bringing a user perspective to their observations.
Originality/value
The focus on student-librarians provides a unique forward-looking perspective on the desirable qualities of next-generation learning spaces in academic libraries. The study documents an unprecedented range of established and novel space evaluation frameworks and tools informed by different professional disciplines. The results should be of interest to library and information science (LIS) educators and practitioners.
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Tessa Withorn, Jillian Eslami, Hannah Lee, Maggie Clarke, Carolyn Caffrey, Cristina Springfield, Dana Ospina, Anthony Andora, Amalia Castañeda, Alexandra Mitchell, Joanna Messer Kimmitt, Wendolyn Vermeer and Aric Haas
This paper presents recently published resources on library instruction and information literacy, providing an introductory overview and a selected annotated bibliography of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper presents recently published resources on library instruction and information literacy, providing an introductory overview and a selected annotated bibliography of publications covering various library types, study populations and research contexts.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper introduces and annotates English-language periodical articles, monographs, dissertations, reports and other materials on library instruction and information literacy published in 2020.
Findings
The paper provides a brief description of all 440 sources and highlights sources that contain unique or significant scholarly contributions.
Originality/value
The information may be used by librarians, researchers and anyone interested in a quick and comprehensive reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy.
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Robert Detmering, Anna Marie Johnson, Claudene Sproles, Samantha McClellan and Rosalinda Hernandez Linares
This paper aims to provide an introductory overview and selected annotated bibliography of recent resources on library instruction and information literacy across all library…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to provide an introductory overview and selected annotated bibliography of recent resources on library instruction and information literacy across all library types.
Design/methodology/approach
It introduces and annotates English-language periodical articles, monographs, dissertations and other materials on library instruction and information literacy published in 2014.
Findings
It provides information about each source, discusses the characteristics of current scholarship and highlights sources that contain unique or significant scholarly contributions.
Originality/value
The information may be used by librarians and interested parties as a quick reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy.
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Anna Marie Johnson, Claudene Sproles and Robert Detmering
– The purpose of this paper is to provide a selected bibliography of recent resources on library instruction and information literacy.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a selected bibliography of recent resources on library instruction and information literacy.
Design/methodology/approach
Introduces and annotates periodical articles, monographs, and audiovisual material examining library instruction and information literacy.
Findings
Provides information about each source, discusses the characteristics of current scholarship, and describes sources that contain unique scholarly contributions and quality reproductions.
Originality/value
The information may be used by librarians and interested parties as a quick reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy.
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Keywords
Helen Sinclair, Emma E. Doyle, David M. Johnston and Douglas Paton
The purpose of this paper is to investigate how training or exercises are assessed in local government emergency management organisations.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate how training or exercises are assessed in local government emergency management organisations.
Design/methodology/approach
An investigative review of the resources available to emergency managers across North America and within New Zealand, for the evaluation and monitoring of emergency management training and exercises was conducted. This was then compared with results from a questionnaire based survey of 48 local government organisations in Canada, USA, and New Zealand. A combination of closed and open ended questions was used, enabling qualitative and quantitative analysis.
Findings
Each organisation's training program, and their assessment of this training is unique. The monitoring and evaluation aspect of training has been overlooked in some organisations. In addition, those that are using assessment methods are operating in blind faith that these methods are giving an accurate assessment of their training. This study demonstrates that it is largely unknown how effective the training efforts of local government organisations are.
Research limitations/implications
Further study inspired by this paper will provide a clearer picture of the evaluation of and monitoring of emergency management training programs. These results highlight that organisations need to move away from an ad hoc approach to training design and evaluation, towards a more sophisticated and evidence‐based approach to training needs analysis, design, and evaluation if they are to maximise the benefits of this training.
Originality/value
This study is the first investigation to the authors’ knowledge into the current use of diverse emergency management training for a range of local government emergency offices, and how this training impacts the functioning of the organisation's emergency operations centre during a crisis.
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Currently there is a need for an updated assessment model that addresses and reflects the ongoing diversity of issues related to collection evaluation in academic libraries. The…
Abstract
Purpose
Currently there is a need for an updated assessment model that addresses and reflects the ongoing diversity of issues related to collection evaluation in academic libraries. The purpose of this paper is to provide conceptual guidelines and a model to support collection evaluation and assessment in this time of unstable and constantly changing patterns of information.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper provides a literature review of the collection evaluation and assessment. Based on an analytical study of environmental factors and their relationship to, and impact on, the library collection, the authors propose a new model of collection evaluation to address the needs of the current environment.
Findings
The paper identifies environmental factors in collection evaluation, establishes a set of ratios that need to be addressed and finally, provides a set of indicators for collection evaluation and assessment that can be selected from, and adapted to each library's needs.
Research limitations/implications
This paper bridges two different collection evaluation models, collection‐based and user‐based. It identifies that there is not a single appropriate collection evaluation method. It provides a different perspective to a body of literature that is mostly best practice‐based.
Practical implications
With this research a new model is suggested that provides flexibility and adaptability. It offers a multidimensional approach that libraries can use and adapt to their specific situation.
Originality/value
The new model suggested here addresses a current need generated by a changing information environment. It adds a new approach to the body of literature in the area of collection evaluation.
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Latisha Reynolds, Amber Willenborg, Samantha McClellan, Rosalinda Hernandez Linares and Elizabeth Alison Sterner
This paper aims to present recently published resources on information literacy and library instruction providing an introductory overview and a selected annotated bibliography of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present recently published resources on information literacy and library instruction providing an introductory overview and a selected annotated bibliography of publications covering all library types.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper introduces and annotates English-language periodical articles, monographs, dissertations and other materials on library instruction and information literacy published in 2016.
Findings
The paper provides information about each source, describes the characteristics of current scholarship and highlights sources that contain unique or significant scholarly contributions.
Originality/value
The information may be used by librarians and interested parties as a quick reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy.
Details
Keywords
Evaluating preservice teachers’ performance is essential for quality teacher education programs. Since the 1980s, China has explored a new, more appropriate and effective…
Abstract
Evaluating preservice teachers’ performance is essential for quality teacher education programs. Since the 1980s, China has explored a new, more appropriate and effective evaluation system in teacher education. Traditional assessment systems have shortcomings, such as being one-shot, single measures, with more emphasis on quantitative than qualitative assessments. These limitations affect students’ learning motivation and progress, and subsequently the quality of teachers and teacher education. Under China’s New Curriculum Reform, preservice teacher evaluation is being adapted accordingly. Thus, more effective and easy-to-implement evaluation methods will be examined. Portfolios are a relatively new assessment tool, originating in the West. An increasing number of teacher education programs in China has adopted portfolio assessment, but efforts are needed to improve its implementation. Standards, for example, are necessary to measure its effectiveness. This chapter reviews the teacher knowledge literature and how it relates to portfolio building, describes and explains the use of portfolios in teacher education, and then shows a typical portfolio template and its content to illustrate its use in China. Finally, the issues and challenges encountered while using portfolio assessment are discussed. Any lessons for international teacher education programs experiencing similar assessment issues with their evaluation systems are shared.
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