Although research has studied argumentation in science learning, it is necessary to understand the criteria teachers and students apply to evaluate arguments in the context of classroom production. Researchers have employed Toulmin's argument pattern as the preferred model to analyze arguments. However, the model is unfeasible for people to…

Students' literacy development in middle school has important implications for their academic trajectories, both in high school and beyond. In this paper, we present a systematic response analysis of sixth grade students' attempts to generate the main idea of short sections of text. We describe patterns that emerged from our analysis of main idea…

Success in the competition for external grants has become an important indicator when progressing in academic careers. Drawing on interview data with academics across various career stages and academic fields at one Finnish university, the study identifies four discourses that elucidate why research grants are deemed significant in advancing an…

Background: Discourse impairment significantly affects communication effectiveness. For a comprehensive understanding of pathological discourse behaviour, documentation of typical discourse production is essential. However, reference data from Mandarin speakers have not been previously available. Aims: This study sought to: (1) develop preliminary…

Higher education institutions play a vital role in fostering societal transitions towards sustainable and equitable futures, primarily, by equipping university graduates with future-oriented capabilities to address complex contemporary challenges. Despite their efforts, higher education institutions often lack consistent practices in assessing the…

This empowering guide revolutionizes the assessment process by putting students at the center. Dive into practical strategies and best practices for fostering social and emotional learning (SEL) competencies through student-centered assessments and discover how you can transform classrooms into inclusive spaces where learning thrives. Inside…

This article is excerpted from the book "Exemplars of Assessment in Higher Education, Volume Two" (Souza and Rose) and includes an excerpt from Howard University (Phillips). There is a complex relationship between institutional (formerly regional) accrediting bodies and institutions of higher education. Though we believe that accreditors…

States have different reasoning, timelines, and governing agencies that determine why and when academic standards are revised. A state review of academic standards involves many steps--a process that can take months or years. This guide provides a checklist for state education leaders to consider when developing the various components of an…

There is a lack of instructional literature on how to conduct a feminist evaluation to highlight and transform systemic issues in gendered and intersecting power relations. Feminist Participatory Action Research (FPAR) enables a process for conducting community-driven, -led and -owned feminist evaluations that drive social justice actions. By…

In Bayesian random-effects meta-analysis, the use of weakly informative prior distributions is of particular benefit in cases where only a few studies are included, a situation often encountered in health technology assessment (HTA). Suggestions for empirical prior distributions are available in the literature but it is unknown whether these are…

Traditional teacher evaluations -- full-lesson observations, write-ups, and debriefs -- are time-consuming and largely ineffective. As a principal, Kim Marshall found that mini-observations -- short, frequent, unannounced classroom visits, each followed by a face-to-face coaching conversation and brief narrative summary -- actually improved…

Auburn University engaged in the reaffirmation process with SACSCOC (institutional accreditor) and received recommendations surrounding assessment practices. It was from these recommendations that the Office of Academic Assessment (OAA) was created in July 2015, providing dedicated assessment support to faculty responsible for educational…

Factors influencing evaluation use has been a primary concern for evaluators. However, little is known about the current conceptualizations of evaluation use including what counts as use, what efforts encourage use, and how to measure use. This article identifies enablers and constraints to evaluation use based on a scoping review of literature…

Grades are the universal tool for measuring students' performance at school. However, other competency-based evaluation methods have shown to have a stronger impact on the learning quality. We investigated how different methods are collectively represented and discursively constructed among students at an Italian high school class. Thematic…

The Equity Audit was designed to measure diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within workplaces. The tool has three versions and is currently undergoing the standard setting process to gather validity evidence for its use within schools and organizations. This study reports on the recommendations from two panels of experts (one for the school…