Stephen Sharp

Deriving individual student marks from a tutor’s assessment of group work

The use of group work, in which three or more students jointly produce a piece of work for summative assessment, is an established aspect of teaching and learning in higher education. Opinions vary however about whether their marks should vary according to the respective contributions they made to the work. This paper is based on the assumption that if adjustments are to be made, they should be made on sound statistical grounds. Current methods for adjusting student marks do not allow the size of the adjustments to be controlled and empirical data are presented which show that very large adjustments can occur. This paper presents a method for deriving final student marks from a single tutor mark and ratings which students make of each other’s contributions. The method incorporates a mechanism for directly controlling the size of the adjustments made. It is demonstrated using data from students following a degree programme in computing. A spreadsheet has been written which undertakes the calculations necessary to apply the method.

Take More time to Actually Listen: Students' Reflections on Participation and Negotiation in School.

Behaviour in schools is an emotive topic and one of enduring political interest and sensitivity. The media often portrays schools as violent and dangerous places and young people as ever more unruly. This paper explores findings from a recent large-scale national study on behaviour and focuses on the data from primary and secondary school students within this study. The comments and suggestions offered by students move beyond a discussion of behaviour to focus on the broader questions of participation, engagement and meanings of active citizenship in school.

The Research Assessment Exercises, 1992-2001: Patterns across Time and Subjects.

The results of the Research Assessment Exercises of 1992, 1996 and 2001 were reviewed with a view to investigating differences in the distributions of ratings awarded between years and between Units of Assessment (i.e. subject areas). The results show that mean ratings have improved markedly over time, particularly between 1996 and 2001, but that this upward shift is unevenly spread across Units of Assessment. In both 1996 and 2001, mean ratings varied significantly across Units of Assessment, with higher means being associated with Units in which there were fewer submissions. There is no evidence that universities are improving ratings by restricting the number of staff included in submissions, though there is evidence that weaker submissions in 1996 were less likely to be submitted at all in 2001. Possible reasons for these patterns are considered but full explanations cannot be derived from the rating data alone. However, it is concluded that the size and stability of the differences are sufficient to ...The results of the Research Assessment Exercises of 1992, 1996 and 2001 were reviewed with a view to investigating differences in the distributions of ratings awarded between years and between Units of Assessment (i.e. subject areas). The results show that mean ratings have improved markedly over time, particularly between 1996 and 2001, but that this upward shift is unevenly spread across Units of Assessment. In both 1996 and 2001, mean ratings varied significantly across Units of Assessment, with higher means being associated with Units in which there were fewer submissions. There is no evidence that universities are improving ratings by restricting the number of staff included in submissions, though there is evidence that weaker submissions in 1996 were less likely to be submitted at all in 2001. Possible reasons for these patterns are considered but full explanations cannot be derived from the rating data alone. However, it is concluded that the size and stability of the differences are sufficient to cast some doubt on the consistency of assessment standards across time and subjects.

Assessing value-added in the first year of schooling: Some results and methodological considerations

This article reports data from children aged about 5 years in their 1st year of schooling. Scores on tests of both literacy and numeracy at the start and end of the year were used to derive value-added measures of progress using both residual gain analysis and multilevel (ML) modelling. Results indicated that the school was more effective in explaining pupil progress than the class; that the schools and/or classes which add the greatest value in literacy tended also to be those which added the greatest value in numeracy; and that the numbers of classes and schools which were significantly different from the sample mean depended greatly on which method was used. It is concluded that while ML modelling is preferable to residual gain analysis for research, it may not be as suitable for feedback purposes.

Disseminating development initiatives in British higher education: a case study

The Effective Teaching and Assessment Programme (ETAP) was commissioned and funded by the Higher Education Funding Councils for England, Scotland and Wales and ran during the academic year 1993–4. Its aim was to identify and disseminate best practice in specific subject areas, student support and resource based learning. ETAP supported five projects, each undertaken by a consortium of British higher education institutions. This paper reports an evaluation of the programme based on interviews with leaders of the individual projects, along with a questionnaire survey of potential users of the products of the programme. A framework is offered for interpreting the results of the evaluation. Six different meanings of the word ’dissemination‘ are identified, corresponding to the different degrees to which users actively engage with the materials produced. These distinctions are applied to the data collected and the findings are summarised in terms of the key notions of awareness of what is available, the attitude of teaching staff towards centrally-produced materials, and the accessibility of those materials. The implications of these three concepts are discussed in relation to the technical, organisational and presentational issues which promote or hinder the effectiveness of the dissemination. A number of policy recommendations for Funding Councils and institutions are outlined.

A randomized trial of face-to-face counselling versus telephone counselling versus bibliotherapy for occupational stress.

OBJECTIVE The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness and acceptability of three interventions for occupational stress. METHODS/DESIGN A total of 90 National Health Service employees were randomized to face-to-face counselling or telephone counselling or bibliotherapy. Outcomes were assessed at post-intervention and 4-month follow-up. Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation (CORE), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) were used to evaluate intervention outcomes. An intention-to-treat analyses was performed. RESULTS Repeated measures analysis revealed significant time effects on all measures with the exception of CORE Risk. No significant group effects were detected on all outcome measures. No time by group significant interaction effects were detected on any of the outcome measures with the exception of CORE Functioning and GHQ total. With regard to acceptability of interventions, participants expressed a preference for face-to-face counselling over the other two modalities. CONCLUSIONS Overall, it was concluded that the three intervention groups are equally effective. Given that bibliotherapy is the least costly of the three, results from the present study might be considered in relation to a stepped care approach to occupational stress management with bibliotherapy as the first line of intervention, followed by telephone and face-to-face counselling as required.

Leaving the register: Scottish teachers lost to the profession, 1997-98

Abstract With recruitment into teaching becoming more difficult, the spectre of teacher shortage raises questions about teacher retention, especially given recent negative comment about teaching. This article offers an analysis of some of the characteristics of the 4000 Scottish teachers who left the profession in the year 1997-98. The study looked at the age, gender, sector, length of experience and registration status of those who left. It found that, while some left teaching early in their working lives and, as would be expected, a goodly number remain to nearly retirement age, there is a pattern of departures at all stages which constitutes a considerable loss of expertise to the profession. The findings generate questions about the average length of a modern teaching career and the costs of losing experienced staff well before retirement age.

A comparison of staff perceptions of behaviour in Scottish schools in 2009 and 2006

Behaviour in schools is an enduring public policy concern not only within the UK, but internationally also. Current concern should come as no surprise as behaviour is intimately connected with policy priorities for schools, namely raising standards of attainment and promoting social cohesion. Clearly, standards are threatened where disruptive behaviour takes place and teacher time is spent on maintaining an orderly classroom rather than on the formal curriculum. This article reports findings from two major surveys of perceptions of behaviour commissioned by the Scottish Government. It locates the work in the Scottish policy context and describes the contextual framework used to guide the collection and analysis of data. It highlights a positive move in perceptions particularly amongst secondary school teachers and suggests why this may be so.

Becoming a Primary Teacher in Scotland: Comparing One-Year and Four-Year Courses.

Abstract This study compared Scottish primary teachers trained by the one-year Bachelor of Education (BEd) and the four-year Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) routes. It was found that BEd graduates were younger, while the PGCEs were more diverse, containing a number embarking on teaching as a second career. It was also found that BEds complete probation slightly faster though this may be due to more favourable opportunities to complete the probationary requirements. The implications are discussed in relation to the changing nature of the teacher employment market and the policy implications for the balance of numbers of teachers trained through the two routes.

Literacy in the First Year of Schooling: A Multilevel Analysis

This article reports the results of analysing data from 2,583 children aged around 5 years in their 1st year of schools in the city of Edinburgh. The best predictor of attainment at the end of the year was attainment at the start of the year but a number of other variables, such as entitlement to free school meals and special needs, also had significant explanatory power. A multilevel analysis applied to the data found that class effects were more important than school effects. The policy implications of the findings for school improvement and monitoring are discussed.