Propensity score matching and weighting methods are often used in observational effectiveness studies to reduce imbalance between treated and untreated groups on a set of potential confounders. However, much of the prior methodological literature on matching and weighting has yet to examine performance for scenarios with a majority of treated…

This article presents an assessment tool for doctoral students preparing their comprehensive portfolio. This tool was created from my firsthand experience in the Joint PhD program in Educational Studies--a collaboration between three universities in Ontario, Canada: Lakehead University, Brock University, and the University of Windsor. Following…

This study aimed to analyze second-semester organic chemistry students' problem-solving strategies, specifically focusing on the resources activated while solving problems on E2, E1, and E1cB elimination reactions. Using the theoretical framework by Elby and Hammer, we defined a resource as a unit of information used in the problem-solving…

It is widely acknowledged in research that common criteria and aligned standards do not result in consistent assessment of such a complex performance as the final undergraduate thesis. Assessment is determined by examiners' understanding of rubrics and their views on thesis quality. There is still a gap in the research literature about how…

Teaching with primary sources provides educators with opportunities to expose students to authentic analysis, critical thinking, and perspective taking. When students are exposed to primary sources in the classroom, they can examine the point of view of the source, what information they can gain from the source, what information is missing, and…

This paper reports on how the concept and technologies of GIS are included in the telecommunications engineering curriculum at the undergraduate level. The course of Fundamentals of GIS is described in detail. The usage of GIS software is necessary part of GIS technology education. In order to evaluate available GIS software, several criteria are…

The promotion and tenure process is complicated and fraught with complicated criteria and guidance, secrecy in evaluations, and at times questionable outcomes. Moreover, higher education is experiencing a reduction and elimination of tenure tracks. Faculty members have numerous competing demands and struggle to find time to organize daunting…

Research experiences are prominent in universities' undergraduate programmes across Australasia and are known to produce a variety of positive outcomes for students, educators, and universities. While there is growing research focused independently on undergraduate research and the role of assessment in higher education, how undergraduate research…

Over the past decades, the demand for scientific research to link theory and practice so that innovative solutions can be developed through research has steadily increased (Klees & Tillmann, 2015; Sandoval & Bell, 2004). In this context, the design-based research (DBR) approach was developed, which examines the research object and the…

The current study examined the actions and thought processes second grade students experience while reading online, implementing a research based teaching strategy for new literacies, and Internet Reciprocal Teaching (IRT). In particular, strategies for how to critically evaluate online text were introduced to second grade students. Through IRT,…

Evaluative criteria define a "high quality" or "successful" evaluand and provide the basis for judgment of merit and worth, yet they are often assumed and implicit in the evaluation process. This article presents an empirically supported model that describes and integrates two aspects of criteria: domain and source. Domain…

This article responds to the argued lack of clearly articulated, consistent, and agreed criteria that might be used by researchers for determining the adequacy of a given concept for a given task. It does so by describing the development of a framework of such criteria, presenting that framework, and illustratively applying it to the evaluation of…

This experimental study explores how source use features impact raters' judgment of argumentation in a second language (L2) integrated writing test. One hundred four experienced and novice raters were recruited to complete a rating task that simulated the scoring assignment of a local English Placement Test (EPT). Sixty written responses were…

International large-scale assessments (ILSA) are an important source of information for education policymakers across the globe. Despite sponsors' warnings, when results are published, media attention focuses on country rankings and changes in scores. Score changes are evaluated using a two-sided z-statistic, with statistical significance declared…

Academic dishonesty is becoming more common among university students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-based programs. This is concerning because these students hold positions of responsibility in their professional careers. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine if a student's academic standing and/or…