Attitude, experience and competence (broadly covered by the European Computer Driving Licence syllabus) in information technology (IT) were assessed in 846 1st-year Medical Sciences Division undergraduates (2003-06) at the start of their first term. Online assessments delivered during induction workshops were presented as an opportunity for…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present the design and first results of the integration of a web-based system person-centred group-activity support system (PEGASUS) in university instruction, as a means for advancing person-centred learning by supporting group activity. The PEGASUS is expected to help students and teachers in two distinct…

This study implemented an online peer assessment learning module to help 36 college students with the major of pre-school education to develop science activities for future instruction. Each student was asked to submit a science activity project for pre-school children, and then experienced three rounds of peer assessment. The effects of the…

Proposed and evaluated a modified version of the maximum Fisher information (MFI) criterion called the nearest-neighbors (NN) criterion. Simulation study results show that NN procedure improved to a moderate extent the undesirable item exposure rates associated with the MFI criterion and keeps sufficient precision in theta estimates. (SLD)

This study evaluated 15-min time limits on 10-item multiple-choice quizzes delivered over the Internet. Students in a computer-assisted course in human development spent less time on quizzes and performed better on exams when they had time limits on their quizzes. We conclude that time limits are associated with better learning and exam…

In this paper we report on research related to the provision of automated feedback based on a computer adaptive test (CAT), used in formative assessment. A cohort of 76 second year university undergraduates took part in a formative assessment with a CAT and were provided with automated feedback on their performance. A sample of students responded…

Automatic test generating system in distributed computing context is one of the most important links in on-line evaluation system. Although the issue has been argued long since, there is not a perfect solution to it so far. This paper proposed an innovative approach to successfully addressing such issue by the seamless integration of genetic…

Research regarding the optimal fielding of online surveys is in its infancy and just beginning to offer clear suggestions for effective recruiting of participants as well as techniques for maximizing the response rate. In this article, the authors discuss the process of recruiting participants by e-mailing invitations to a list of recipients…

This article develops an environment for mobile e-learning that includes an interactive course, virtual online labs, an interactive online test, and lab-exercise training platform on the fourth generation mobile communication system. The Next Generation Learning Environment (NeGL) promotes the term "knowledge economy." Inter-networking…

The purpose of the current study was to analyze the relationship between automated essay scoring (AES) and human scoring in order to determine the validity and usefulness of AES for large-scale placement tests. Specifically, a correlational research design was used to examine the correlations between AES performance and human raters' performance.…

The second national sample assessment of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) literacy at Year 6 and Year 10 will occur in 2008. The assessment happens every three years and the first occurred in 2005. This document provides information about the ICT literacy assessment including: (1) Education Ministers' decisions regarding ICT; (2) the…

The Centre for Distance Education, Athabasca University, commenced a survey of all graduates of its two programs, the master of distance education (MDE) degree, and the graduate diploma (GD) in technology, in late 2006. Alumni were asked how program completion had affected their careers, and their plans for the future. A total of 84 graduates…

Two experiments examined the restriction of referential domains during unscripted conversation by analyzing the modification and online interpretation of referring expressions. Experiment 1 demonstrated that from the earliest moments of processing, addressees interpreted referring expressions with respect to referential domains constrained by the…

Blogs are web sites, which have the specific themes and are updated with the latest news, views, and trends including philosophical reflections, opinions, and social and/or political issues. Due to representing the personality of the author or the web site, the main purpose of this article is to discuss the guidelines of discerning covert racism…

This paper reports analysis of 2006-2007 on-entry assessment data from the Performance Indicators in Primary Schools Baseline Assessment (PIPS-BLA) of random samples of students in England, Scotland, New Zealand and Australia. The analysis aimed, first, to investigate the validity and reliability of that instrument across countries and sexes, and,…