Samples of a composite hydrogel incorporating clay (Laponite XLG and S-482) nanoparticles were prepared using N-isopropylacrylamide. The hydrogels were formed via a radical-initiated addition polymerization using potassium persulfate and N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine. Students then measured the force required to stretch the gels and…

This article offers a solution to a significant problem for teachers and researchers of language learning that confounds their interpretations and expectations of test data: The apparent simplicity of tests of vocabulary knowledge masks the complexity of the constructs they claim to measure. The authors first scrutinise task elements in two widely…

New technologies have led to several major advances in psychological research over the past few decades. Peer nomination research is no exception. Thanks to these technological innovations, computerized data collection is becoming more common in peer nomination research. However, computer-based assessment is more than simply programming the…

Purpose: Family support programs commonly use self-sufficiency matrices (SSMs) to measure family outcomes, however, validation research on SSMs is sparse. This study examined the reliability of the Colorado Family Support Assessment 2.0 (CFSA 2.0) to measure family self-reliance across 14 domains (e.g., employment). Methods: Ten written case…

Co-production is not a new concept but it is one with renewed prominence and reach in contemporary policy discourse. It refers to joint working between people or groups who have traditionally been separated into categories of user and producer. The article focuses on the co-production of public services, offering theory-based and knowledge-based…

The aim of this study is to assess the impact of a 3D educational computer game on students' test anxiety and exam performance when used in evaluative situations as compared to the traditional method of examination. The participants of the study were students in tertiary education who were examined using game-based assessment and traditional…

Bernstein's theory of the pedagogic device has two under-developed elements as far as its treatments of evaluative rules are concerned. It has never explained the processes through which an assessment's hegemony is erected, and it overlooks the fact that evaluations can also be crucial apparatuses in social selection and exclusion. Using the…

The concept of embedded librarians is a way for academic librarians to be intentionally and strategically inserted in the learning and teaching process through a variety of initiatives. In a mid-size university, in order to better address the research and curricular needs of students and faculty members, librarians became more intentional about…

Students and adults with intellectual disability experience multiple barriers to taking tests, assessments, evaluations, questionnaires, and surveys. The literacy demands of common formats for soliciting objective and subjective feedback -- particularly written questions and answers -- makes typical assessment processes inaccessible to many people…

It has been mandatory since March 2015 for New Zealand schools to use the "English Language Learning Progressions" (ELLP) (Ministry of Education, 2008) to determine English language learners' eligibility for Ministry funding of ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) programmes and support. Teachers are expected to "use a…

This article presents how character development practitioners, researchers, and funders might think about evaluation, how evaluation fits into their work, and what needs to happen in order to sustain evaluative practices. A broader view of evaluation is presented whereby evaluation is not just seen as something that is applied at a program level,…

In 2015, the British government implemented a national Baseline Assessment policy for children at the start of their Reception Year (aged 4-5 years) in England. Adding further assessment to the national Early Years Foundation Stage, the Baseline policy was predicated on reform for improved school accountability, with a focus on measurement of both…

When undertaking quantitative hypothesis testing, social researchers need to decide whether the data with which they are working is suitable for parametric analyses to be used. When considering the relevant assumptions they can examine graphs and summary statistics but the decision making process is subjective and must also take into account the…

The sixth edition of this bestselling textbook has been substantially revised and updated to provide a comprehensive introduction to bilingualism and bilingual education in the 21st century. Written in a compact and clear style, the book covers all the crucial issues in bilingualism at individual, group and societal levels. Updates to the new…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the assessment literacy of Virginia principals and describe how principals with varying levels of assessment literacy integrate assessment leadership practices that support assessment for learning. This study investigated the differences in assessment literacy between elementary and secondary principals…