Educators realize that they no longer have to wait for professional development opportunities. Al... more Educators realize that they no longer have to wait for professional development opportunities. Although the idea of professional networking is not new to educators, advances in web technologies such as blogs, learning platforms, and social networks have enabled educators to form larger and more useful networks that would have been inconceivable even a decade ago. With these networks, called Professional Learning Networks, or PLNs, educators are able not only to find cutting edge information and resources but also to learn about opportunities for collaboration and professional development. This paper briefly describes PLNs and gives an overview of how educators in higher education are using Web 2.0 tools for professional development. A number of popular components that are used to construct PLNs are highlighted, along with specific examples. The paper concludes with practical suggestions and a list of resources that can be used when starting a PLN.
Advocates of performance assessments claim that these assessments: (1) Increase student motivatio... more Advocates of performance assessments claim that these assessments: (1) Increase student motivation and interest in learning by making the tasks more meaningful. (2) Influence classroom instruction and learning such that there is less focus on memorization of facts, but a greater emphasis on understanding concepts and engaging in higher order thinking and problem-solving. (3) Measure higher order thinking skills and other abilities that are not easily measured by multiple-choice tests. (4) Are "more equitable" than multiple-choice tests, in terms of allowing all students to show what they know. In this study conducted in a field setting, I examined the extent to which these claims were fulfilled in science at the high school level. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used to compare performance assessment-based science courses with multiple-choice assessment-based courses. This study failed to find any evidence of the positive effects of performance assessments on student attitudes towards science, in terms of their greater interest in science, enhanced self-perceived ability in science, higher motivation to pursue additional courses or careers in science, or a more positive perception of the meaningfulness of science. In comparison to multiple-choice assessment-based courses, performance assessment-based courses were found to provide more activities that emphasized problem-solving and higher-order thinking. In addition, instruction in the performance assessment-based courses emphasized understanding of science concepts, and provided more opportunities for students to conduct extended investigations. However, the magnitude of the reformation in instruction was small in comparison to the teacher-focused instruction that was still going on. This study found that performance assessments do not duplicate the measurement role of the multiple-choice test. There was certainly some overlap, but the findings showed that they also measure other attributes not measured by the multiple-choice test. With respect to the claim of performance assessments being "more equitable", the study found that although the general direction of the results was in line with this claim, there was insufficient statistically significant evidence. Measurement issues of performance assessments are complex, and the findings from this research provided some evidence to assess the consequential validity of the four performance-based examinations in the study.
Educators realize that they no longer have to wait for professional development opportunities. Al... more Educators realize that they no longer have to wait for professional development opportunities. Although the idea of professional networking is not new to educators, advances in web technologies such as blogs, learning platforms, and social networks have enabled educators to form larger and more useful networks that would have been inconceivable even a decade ago. With these networks, called Professional Learning Networks, or PLNs, educators are able not only to find cutting edge information and resources but also to learn about opportunities for collaboration and professional development. This paper briefly describes PLNs and gives an overview of how educators in higher education are using Web 2.0 tools for professional development. A number of popular components that are used to construct PLNs are highlighted, along with specific examples. The paper concludes with practical suggestions and a list of resources that can be used when starting a PLN.
Advocates of performance assessments claim that these assessments: (1) Increase student motivatio... more Advocates of performance assessments claim that these assessments: (1) Increase student motivation and interest in learning by making the tasks more meaningful. (2) Influence classroom instruction and learning such that there is less focus on memorization of facts, but a greater emphasis on understanding concepts and engaging in higher order thinking and problem-solving. (3) Measure higher order thinking skills and other abilities that are not easily measured by multiple-choice tests. (4) Are "more equitable" than multiple-choice tests, in terms of allowing all students to show what they know. In this study conducted in a field setting, I examined the extent to which these claims were fulfilled in science at the high school level. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used to compare performance assessment-based science courses with multiple-choice assessment-based courses. This study failed to find any evidence of the positive effects of performance assessments on student attitudes towards science, in terms of their greater interest in science, enhanced self-perceived ability in science, higher motivation to pursue additional courses or careers in science, or a more positive perception of the meaningfulness of science. In comparison to multiple-choice assessment-based courses, performance assessment-based courses were found to provide more activities that emphasized problem-solving and higher-order thinking. In addition, instruction in the performance assessment-based courses emphasized understanding of science concepts, and provided more opportunities for students to conduct extended investigations. However, the magnitude of the reformation in instruction was small in comparison to the teacher-focused instruction that was still going on. This study found that performance assessments do not duplicate the measurement role of the multiple-choice test. There was certainly some overlap, but the findings showed that they also measure other attributes not measured by the multiple-choice test. With respect to the claim of performance assessments being "more equitable", the study found that although the general direction of the results was in line with this claim, there was insufficient statistically significant evidence. Measurement issues of performance assessments are complex, and the findings from this research provided some evidence to assess the consequential validity of the four performance-based examinations in the study.
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Papers by Vanaja Nethi