The other day we went to a pub called the Dundas Arms (I know - strange name)And having looked at the web site thought that it looked a very promising lunch. It was an invitation from Justin's father and he doesn't often get it wrong.
However - as soon as we got through the door we suspected it may be a disappointment. It's one of those places where you can't reserve a table (I can never understand why landlords do that) - so you just have to turn-up early and hope for the best. As it was, when we got there not long after midday - we had the place to ourselves! We sat in the corner by an noisy and drafty expelair thingy and I looked at the menu (blackboard only) and thought - this isn't inspiring or cheap!(it has to be one or the other really)..but the staff were very smiley!
Anyway, we ordered at the bar and gradually the place seemed to fill up - mainly locals as this is quite an isolated spot.
I had the sole, Justin had the steak (of course) and C&C both had lancashire hot pot - which was probably the best choice. Home-cooked (or out of the freezer) food. Not bad - but nothing special. Everything was covered unnecessarily in melted butter (felt like we were in France)!
After the apple crumbles etc (which came in their own little ceramic pots), we went for a stroll along the banks of the Kennet - which is where the canal and the river meet. It was the last day of the nice weather but (as always) we didn't venture far - just to the bridge and back.
We stopped in Hungerford on the way back. Lovely town (if you can try to disassociate it with it's tragic past) kind of reminiscent of Tenderden in Kent - with its wide high street, Victorian architecture and little antique and book shops.There is also an unusual African furniture shop - made out of old railway sleepers (not the shop - the furniture). Very nice - but very, very expensive. Undoubtedly unethical (she says with standing on her soap-box). But Hungerford's claim to fame is that it's using the best in technology to obtain its parking fees. Haven't got the cash to go into the ticket machine in the car park? Well, just text the word "parking" to a number printed on the ticket machine and the number of hours you want, and Hey Presto! as if by magic - a ticket is printed out for you and your phone charged the appropriate fee. Amazing! (I know, you're probably gonna tell me that this happens all over the country now - but this was the first time I'd seen it anywhere)...

Some useful web sites about reflective teaching/learning below:

http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/pbl/pblreflect.htm
http://learnweb.harvard.edu/alps/reflect/index.cfm
http://www.ukcle.ac.uk/resources/reflection/you.html

http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/experience.htm

This was an interesting article from the BPS recently:


Reading novels linked with increased empathy
----------------------------------------

"'Oh! it is only a novel!' or, in short, only some work in which the
most thorough knowledge of human nature, the happiest delineation of its
varieties, the liveliest effusion of wit and humour are to be conveyed
to the world in the best chosen language." From Northanger Abbey (1818)
by Jane Austen.

The more fiction a person reads, the more empathy they have and the
better they perform on tests of social understanding and awareness. By
contrast, reading more non-fiction, fact-based books shows the opposite
association. That’s according to Raymond Mar and colleagues who say
their finding could have implications for educating children and adults
about understanding others.

Finding out how much people read is always difficult because it’s
socially desirable for people to report that they read a lot. Mar and
colleagues avoided this by asking 94 participants to identify the names
of fiction and non-fiction authors embedded in a long list of names that
also included non-authors. Prior research has shown this test correlates
well with how much people actually read. Among the authors listed were
Matt Ridley, Naomi Wolf (non-fiction), Toni Morrison and PD James
(fiction).

The more authors of fiction that a participant recognised, the higher
they tended to score on measures of social awareness and tests of
empathy – for example being able to recognise a person’s emotions from a
picture showing their eyes only, or being able to take another person’s
perspective. Recognising more non-fiction authors showed the opposite
association.

The researchers surmised that reading fiction could improve people’s
social awareness via at least two routes – by exposing them to concrete
social knowledge concerning the way people behave, and by allowing them
to practise inferring people’s intentions and monitoring people’s
relationships. Non-fiction readers, by contrast, “fail to simulate such
experiences, and may accrue a social deficit in social skills as a
result of removing themselves from the actual social world”.

However, a weakness of the study is that the direction of causation has
not been established – it might simply be that more empathic people
prefer reading novels.
___________________________________

Mar, R.A., Oatley, K., Hirsh, J., dela Paz, J. & Peterson, J.B. (2006).
Bookworms versus nerds: exposure to fiction versus non-fiction,
divergent associations with social ability, and the simulation of
fictional social worlds. Journal of Research in Personality, 40,
694-712. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2005.08.002

Author weblink: http://www.psych.utoronto.ca/~raymond/

Event: Institute of Ideas

I've been to one of these before - excellent events to attend:

copied from a newletter:

I thought you might like to hear about this year's Battle of Ideas major weekend festival of debates taking place in London, 28-29th October 2006. Never before has a 'battle of
ideas' been so necessary as 'culture wars' ignite close to home and
arguments rage over international policy. Over 50 debates will be
taking place over the weekend, featuring over 150 speakers debating
'hot' topics such as: 'Clash of Civilisations or Cultural Crisis?;
'Reassessing Liberty'; 'Empire of regulations or a Lawless World'; Is
the rise of religion a problem?; Surveillance society: protection from
ourselves?; and The Battle for History: national narrative versus
personal memories. We have also added a debate on the 'veils
controversy' and academic freedom. These are all contentious issues.
However, as the festival's 'slogan' is: 'Free speech allowed!' we look
forward to a wide-ranging exchange of views.



Other keynote debates include: 'Happiness vs. Affluence', 'Human
Enhancement: creating superhumans or dicing with death', 'Artistic
Autonomy', and themed strands of debates on Innovation, Law, Media and
Nature & environment. The new publication What is Science Education
For?', widely previewed in the media, will also be launched at the
festival. There are provocation lectures on national and cultural
identity (Who are in the 21st century?), anti-social behaviour ('nuff
respect? Questioning the 'respect' agenda) and contemporary anxieties
about economic prosperity (Money is not the root of all evil). There
are also a wide array of sessions relating to Health, Education,
Literature, Science, Technology, Design, Philosophy, Sport and much
more...


The event is held at the Royal College of Art, Kensington Gore, London
SW7 2EU and is organised by the Institute of Ideas in conjunction with
The Times, Research Councils UK and Pfizer, and many other partners and
sponsors.


To get a feel for the issues in advance of the festival, a wide
selection of Recommended Readingis now available on the website.

Quote for the day: "Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want" (Stamford 2005)

Multiple-Choice Assessments - our Assessing Adult Learning Assignment!

Hi group 2!

On doing a quick search of the articles about multiple choice questioning (MCQ) assessment I’ve found some (mainly US – based) research about HE issues, but also a lot of papers about either the self-management of patients’ chronic conditions or MCQ methods to measure the competence of their health professionals. It seems that there are many published papers about the biases involved in MCQ papers themselves (learning-styles/gender/ethnicity etc) or biases found in the correct answers (apparently these are frequently the longest ones – see below abstract)! Here are two web sites with a bit of info that you may find of use:

http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v6n1/haynie.jte-v6n1.html

http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JVME/V20-3/wilson.html


I will dig a bit deeper to find out about their use in the teaching of assessment to give us a clue where to start. Meanwhile have a look at these….

Response Biases in Multiple-Choice Test Item Files
Thomas L. Mentzer
University of New Haven
Thirty-five files of multiple-choice test items were examined for evidence of biases in the correct answers. Of seven types of biases, the most frequently occurring (24 cases) was the "All of the above" bias in which that answer was correct significantly more than 25% of the time. Another common bias (17 cases) was a tendency for the longest answer to be correct too frequently. Ten cases were also found in which answers of the form "Both A and B" were correct too frequently. Finally, the ABCD bias, in which the probability of each of the four response choices being correct differs from .25, was present in seven files. Three other biases occurred only a few times. It was concluded that authors should take precautions to prevent biases in future item files.
First web-based GCSE launched (TES 09/10/06)PA NewsPublished: 09 October 2006
The first GCSE to be entirely "e-assessed" was launched by an exam board today. Pupils will sit computer-based tests involving a mixture of multiple choice and short answers without any need for pens or pencils. Coursework for the new Environmental and Land-Based Science GCSE will also be submitted electronically. Marking for the multiple choice section of exams will be done by computer but other answers and coursework will be assessed by moderators. The GCSE has been developed by the OCR exams board, which said it would "put an end to endless reams of paper for both students and teachers". Storing work online eliminated the risk of mislaying papers and presenting work electronically allowed students to "take a much slicker and more professional approach to their work". The board said it would "transform the future of school examinations". Pupils are starting the GCSEs this term and will take their first exams in June next year before taking their final tests in 2008

"The dumbed-down GCSE exam with no need for writing"
TES: 12 June 2006
A new 'dumbing-down' row has erupted over Government plans to introduce GCSEs assessed entirely through multiple-choice questions. From November pupils across the country will be able to score up to 75 per cent in a science GCSE by choosing A, B, C or D options. The exam, run by the AQA and Edexcel boards, is the first major GCSE to be mainly multiple choice. Edexcel’s website says the exams give pupils "more chances to succeed". The row, first reported in this week’s TES, will fuel controversy over GCSEs and A-levels. Writing in The TES, Anthony Seldon, master of Wellington college, in Berkshire, says that confidence in the system is "draining quicker than credibility in George W Bush’s stance on Iraq". Meanwhile, Derek Bell, chief executive of the Association for Science Education said: "This seems to be an oversimplistic way of assessing what is a very complex learning process." The Conservatives were naturally quick to jab a stick at the Government’s plans. Nick Gibb, the Shadow Schools Minister, argued that an examination system is required that "genuinely tests the knowledge and skills children acquire at school" and not presumably not a dumbed-down system that simply "enables children to be trained for the exam itself", reports the Times.

"Pick A, B or C for a GCSE"
Warwick Mansell TES 09 June 2006
Hundreds of thousands of pupils will soon be able to pass GCSEs assessed entirely through multiple-choice questions and coursework. From November, pupils will be able to score up to 75 per cent in a science GCSE by choosing from A, B, C or D options. They will sit six multiple-choice papers of either 20 or 30 minutes, each of which is offered with up to five re-sits and is marked by computer. The exam, run by the AQA and Edexcel boards, is the first major GCSE to be mainly multiple-choice. The rest of the qualification comprises new-style coursework which allows pupils up to six attempts to get a good mark. Edexcel’s website says the exams give pupils “more chances to succeed” and that they can be tested “any time, allowing them to be tested on material when it’s fresh, and can take multiple tests”. Teachers will award up to 10 per cent of the marks for the Edexcel exam, and the board will not usually check their decision. The exams, which are also the first mainstream GCSEs to allow pupils to take some modules by computer, are provoking intense controversy. Derek Bell, chief executive of the Association for Science Education, said: “This seems to be an oversimplistic way of assessing what is a very complex learning process.” Jonathan Osborne, professor of science education at King’s college, London, said : “How is this going to assess pupils’ ability to express themselves in scientific language, a major aspect of science?” Critics say the new exams have been designed to be simple to mark, and to make it easy for pupils to get top grades. But the boards say that multiple-choice, or “objective tests”, can be a good way to check pupils’ understanding.
The development will fuel controversy over GCSEs and A-levels. Anthony Seldon, master of Wellington college, in Berkshire says confidence in the system is “draining quicker than credibility in George W Bush’s stance on Iraq”. Mr Seldon is organising a conference on June 27 in which heads of private schools will debate alternatives to mainstream exams. The new core science GCSEs are part of a set of courses designed to make the subject more exciting. Areas of study include genetic engineering, global warming and nanotechnology. Most pupils will take the exam alongside a second GCSE in additional science which is being assessed more traditionally. For coursework, pupils will complete up to six unassessed investigations. Their teachers will then set tests designed by the board on each project that will be conducted in exam conditions. The best mark will count towards their grade. An AQA spokeswoman said: “The variety of assessment processes we use reflects the diversity of skills being tested across a wide range of subjects. All our specifications have been subject to Qualifications and Curriculum Authority accreditation procedures.” A spokeswoman for the Edexcel board said its new courses were also accredited by the QCA and designed by science teachers. A QCA spokesman said the new specifications had yet to receive final accreditation, because the regulator believed that example questions suggested by the boards were not sufficiently “rigorous” but the concept of multiple-choice exams was something the QCA was happy with......

more later!!
happy reading!

Extreme Learning – Professor Mike Sharples’ Inaugural Lecture
28th September 2006

Reminder: good source of e-learning info from the Pew Learning Report 2004 (available online at www.pewinternet.org)

Often learning is perceived as difficult – and ways to overcome these difficulties to enable ‘easier’ learning are sought. Discussed the effectiveness of different types of learning – for example computer-assisted learning has been shown to be less effective than others (Parr et al meta-study). Widely perceived that best learning should be relaxed and in a non-confrontational environment. But sometimes learning under stressful or hazardous conditions is also successful – e.g. skiing (see Burton et al 1984). But how is learning measured as “effective” in these studies? Often quantitative data e.g. an intervention is only used if it produces Ð0.4 difference in learning outcomes (Pask, 1961). But teaching is the only control to learning – learning is easy it’s the TEACHING that is hard! This can be illustrated by studies showing most adults are involved in some kind of learning (95% according to Livingstone’s study). In this study learning episodes were self-defined and logged in personal diaries. The episodes occurred mainly at work (e.g. learning how to order a flower delivery) but could be separated into 3 distinct types of “everyday” learning :a)work; b)leisure (e.g. studying family history) –and c) “survival” e.g. tax returns on-line.

Argues that the ease of learning also illustrated by babies of only 9 months understanding speech patterns in that they attended more to previously heard words. They were learning by active repetition (see Morris & Fitz, 2000).

Described the MEDIATE study – a computer-based knowledge system where language is being developed to describe MRI scans – this is especially important in the case of abnormalities. Briefly, in this study 1200 MRI data where disease was known (through autopsy etc) were described as typical or atypical within a visual multidimensional pattern of an “80 dimensional” space. Importance of consistent, reliable language for each case – especially for trainee doctors. Word and image and repetition. This is echoed in successful models of learning, e.g. the managed, motivational and guided learning of “scaffolding” (see David Wood’s work, 2001).

So to maximise effectiveness of learning it must be supported and challenging – informal and incidental. But crucially it must contain an element of (perceived) risk whilst remaining challenging to the learner. In the past we have wrongly eliminated risk from the learning environment. But how to present “real” risk? E.g. consider the difference between a learner using a virtual calculator and a flight simulator. The item’s physical use is therefore important. Can simulated environments provide real risk? Transformational, empowering learning through positive trauma has been shown to lead to radical self-development (Woods, 1996). Extreme learning – you never know when it’s gonna happen!

I suppose it’s inevitable – but after my first week at Nottingham, it’s all been a bit of a culture-shock after being at Warwick for so long. I don’t think it could have been a more different learning experience. The other students in our group are all from very different and very interesting backgrounds – some with no teaching experience at all some with many years. Most of us are interested in the Skill4Life/ESOL/literacy areas, and some students are hoping to teach Art & Design, English and Maths. We met our four very different tutors – Mark Dale who is (unfortunately for us) moving on from academia to the challenges of being Principle at a local college. Anne O’Grady who is also running the course and from the sound of it has an interesting perspective from the commercial sector. Chris Atkin who has a special interest in rural education issues. And (I can hardly belive it) Kathryn Eccelstone who is a guru of adult education and a prolific author. It’s always strange to meet in the flesh authors you have read in the past – but at least there’s a better chance of me remembering them! Talking of meeting people who I’ve read, on Thursday, I stayed-on to attend Professor Mike Sharples’ inaugural lecture on “Extreme Learning” (if interested my personal notes available above). Remembering my many fellow students’ names was also made easier thanks to Mark Dale’s lesson – which unexpectedly was taken outside to enjoy the last of the day’s Autumnal sunshine. Everyone’s played that “ice-breaker” game where your small group forms a circle, throwing a ball to each other whilst calling out the appropriate name. It cleverly uses verbal, listening and kinaesthetic learning styles with repetition to help names stick. Mark’s version brought this game to a whole new level with 37 in the large circle on the grass and four balls being thrown simultaneously. It was a challenge! Not least to prevent the balls from landing in the nearby lakes - but I think after a few minutes most of us remembered each other’s names! It helped also that there are no similar names or duplicates apart from a ‘James’ (of whom one is “Jim”). We’ve got our full timetable for the term now and all the assessment details. Its gonna be an enjoyable year ahead some of which will be retreading theories that I never thought I would be returning to - like Knowles’ Andragogy; Illeris’s “3 dimensions of learning” and David Wood’s “Scaffolding” learning.