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Facility Condition Assessments Prove Valuable as Workplaces Change




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OSCE Office in Tajikistan presents recommendations from the Customs Code Integrity Assessment

The need for a risk management system for Tajikistan’s Customs Service and simpler procedures for transparency and accountability are key recommendations of an integrity assessment of the Customs Code, presented to international donors, private and international companies and NGOs by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan on 18 July 2016.

The assessment, which was commissioned by the OSCE Office in consultation with government representatives and international development partners, is the third in a series of assessments to examine the administrative codes and legal acts relevant for international business and cross-border trade in Tajikistan. Previous assessments focused on the Tax Code and different administrative legal acts.

Ambassador Markus Müller, the Head of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan welcomed the positive reception of the current anti-corruption assessment not only by international organizations but also within government circles and confirmed the Office’s readiness to work with all the relevant stakeholders involved.

The presentation of the Customs Code assessment followed a series of practical workshops on anti-corruption assessments for experts from the government and NGOs. During these workshops, participants learned how to identify in legislation provisions that might lead to corruption and draft recommendations to eliminate potentially corruptive provisions in law.

The Customs Code assessment is part of a multi-year initiative by the OSCE Office with the objective of designing a training module on anti-corruption assessment to be included in the mandatory training curricula for civil servants. 

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Town, N.W.T. gov't side with Imperial Oil while Indigenous governments push for environmental assessment

In submissions on the issue, four Indigenous governments argued in favour of the Sahtu Secretariat’s right to refer Imperial Oil to environmental assessment, while the Town of Norman Wells and Northwest Territories government supported Imperial Oil’s application to stop the assessment.



  • News/Canada/North

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High turnover at Transit Plus blamed for assessment backlog

Disability advocates sounded the alarm at Winnipeg city hall over Transit Plus users experiencing long delays for assessments to receive accommodations, leading to a loss of trust between the accessible transit service and the community. 



  • News/Canada/Manitoba

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Correction: computational design, synthesis, and assessment of 3-(4-(4-(1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl)phenyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole derivatives as effective epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors: a prospective strategy for anticancer therapy

RSC Med. Chem., 2024, 15,3912-3912
DOI: 10.1039/D4MD90040E, Correction
Open Access
  This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence.
Nilesh Raghunath Khedkar, Milind Sindkhedkar, Alex Joseph
The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry




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A reassessment of Mesozoic-Cenozoic seabed samples of bedrock from the western Davis Strait and eastern Baffin Island margin, offshore Nunavut: new insights into their lithology, age, and paleoenvironment of deposition

Dafoe, L T; Williams, G L. Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 8702, 2020, 41 pages, https://doi.org/10.4095/321758
<a href="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/of8702.jpg"><img src="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/of8702.jpg" title="Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 8702, 2020, 41 pages, https://doi.org/10.4095/321758" height="150" border="1" /></a>




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Palynostratigraphic and integrated paleoenvironmental assessment of the ODP Site 645 corehole in Baffin Bay, offshore Nunavut

Dafoe, L T; Williams, G L. Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 8701, 2020, 61 pages (4 sheets), https://doi.org/10.4095/321736
<a href="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/of8701.jpg"><img src="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/of8701.jpg" title="Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 8701, 2020, 61 pages (4 sheets), https://doi.org/10.4095/321736" height="150" border="1" /></a>




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LiDAR-based quantitative assessment of drumlin to mega-scale glacial lineation continuums and flow of the paleo Seneca-Cayuga paleo-ice stream

Sookhan, S; Eyles, N; Bukhari, S; Paulen, R C. GAC®-MAC 2021, London, Canada: Exploring Geosciences Through Time and Space/GAC®-MAC 2021, London, Canada : Explorer les géosciences à travers le temps et l'espace; Geological Association of Canada-Mineralogical Association of Canada, Joint Annual Meeting, Abstracts Volume vol. 44, 2021 p. 289
<a href="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/20210298.jpg"><img src="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/20210298.jpg" title="GAC®-MAC 2021, London, Canada: Exploring Geosciences Through Time and Space/GAC®-MAC 2021, London, Canada : Explorer les géosciences à travers le temps et l'espace; Geological Association of Canada-Mineralogical Association of Canada, Joint Annual Meeting, Abstracts Volume vol. 44, 2021 p. 289" height="150" border="1" /></a>




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LiDAR-based quantitative assessment of drumlin to mega-scale glacial lineation continuums and flow of the paleo Seneca-Cayuga paleo-ice stream

Sookhan, S; Eyles, N; Bukhari, S; Paulen, R C. Quaternary Science Reviews vol. 263, 107003, 2021 p. 1-17, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2021.107003




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Assessment of the Amaruq gold deposit signature in glacial sediments using multivariate geochemical data analysis and indicator minerals

de Bronac de Vazelhes, V; McMartin, I; Côté-Mantha, O; Boulianne-Verschelden, N. Journal of Geochemical Exploration vol. 228, 106800, 2021 p. 1-17, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gexplo.2021.106800
<a href="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/20200684.jpg"><img src="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/20200684.jpg" title="Journal of Geochemical Exploration vol. 228, 106800, 2021 p. 1-17, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gexplo.2021.106800" height="150" border="1" /></a>




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Assessment and management of facial nerve palsy




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New Webinar Added: Assessment of Treatment Response to Established and Novel Therapies in Glioblastoma Patients using Metabolic and Physiologic MR Imaging Techniques




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High Court rules Work Capability Assessment arguably unlawful

This is a press release from earlier this year about the judicial review that is due to be heard at the Royal Courts Of Justice on the 15th, 16th and 18th of January 2013. Lets pray it goes in our favour as it will open the floodgates for legal action over the WCA if it does. 

Thursday, July 26, 2012

The High Court has today granted permission to two disabled people to bring a claim for
judicial review against the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to challenge the
operation of the Work Capability Assessment (WCA).
WCAs are face to face interviews carried out by healthcare professionals (HCPs)
employed by Atos Healthcare (a private contractor), to assess disabled people’s
entitlement to Employment and Support Allowance (a sickness benefit that has replaced
the old Incapacity Benefit). Each existing recipient of Incapacity Benefit is now being
assessed for eligibility for ESA, at the rate of some 11,000 people per week. WCAs have
been the subject of serious criticism by all relevant stakeholders in civil society including
doctors and NGOs working on behalf of disabled people.
The present case concerns some of the problems with the system as experienced by
people with mental health problems. Although medically trained, Atos HCPs typically
have very limited knowledge of mental health. The interviews are often hurried, and rely
on applicants to explain the limitations on their ability to work.
This is a serious problem for people with mental health conditions who lack insight into
their conditions, whose conditions fluctuate in seriousness, or who cannot easily talk
about their disability. Such people are placed at a substantial disadvantage in navigating
the system. Even if they appreciate the need to get expert medical evidence for
themselves, they are often less able to navigate the system successfully and to obtain
the medical report that they need. The Equality Act 2010 requires the DWP to make
reasonable adjustments to avoid such disadvantage.
The reasonable adjustment to the process that the claimants seek is for medical
evidence to be sought by the Atos HCP and the DWP at the very outset of the claim.
This would ensure that very sick people for whom having to go through a WCA would be
extremely distressing are exempted from the process, and for those that do attend a
WCA, the assessment of fitness to work takes place in the correct medical context, so
that dangers associated with forcing people back to work are correctly identified.
At present, the DWP do not routinely ask for expert medical report from an applicant’s
community-based doctor. The judge has held that it is arguable that this failure is a
breach of the duty to make reasonable adjustments, and is therefore unlawful.
In granting permission to apply for judicial review, the judge stated:
“I consider that it is reasonably arguable that the reasonable adjustments
required by the [Equality Act 2010] include the early obtaining of independent
medical evidence where the documents submitted with the claim show that the
claimant suffers from mental health problems and that this has not been done, or
at least not done on a sufficiently widespread basis”.
The claimants, known as MM and DM, were granted anonymity by the court. Their
solicitor, Ravi Low-Beer of the Public Law Project said:
“The present system results in many thousands of unnecessary appeals at great
public expense, with a high success rate. What is not counted is the cost in
human misery for those people who should never have had to go through the
appeals process in the first place. This could be avoided if doctors were involved
in the assessments at the outset. The Government’s policy of by-passing doctors
is inefficient, unfair, and inhumane. We gain heart from the court’s finding that as
a matter of law, it is arguable that something has to change.”
For further information contact Ravi Low-Beer on
r.lowbeer@publiclawproject.org.uk/0845 543 5944
or Adrian Lukes on
a.lukes@publiclawproject.org.uk/0845 543 5946.
Public Law Project (PLP)
PLP is an independent, national legal charity which aims to improve access to justice for
those whose access is restricted by poverty, discrimination or other similar barriers. To
fulfil its objectives PLP undertakes research, policy initiatives, casework and training
across the range of public law remedies.
For more information on our work, events and publications: www.publiclawproject.org.uk




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Oracle Positioned as a Leader in 2024 IDC MarketScape - Worldwide Cash Management Systems Vendor Assessment

PRZOOM - Newswire (press release) - Tue, 12 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0500, London United Kingdom - Recognized for comprehensive and configurable SaaS cash management portfolio with embedded AI and ML for more accurate predictive forecasting - idc.com / Oracle.com




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Zimbabwe: Kadewere Avails Self for Injury Assessment

[The Herald] Tino Kadewere made himself available for assessment by the Zimbabwe Warriors team doctors after pulling out of the crucial 2025 AFCON qualifier against Kenya in Polokwane on Friday.




assessment

Effective Parish Assessment Program Part 1

Doctors know the tests to administer to assess our personal health. Financial planners know how to assess our financial health. However, our parishes lack similar empirical and validated tools to help them. After over 20 years of working with over 500 Orthodox Christian parishes and completing strategic plans that cover over 26% of Orthodox Christians in the U.S., the Orthodox Ministry Services (OMS) team has developed the Effective Parish Assessment (EPA). The EPA is a reliable and easy way for you to assess your parish’s health and effectiveness in the 6 Pillars and 30 Building Blocks of operational excellence. OMS is providing the Effective Parish Assessment Program for free to selected Cohort Effective Parishes with the support of Leadership 100 and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. Tune in to these TWO programs and find out if your parish is eligible, and how you can apply, to participate in this dynamic free and helpful parish improvement program. We also welcome your calls and questions. If your parish is an innovator with Clergy and Lay Leaders committed to operational excellence and the best possible parish health and effectiveness, these programs are for you. Join my fellow OMS Team members as over 2 programs we describe in more detail the 6 Pillars, 30 Building Blocks, the Effective Parish Assessment Program, and how it can benefit your parish.




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Effective Parish Assessment Program Part 2

In Part 2 of a two-part show, Bill and colleagues Nick Chakos, Steve Tibbs, and Dr. Mitch Owens continue their exploration of the 6 Pillars and 30 Building Blocks of effective and healthy parishes, and how the Effective Parish Assessment works to provide invaluable information to Orthodox Christian parishes




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An Orthodox Assessment of Evangelicalism

Recently Fr. Thomas Hopko visited and spoke at the well known and evangelical based Wheaton College. While he appreciated and was honored by the opportunity, it caused him to reflect on the evangelical movement from an Orthodox Christian perspective. His thoughts will be of value to Orthodox and Evangelicals alike.




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An empirical study on construction emergency disaster management and risk assessment in shield tunnel construction project with big data analysis

Emergency disaster management presents substantial risks and obstacles to shield tunnel building projects, particularly in the event of water leakage accidents. Contemporary water leak detection is critical for guaranteeing safety by reducing the likelihood of disasters and the severity of any resulting damages. However, it can be difficult. Deep learning models can analyse images taken inside the tunnel to look for signs of water damage. This study introduces a unique strategy that employs deep learning techniques, generative adversarial networks (GAN) with long short-term memory (LSTM) for water leakage detection i shield tunnel construction (WLD-STC) to conduct classification and prediction tasks on the massive image dataset. The results demonstrate that for identifying and analysing water leakage episodes during shield tunnel construction, the WLD-STC strategy using LSTM-based GAN networks outperformed other methods, particularly on huge data.




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E-portfolio Assessment System for an Outcome-Based Information Technology Curriculum




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Improving Outcome Assessment in Information Technology Program Accreditation




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Wearing the Assessment ‘BRACElet’




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Using Digital Logs to Reduce Academic Misdemeanour by Students in Digital Forensic Assessments




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An Exploratory Study on Using Wiki to Foster Student Teachers’ Learner-centered Learning and Self and Peer Assessment




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Self-regulated Mobile Learning and Assessment: An Evaluation of Assessment Interfaces




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Experiences of Using Automated Assessment in Computer Science Courses

In this paper we discuss the use of automated assessment in a variety of computer science courses that have been taught at Israel Academic College by the authors. The course assignments were assessed entirely automatically using Checkpoint, a web-based automated assessment framework. The assignments all used free-text questions (where the students type in their own answers). Students were allowed to correct errors based on feedback provided by the system and resubmit their answers. A total of 141 students were surveyed to assess their opinions of this approach, and we analysed their responses. Analysis of the questionnaire showed a low correlation between questions, indicating the statistical independence of the individual questions. As a whole, student feedback on using Checkpoint was very positive, emphasizing the benefits of multiple attempts, impartial marking, and a quick turnaround time for submissions. Many students said that Checkpoint gave them confidence in learning and motivation to practise. Students also said that the detailed feedback that Checkpoint generated when their programs failed helped them understand their mistakes and how to correct them.




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Effectiveness of Peer Assessment in a Professionalism Course Using an Online Workshop

An online Moodle Workshop was evaluated for peer assessment effectiveness. A quasi-experiment was designed using a Seminar in Professionalism course taught in face-to-face mode to undergraduate students across two campuses. The first goal was to determine if Moodle Workshop awarded a fair peer grader grade. The second objective was to estimate if students were consistent and reliable in performing their peer assessments. Statistical techniques were used to answer the research hypotheses. Although Workshop Moodle did not have a built-in measure for peer assessment validity, t-tests and reliability estimates were calculated to demonstrate that the grades were consistent with what faculty expected. Implications were asserted to improve teaching and recommendations were provided to enhance Moodle.




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Investigating the Feasibility of Automatic Assessment of Programming Tasks

Aim/Purpose: The aims of this study were to investigate the feasibility of automatic assessment of programming tasks and to compare manual assessment with automatic assessment in terms of the effect of the different assessment methods on the marks of the students. Background: Manual assessment of programs written by students can be tedious. The assistance of automatic assessment methods might possibly assist in reducing the assessment burden, but there may be drawbacks diminishing the benefits of applying automatic assessment. The paper reports on the experience of a lecturer trying to introduce automated grading. Students’ solutions to a practical Java programming test were assessed both manually and automatically and the lecturer tied the experience to the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT). Methodology: The participants were 226 first-year students registered for a Java programming course. Of the tests the participants submitted, 214 were assessed both manually and automatically. Various statistical methods were used to compare the manual assessment of student’s solutions with the automatic assessment of the same solutions. A detailed investigation of reasons for differences was also carried out. A further data collection method was the lecturer’s reflection on the feasibility of automatic assessment of programming tasks based on the UTAUT. Contribution: This study enhances the knowledge regarding benefits and drawbacks of automatic assessment of students’ programming tasks. The research contributes to the UTAUT by applying it in a context where it has hardly been used. Furthermore, the study is a confirmation of previous work stating that automatic assessment may be less reliable for students with lower marks, but more trustworthy for the high achieving students. Findings: An automatic assessment tool verifying functional correctness might be feasible for assessment of programs written during practical lab sessions but could be less useful for practical tests and exams where functional, conceptual and structural correctness should be evaluated. In addition, the researchers found that automatic assessment seemed to be more suitable for assessing high achieving students. Recommendations for Practitioners: This paper makes it clear that lecturers should know what assessment goals they want to achieve. The appropriate method of assessment should be chosen wisely. In addition, practitioners should be aware of the drawbacks of automatic assessment before choosing it. Recommendation for Researchers: This work serves as an example of how researchers can apply the UTAUT theory when conducting qualitative research in different contexts. Impact on Society: The study would be of interest to lecturers considering automated assessment. The two assessments used in the study are typical of the way grading takes place in practice and may help lecturers understand what could happen if they switch from manual to automatic assessment. Future Research: Investigate the feasibility of automatic assessment of students’ programming tasks in a practical lab environment while accounting for structural, functional and conceptual assessment goals.




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A Real-time Plagiarism Detection Tool for Computer-based Assessments

Aim/Purpose: The aim of this article is to develop a tool to detect plagiarism in real time amongst students being evaluated for learning in a computer-based assessment setting. Background: Cheating or copying all or part of source code of a program is a serious concern to academic institutions. Many academic institutions apply a combination of policy driven and plagiarism detection approaches. These mechanisms are either proactive or reactive and focus on identifying, catching, and punishing those found to have cheated or plagiarized. To be more effective against plagiarism, mechanisms that detect cheating or colluding in real-time are desirable. Methodology: In the development of a tool for real-time plagiarism prevention, literature review and prototyping was used. The prototype was implemented in Delphi programming language using Indy components. Contribution: A real-time plagiarism detection tool suitable for use in a computer-based assessment setting is developed. This tool can be used to complement other existing mechanisms. Findings: The developed tool was tested in an environment with 55 personal computers and found to be effective in detecting unauthorized access to internet, intranet, and USB ports on the personal computers. Recommendations for Practitioners: The developed tool is suitable for use in any environment where computer-based evaluation may be conducted. Recommendation for Researchers: This work provides a set of criteria for developing a real-time plagiarism prevention tool for use in a computer-based assessment. Impact on Society: The developed tool prevents academic dishonesty during an assessment process, consequently, inculcating confidence in the assessment processes and respectability of the education system in the society. Future Research: As future work, we propose a comparison between our tool and other such tools for its performance and its features. In addition, we want to extend our work to include testing for scalability of the tool to larger settings.




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Improving Workgroup Assessment with WebAVALIA: The Concept, Framework and First Results

Aim/Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop an efficient methodology that can assist the evaluators in assessing a variable number of individuals that are working in groups and guarantee that the assessment is dependent on the group members’ performance and contribution to the work developed. Background: Collaborative work has been gaining more popularity in academic settings. However, group assessment needs to be performed according to each individual’s performance. The problem rests on the need to distinguish each member of the group in order to provide fair and unbiased assessments. Methodology: Design Science Research methodology supported the design of a framework able to provide the evaluator with the means to distinguish individuals in a workgroup and deliver fair results. Hevner’s DSR guidelines were fulfilled in order to describe WebAVALIA. To evaluate the framework, a quantitative study was performed and the first results are presented. Contribution: This paper provides a methodological solution regarding a fair evaluation of collaborative work through a tool that allows its users to perform their own assessment and peer assessment. These are made accordingly to the user’s perspectives on the performance of each group member throughout the work development. Findings: The first analysis of the results indicates that the developed method provides fairness in the assessment of group members, delivering a distinction amongst individuals. Therefore, each group member obtains a mark that corresponds to their specific contribution to the workgroup. Recommendations for Practitioners: For those who intend to apply this workgroup assessment method, it is relevant to raise student awareness about the methodology that is going to be used. That is, all the functionalities and steps in WebAVALIA have to be thoroughly explained before beginning of the project. Then, the evaluators have to decide about the students’ intermediate voting, namely if the evaluator chooses or not to publish student results throughout the project’s development. If there is the decision to display these intermediate results, the evaluator must try to encourage collaboration among workgroup members, instead of competition. Recommendation for Researchers: This study explores the design and development of an e-assessment tool – WebAVALIA. In order to assess its feasibility, its use in other institutions or contexts is recommended. The gathering of user opinions is suggested as well. It would then be interesting to compare the findings of this study with the results from other experimentations Impact on Society: Sometimes, people develop a rejection of collaborative work because they feel exploited due to the biased evaluation results. However, the group members assessment distinction, according to each one’s performance, may give each individual a sense of fairness and reward, leading to an openness/willingness towards collaborative work. Future Research: As future work, there are plans to implement the method in other group assessment contexts – such as sports and business environments, other higher education institutions, technical training students – in other cultures and countries. From this myriad of contexts, satisfaction results would be compared. Other future plans are to further explore the mathematical formulations and the respective WebAVALIA supporting algorithms.




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E- Assessment with Multiple-Choice Questions: A 5 Year Study of Students’ Opinions and Experience

Aim/Purpose: The aim of this study is to understand student’s opinions and perceptions about e-assessment when the assessment process was changed from the traditional computer assisted method to a multiple-choice Moodle based method. Background: In order to implement continuous assessment to a large number of students, several shifts are necessary, which implies as many different tests as the number of shifts required. Consequently, it is difficult to ensure homogeneity through the different tests and a huge amount of grading time is needed. These problems related to the traditional assessment based on computer assisted tests, lead to a re-design of the assessment resulting in the use of multiple-choice Moodle tests. Methodology: A longitudinal, concurrent, mixed method study was implemented over a five-year period. A survey was developed and carried out by 815 undergraduate students who experienced the electronic multiple-choice questions (eMCQ) assessment in the courses of the IS department. Qualitative analyses included open-ended survey responses and interviews with repeating students in the first year. Contribution: This study provides a reflection tool on how to incorporate frequent moments of assessment in courses with a high number of students without overloading teachers with a huge workload. The research analysed the efficiency of assessing non-theoretical topics using eMCQ, while ensuring the homogeneity of assessment tests, which needs to be complemented with other assessment methods in order to assure that students develop and acquire the expected skills and competencies. Findings: The students involved in the study appreciate the online multiple-choice quiz assessment method and perceive it as fair but have a contradictory opinion regarding the preference of the assessment method, throughout the years. These changes in perception may be related to the improvement of the question bank and categorisation of questions according to difficulty level, which lead to the nullification of the ‘luck factor’. Other major findings are that although the online multiple-choice quizzes are used with success in the assessment of theoretical topics, the same is not in evidence regarding practical topics. Therefore, this assessment needs to be complemented with other methods in order to achieve the expected learning outcomes. Recommendations for Practitioners: In order to be able to evaluate the same expected learning outcomes in practical topics, particularly in technology and information systems subjects, the evaluator should complement the online multiple-choice quiz assessment with other approaches, such as a PBL method, homework assignments, and/or other tasks performed during the semester. Recommendation for Researchers: This study explores e-assessment with online multiple-choice quizzes in higher education. It provides a survey that can be applied in other institutions that are also using online multiple-choice quizzes to assess non-theorical topics. In order to better understand the students’ opinions on the development of skills and competencies with online multiple-choice quizzes and on the other hand with classical computer assisted assessment, it would be necessary to add questions concerning these aspects. It would then be interesting to compare the findings of this study with the results from other institutions. Impact on Society: The increasing number of students in higher education has led to a raised use of e-assessment activities, since it can provide a fast and efficient manner to assess a high number of students. Therefore, this research provides meaningful insight of the stakeholders’ perceptions of online multiple-choice quizzes about practical topics. Future Research: An interesting study, in the future, would be to obtain the opinions of a particular set of students on two tests, one of the tests using online multiple-choice quizzes and the other through a classical computer assisted assessment method. A natural extension of the present study is a comparative analysis regarding the grades obtained by students who performed one or another type of assessment (online multiple-choice quizzes vs. classical computer assisted assessment).




assessment

Formative Assessment Activities to Advance Education: A Case Study

Aim/Purpose: During the education of future engineers and experts in the field of computer science and information communication technology, the achievement of learning outcomes related to different levels of cognitive ability and knowledge dimensions can be a challenge. Background: Teachers need to design an appropriate set of activities for students and combine theory-based knowledge acquisition with practical training in technical skills. Including various activities for formative assessment during the course can positively affect students’ motivation for learning and ensure appropriate and timely feedback that will guide students in further learning. Methodology: The aim of the research presented in this paper is to propose an approach for course delivery in the field of software engineering and to determine whether the use of the approach increases student’s academic achievement. Using the proposed approach, the course Process Modeling for undergraduate students was redesigned and experimental study was conducted. Course results of the students (N=82) who took the new version of the course (experimental group) were compared to the results of the students from the control group (N=66). Contribution: An approach for a blended learning course in the field of software engineering was developed. This approach is based on the formative assessment activities that promote collaboration and the use of digital tools. Newly designed activities are used to encourage a greater level of acquired theoretical content and enhance the acquisition of subject-specific skills needed for practical tasks. Findings: The results showed that students who participated in the formative assessment activities achieved significantly better results. They had significantly higher scores in the main components of assessment compared to the students from the control group. In addition, students from the experimental group expressed positive views about the effectiveness of the used approach. Recommendations for Practitioners: The proposed approach has potential to increase students’ motivation and academic achievements so practitioners should consider to apply it in their own context. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers are encouraged to conduct additional studies to explore the effectiveness of the approach with different courses and participants as well as to provide further insights regarding its applicability and acceptance by students. Impact on Society: The paper provides an approach and an example of good practice that may be beneficial for the university teachers in the field of computer science, information-communication technology, and engineering. Future Research: In the future, face-to-face activities will be adapted for performance in an online environment. Future work will also include a research on the possibilities of personalization of activities in accordance with the students’ characteristics.




assessment

Objective Assessment in Java Programming Language Using Rubrics

Aim/Purpose: This paper focuses on designing and implementing the rubric for objective JAVA programming assessments. An unsupervised learning approach was used to group learners based on their performance in the results obtained from the rubric, reflecting their learning ability. Background: Students' learning outcomes have been evaluated subjectively using a rubric for years. Subjective assessments are simple to construct yet inconsistent and biased to evaluate. Objective assessments are stable, reliable, and easy to conduct. However, they usually lack rubrics. Methodology: In this study, a Top-Down assessment approach is followed, i.e., a rubric focused on the learning outcome of the subject is designed, and the proficiency of learners is judged by their performance in conducting the task given. A JAVA rubric is proposed based on the learning outcomes like syntactical, logical, conceptual, and advanced JAVA skills. A JAVA objective quiz (with multiple correct options) is prepared based on the rubric criteria, comprising five questions per criterion. The examination was conducted for 209 students (100 from the MCA course and 109 from B.Tech. course). The suggested rubric was used to compute the results. K-means clustering was applied to the results to classify the students according to their learning preferences and abilities. Contribution: This work contributes to the field of rubric designing by creating an objective programming assessment and analyzing the learners’ performance using machine learning techniques. It also facilitates a reliable feedback approach offering various possibilities in student learning analytics. Findings: The designed rubric, partial scoring, and cluster analysis of the results help us to provide individual feedback and also, group the students based on their learning skills. Like on average, learners are good at remembering the syntax and concepts, mediocre in logical and critical thinking, and need more practice in code optimization and designing applications. Recommendations for Practitioners: The practical implications of this work include rubric designing for objective assessments and building an informative feedback process. Faculty can use this approach as an alternative assessment measure. They are the strong pillars of e-assessments and virtual learning platforms. Recommendation for Researchers: This research presents a novel approach to rubric-based objective assessments. Thus, it provides a fresh perspective to the researchers promising enough opportunities in the current era of digital education. Impact on Society: In order to accomplish the shared objective of reflective learning, the grading rubric and its accompanying analysis can be utilized by both instructors and students. As an instructional assessment tool, the rubric helps instructors to align their pedagogies with the students’ learning levels and assists students in updating their learning paths based on the informative topic-wise scores generated with the help of the rubric. Future Research: The designed rubric in this study can be extended to other programming languages and subjects. Further, an adaptable weighted rubric can be created to execute a flexible and reflective learning process. In addition, outcome-based learning can be achieved by measuring and analyzing student improvements after rubric evaluation.




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Matching Authors and Reviewers in Peer Assessment Based on Authors’ Profiles

Aim/Purpose: To encourage students’ engagement in peer assessments and provide students with better-quality feedback, this paper describes a technique for author-reviewer matching in peer assessment systems – a Balanced Allocation algorithm. Background: Peer assessment concerns evaluating the work of colleagues and providing feedback on their work. This process is widely applied as a learning method to involve students in the progress of their learning. However, as students have different ability levels, the efficacy of the peer feedback differs from case to case. Thus, peer assessment may not provide satisfactory results for students. In order to mitigate this issue, this paper explains and evaluates an algorithm that matches the author to a set of reviewers. The technique matches authors and reviewers based on how difficult the authors perceived the assignment to be, and the algorithm then matches the selected author to a group of reviewers who may meet the author’s needs in regard to the selected assignment. Methodology: This study used the Multiple Criteria Decision-Making methodology (MCDM) to determine a set of reviewers from among the many available options. The weighted sum method was used because the data that have been collected in user profiles are expressed in the same unit. This study produced an experimental result, examining the algorithm with a real collected dataset and mock-up dataset. In total, there were 240 students in the real dataset, and it contained self-assessment scores, peer scores, and instructor scores for the same assignment. The mock-up dataset created 1000 records for self-assessment scores. The algorithm was evaluated using focus group discussions with 29 programming students and interviews with seven programming instructors. Contribution: This paper contributes to the field in the following two ways. First, an algorithm using a MCDM methodology was proposed to match authors and reviewers in order to facilitate the peer assessment process. In addition, the algorithm used self-assessment as an initial data source to match users, rather than randomly creating reviewer – author pairs. Findings: The findings show the accurate results of the algorithm in matching three reviewers for each author. Furthermore, the algorithm was evaluated based on students’ and instructors’ perspectives. The results are very promising, as they depict a high level of satisfaction for the Balanced Allocation algorithm. Recommendations for Practitioners: We recommend instructors to consider using the Balanced Allocation algorithm to match students in peer assessments, and consequently to benefit from personalizing peer assessment based on students' needs. Recommendation for Researchers: Several MCDM methods could be expanded upon, such as the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) if different attributes are collected, or the artificial neural network (ANN) if fuzzy data is available in the user profile. Each method is suitable for special cases depending on the data available for decision-making. Impact on Society: Suitable pairing in peer assessment would increase the credibility of the peer assessment process and encourage students’ engagement in peer assessments. Future Research: The Balanced Allocation algorithm could be applied using a single group, and a peer assessment with random matching with another group may also be conducted, followed by performing a t-test to determine the impact of matching on students’ performances in the peer assessment activity.




assessment

Unveiling Learner Emotions: Sentiment Analysis of Moodle-Based Online Assessments Using Machine Learning

Aim/Purpose: The study focused on learner sentiments and experiences after using the Moodle assessment module and trained a machine learning classifier for future sentiment predictions. Background: Learner assessment is one of the standard methods instructors use to measure students’ performance and ascertain successful teaching objectives. In pedagogical design, assessment planning is vital in lesson content planning to the extent that curriculum designers and instructors primarily think like assessors. Assessment aids students in redefining their understanding of a subject and serves as the basis for more profound research in that particular subject. Positive results from an evaluation also motivate learners and provide employment directions to the students. Assessment results guide not just the students but also the instructor. Methodology: A modified methodology was used for carrying out the study. The revised methodology is divided into two major parts: the text-processing phase and the classification model phase. The text-processing phase consists of stages including cleaning, tokenization, and stop words removal, while the classification model phase consists of dataset training using a sentiment analyser, a polarity classification model and a prediction validation model. The text-processing phase of the referenced methodology did not utilise tokenization and stop words. In addition, the classification model did not include a sentiment analyser. Contribution: The reviewed literature reveals two major omissions: sentiment responses on using the Moodle for online assessment, particularly in developing countries with unstable internet connectivity, have not been investigated, and variations of the k-fold cross-validation technique in detecting overfitting and developing a reliable classifier have been largely neglected. In this study we built a Sentiment Analyser for Learner Emotion Management using the Moodle for assessment with data collected from a Ghanaian tertiary institution and developed a classification model for future sentiment predictions by evaluating the 10-fold and the 5-fold techniques on prediction accuracy. Findings: After training and testing, the RF algorithm emerged as the best classifier using the 5-fold cross-validation technique with an accuracy of 64.9%. Recommendations for Practitioners: Instead of a closed-ended questionnaire for learner feedback assessment, the open-ended mechanism should be utilised since learners can freely express their emotions devoid of restrictions. Recommendation for Researchers: Feature selection for sentiment analysis does not always improve the overall accuracy for the classification model. The traditional machine learning algorithms should always be compared to either the ensemble or the deep learning algorithms Impact on Society: Understanding learners’ emotions without restriction is important in the educational process. The pedagogical implementation of lessons and assessment should focus on machine learning integration Future Research: To compare ensemble and deep learning algorithms




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Development and validation of scale to measure minimalism - a study analysing psychometric assessment of minimalistic behaviour! Consumer perspective

This research aims to establish a valid and accurate measurement scale and identify consumer-driven characteristics for minimalism. The study has employed a hybrid approach to produce items for minimalism. Expert interviews were conducted to identify the items for minimalism in the first phase followed by consumer survey to obtain their response in second phase. A five-point Likert scale was used to collect the data. Further, data was subjected to reliability and validity check. Structural equation modelling was used to test the model. The findings demonstrated that there are five dimensions by which consumers perceive minimalism: decluttering, mindful consumption, aesthetic choices, financial freedom, and sustainable lifestyle. The outcome also revealed a high correlation between simplicity and well-being. This study is the first to provide a reliable and valid instrument for minimalism. The results will have several theoretical and practical ramifications for society and policymakers. It will support policymakers in gauging and encouraging minimalistic practices, which enhance environmental performance and lower carbon footprint.




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Risk assessment method of power grid construction project investment based on grey relational analysis

In view of the problems of low accuracy, long time consuming and low efficiency of the existing engineering investment risk assessment method; this paper puts forward the investment risk assessment method of power grid construction project based on grey correlation analysis. Firstly, classify the risks of power grid construction project; secondly, determine the primary index and secondary index of investment risk assessment of power grid construction project; then construct the correlation coefficient matrix of power grid project investment risk to calculate the correlation degree and weight of investment risk index; finally, adopt the grey correlation analysis method to construct investment risk assessment function to realise investment risk assessment. The experimental results show that the average accuracy of evaluating the investment risk of power grid construction projects using the method is 95.08%, and the maximum time consuming is 49 s, which proves that the method has high accuracy, short time consuming and high evaluation efficiency.




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A Framework for Student Assessment using Applied Simulation




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An Assessment of Software Project Management Maturity in Mauritius




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Formative Assessment Visual Feedback in Computer Graded Essays




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Development of Scoring Rubrics for Projects as an Assessment Tool across an IS Program




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Concept Maps as a Learning Assessment Tool




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Assessment of School Information System Utilization in the UAE Primary Schools




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Interweaving Rubrics in Information Systems Program Assessments- Experiences from Action Research at Two Universities




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Risk Assessment of Information Technology Systems




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Assessment of Nigerian Teacher Educators’ ICT Training




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Information System and Risk Reassessment




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Should the “CLOUD” be Regulated? An Assessment




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The Impact of Peer Assessment and Feedback Strategy in Learning Computer Programming in Higher Education