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Evaluation of community-campus partnerships is a contested topic and, in many ways, is still at an early stage of development. With growing momentum behind community-university collaboration and increased pressure to document the positive impact of universities, there is a pressing need for research and innovation in this area. Many community engagement professionals are looking for new and creative approaches to evaluating partnership work -- approaches that capture the work's depth, complexity, and values and can be used to foster learning, community accountability, collaboration, and systems change. This article proposes six promising directions for research and practice related to evaluating campus-community partnerships. They emerged as themes from an interactive CUMU Community Engagement Evaluation Huddle session at the annual CUMU conference. Drawing on the collective knowledge of Huddle participants, we identified the following directions: (1) evaluating systemic racism; (2) community-driven evaluation; (3) community impact and benefit; (4) evaluating relationships; (5) alignment of stakeholders; and (6) blended approaches. We offer these directions, key questions, and examples from the field as a first step toward a field-wide agenda for advancing evaluation in a critical, participatory, community-based spirit. [Note: The issue number (4) shown in the citation on the PDF is incorrect. The correct issue number is 3.]

Discussions of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in education that do not show an impact regularly focus on the intervention and how it failed to impact on expected measures, with typologies identifying persistent critical points of failure. This paper uses one such RCT--the Integrating English programme--to exemplify the application of a new model to explain failure in RCTs. To do so, the paper develops a set of categories of context drawing on the wider social evaluation field: backdrop, design, operation and interpretation. Thus, the paper exposes critical weak points in the commission and interpretation, as well as the implementation, of an RCT. Our aim is to work towards more robust evaluations by demonstrating that it is not simply the programme design, implementation and evaluation that can contribute to a lack of impact; there can be more fundamental system issues at play.

Recognition of the complexity of the world raises questions about new theories, methods, and capabilities for evaluation practice. Approaches originating in the systems sciences show promise; however, many require specialized expertise and resources. This article explores rich pictures as an accessible, low-resource method for facilitating sensemaking amid complexity. The method involves the free-hand drawing of a situation to richly illustrate what is happening and why using images, lines, and few words. The process and product are akin to elaborate childhood doodles, yet are remarkably powerful conveyors of tacit knowledge and issues, differing perspectives, and action possibilities. Drawing together methodological guidance, sensemaking theory, and an application with STEM higher education faculty, this article shows how rich pictures support sensemaking amid complexity and identifies potential applications and directions for research on the method.

The impostor phenomenon is a psychological construct referring to a range of negative emotions associated with a person's perception of their own "fraudulent competence" in a field or of their lack of skills necessary to be successful in that field. Anecdotal evidence suggests that many practicing evaluators have experienced impostor feelings, but lack a framework in which to understand their experiences and the forums in which to discuss them. This paper summarizes the literature on the impostor phenomenon, applies it to the field of evaluation, and describes the results of an empirical, quantitatively focused study which included open-ended qualitative questions exploring impostorism in 323 practicing evaluators. The results suggest that impostor phenomenon in evaluators consists of three constructs: Discount, Luck, and Fake. Qualitative data analysis suggests differential coping strategies for men and women. Thematic analysis guided the development of a set of proposed solutions to help lessen the phenomenon's detrimental effects for evaluators.

Most existing diagnostic models are developed to detect whether students have mastered a set of skills of interest, but few have focused on identifying what scientific misconceptions students possess. This article developed a general dual-purpose model for simultaneously estimating students' overall ability and the presence and absence of misconceptions. The expectation-maximization algorithm was developed to estimate the model parameters. A simulation study was conducted to evaluate to what extent the parameters can be accurately recovered under varied conditions. A set of real data in science education was also analyzed to examine the viability of the proposed model in practice.

Using a case study design, this research explores how two department chairs, Jan and Tammy, in community colleges implement AB 705, an assessment policy impacting California ESL programs. AB 705 seeks to centralize previous multiple measures legislation in California by requiring the use of high school data in community college course placement. An ecological perspective was adopted to highlight how ideologies at the macro national and meso state level about placement tests and student autonomy trickle down and are interpreted at the micro institutional level, and how challenges and concerns about implementation reflect the micro level affordances or lack thereof for each participant. Through critical language policy (Tollefson as cited in Ricento, 2006), I also posit that as AB 705 changes the assessment landscape in California community colleges, they create power shifts between local actors. Data were collected from a questionnaire, interviews, policy documents and online artifacts. Findings revealed that Jan and Tammy's different ideologies regarding the validity of placement tests lead to different interpretations and implementation of the policy, thus creating different power dynamics for their students. Both also encountered different challenges because of their varied local affordances, highlighting the need for top-down policies to consider implementation in situated contexts.

An algebraic model uses a set of algebraic equations to describe a situation. Constructing such models is a fundamental skill, but many students still lack the skill, even after taking several algebra courses in high school and college. For such students, we developed instruction that taught students to decompose the to-be-modelled situation into schema applications, where a schema represents a simple relationship such as distance-rate-time or part-whole. However, when a model consists of multiple schema applications, it needs some connection among them, usually represented by letting the same variable appear in the slots of two or more schemas. Students in our studies seemed to have more trouble identifying connections among schema applications than identifying the schema applications themselves. We developed several tutoring systems and evaluated them in university classes. One of them, a step-based tutoring system called OMRaaT (One Mathematical Relationship at a Time), was both reliably superior (p = 0.02, d = 0.67) to baseline and markedly superior (p < 0.001, d = 0.84) to an answer-based tutoring system using only commercially available software (MATLAB Grader).

In recent years, the proportion of the active population over 55 years of age has increased and, with it, early retirement, unemployment of older workers and senior "push" entrepreneurs. Given the repercussions at a social and economic level, the debate about the need to recover and keep seniors in the labour market is becoming increasingly rife. The aim of this study is to evaluate the evolution and European tendency towards the training and reintegration of seniors and demonstrate how formal education and continuous training can make a difference when it comes to prolonging their working life and subordinate their conditions and employment opportunities. Data from the European Working Conditions Survey between 2010 and 2021 are used and a descriptive statistical analysis and a hypotheses contrast are carried out using the Student's t test. The results show: (1) a greater effort to train and revalue seniors; and (2) that educational level and training generate significant differences in terms of the type of tasks to be performed and some variables that condition job satisfaction.

The template-based automated item-generation (TAIG) approach that involves template creation, item generation, item selection, field-testing, and evaluation has more steps than the traditional item development method. Consequentially, there is more margin for error in this process, and any template errors can be cascaded to the generated items. Therefore, it is essential to eliminate the source of errors and ensure the quality of the template so items can be problem-free. The article introduces a process to reduce template errors at the early stage of template development, minimize the impact of template errors on generated items, and increase the survival rates of generated items. The article also discusses a statistical method to establish confidence in the quality of the template by systematically examining the quality of the generated items. The proposed method can reduce the review process for some items generated from a template.

Developing an interculturally competent STEM workforce is the need of time. Research has demonstrated that STEM students find it challenging to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds. This study used Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) instrument to understand the intercultural learning gains of technology students by administrating the survey in the program's first year and final year. The data were analyzed using multivariate statistics to assess the intercultural learning gains of the students. The study results indicate that students demonstrated a statistically significant increase in intercultural competence as they progressed from their first year to their final year of college. The study also indicated that having an intercultural mindset and participating in intercultural activities such as study abroad programs or intercultural mentoring can help students internalize intercultural competence and make meaningful gains on the intercultural development continuum. The study also provides recommendations to help students develop interculturally.

The stereotype content model (SCM) describes that groups of people are mainly appraised according to two dimensions: warmth and competence. The present study's aim was to investigate possible stereotyped perceptions held by Grade 12 students in Flanders (the northern part of Belgium) of students in the three major educational tracks. They were asked for ingroup and outgroup evaluations, both in general and for different personality traits. As expected, evidence was found for ingroup favouritism, meaning that respondents rated students from their own educational track more positively compared to students in other educational tracks. The status hierarchy between educational tracks in Flanders was reflected in the judgements of respondents from the general track and respondents from the technical track. Respondents from the vocational track showed a reverse pattern, which can be explained by social identity theory and an anti-school culture in vocational education. Finally, for positively formulated personality traits, the warmth-competence dimensionality of the judgements was confirmed together with the compensation hypothesis of the SCM, stating that lower ratings on warmth covary with higher ratings on competence (and vice versa).

In this article, we describe the exploration of the content and quality of annual goals included in the Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) of students with disabilities in one rural U.S. school district. We utilized content analysis to understand the district's service delivery model comprehensively. Findings revealed disparities between inclusive placements and special education service delivery, suggesting that, despite high rates of inclusive placements noted on IEPs, most services occurred outside general education classrooms, especially for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). We evaluated the quality and rigor of 546 annual goals using a rubric adapted from Kurth et al. Only 37.7% of goals were rated as rigorous, highlighting a need for clearer, more specific, and applicable goals. Notably, communication goals for students with IDD were largely absent, raising concerns about support for meaningful participation in general education settings. In addition, special factors related to communication and assistive technology were not consistently addressed in IEPs. We discuss implications for improving educational experiences for students who qualify for special education services under IDD in rural schools and highlight the value of further research and actions in this area.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of performance-based feedback delivered via email on teacher candidates' implementation of a multiple stimulus without replacement (MSWO) preference assessment with an adult confederate. Six participants enrolled in a special education teacher preparation program were recruited to participate. After exposure to an introductory MSWO training video, participant fidelity of MSWO administration was measured. Following baseline, performance feedback was delivered via e-mail to each participant after the completion of each research session. Results indicate that performance feedback delivered via e-mail improved fidelity of implementation for all six participants. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Evaluation competency frameworks across the globe regard evaluation approaches as important to know and use in practice. Prior classifications have been developed to aid in understanding important differences among varying approaches. Nevertheless, there is an opportunity for a new classification of evaluation approaches, in particular one that is practitioner-oriented, intended to guide decision-making in practice, and inclusive of all scholarship. The evaluation garden presented in this article begins to map approaches against eight dimensions of practice and situates them in their philosophical orientations and methodological dispositions. This allows for approach comparison, a more nuanced understanding of where they overlap and differ, and how and where they can be intentionally combined. The goal is to offer a visual classification that addresses prior criticisms, that is of use to a wide range of audiences, and that helps evaluation practitioners be able to more easily integrate evaluation approaches in practice.

The field of evaluation has experienced greater professionalization in the areas of evaluator education and training. Growth in these areas included sensitivity to issues of diversity, with efforts to attract and retain evaluators of color. Currently, there is limited scholarship on navigating a world with more opportunity but still dealing with being Black. Motivated by our identities as Black evaluators, we explored the education, training and socialization concerns experienced by Black evaluators and the advice they would offer. Through content analysis of semi-structured interviews and the utilization of Critical Race Theory as a framework, we garnered advice to and from Black evaluators on how to (a) navigate the politics in evaluation; (b) engage in reflection and reflexivity; (c) network and collaborate; (d) mentor and bring others along the way; and (e) develop as a professional evaluator. We offer a synthesis of these findings in the discussion and articulate further implications.

Anxiety is a multifaceted force that can negatively impact the ability of evaluators to succeed in practice. In the evaluation literature, discussions concerning anxiety have primarily been limited to strategies to reduce stakeholder anxiety to encourage positive and productive working relationships with evaluators. This study was among the first to explicitly recognize and empirically assess the anxiety "evaluators" feel during practice. Using a mixed-methods design, a random sample of 109 American Evaluation Association members was surveyed. There was overwhelming agreement (96.30%) that evaluator anxiety is a commonly experienced phenomenon, often citing reasons such as lack of experience, imposter syndrome, unreasonable scope, and difficulties with stakeholder interactions as key contributors to increased anxiety. Evaluator anxiety varied across stages of the evaluation process, with some stages eliciting more anxiety than others. Further discussion and training concerning how to reduce evaluator anxiety could be useful in the preparation of evaluators.

This study aimed to develop and validate the Evaluator Competencies Assessment Tool (ECAT) Cultural Competencies Subscale, which measures cultural competence among evaluators. By addressing the scarcity of validated tools in this area, the study offers professionals a valuable resource to assess their strengths and areas for improvement. The subscale comprises 11 items rated on a seven-point Likert scale, derived from the American Evaluation Association (AEA) Evaluator Competencies. Validation involved a survey of 116 AEA members, employing multiple validity procedures. The subscale demonstrated excellent internal consistency ([alpha] =0.96) and significant correlation with the Cultural Competence of Program Evaluators scale, confirming its convergent validity. However, the subscale's structural validity yielded mixed results, indicating the need for further exploration. Moreover, the demographic analysis highlighted underrepresentation of Asian and younger members. Overall, the ECAT Cultural Competencies Subscale shows promise for assessing cultural competency, but refinement of its factor structure and additional research are needed.

Substantial variability exists with regard to autism service provision around the world. Service disparities observed in many low- and middle-income countries may be driven, in part, by limited autism knowledge; however, measurement limitations have made it difficult to quantify autism knowledge across countries. The current study uses the autism stigma and knowledge questionnaire (ASK-Q) to quantify autism knowledge and stigma between different countries and demographics. The current study compiled data from 6830 participants collected using adapted versions of the ASK-Q administered in 13 different countries, representing four different continents. Structural equation modeling was used to examine how autism knowledge varied across country and individual factors. Results reveal cross country variability with a large, 17-point difference between the countries with the highest knowledge (Canada) and the lowest knowledge (Lebanon). As expected, countries with higher economies had higher levels of knowledge. We also documented differences based on country worldview, participant occupation, gender, age, and education level. These results help to identify specific regions and populations that might most need greater information about autism.

Faculty mentorship is associated with improved career outcomes, yet only a third of faculty report receiving formal mentoring. A first step in formal mentoring is acknowledging the mentoring relationship; acknowledgment can then lead to delineation of roles and responsibilities. We analyzed the mentoring relationships reported by our faculty in the 2020 Annual Faculty Review (AFR) and found only 24% of relationships were reciprocally reported, i.e., a relationship reported by both mentor and mentee, raising questions about the nature of these relationships. Institutional efforts to improve upon faculty mentoring can focus on relationship acknowledgment as a first critical step.

The application of artificial intelligence in physical education (AIPE) has provided new ways to improve learning and teaching activities in physical classes. However, literature reviews that provide a systematic review and analysis of AIPE are limited. To address this gap, this study provided an overview of AIPE-related empirical research. Specifically, it examined the general state of AIPE, algorithms used for AIPE, and the impact and challenges of AIPE. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, 130 empirical studies related to AIPE were included in the final synthesis. The findings of this study demonstrated that numerous studies have explored the use of AI technologies to enhance physical education classes and training processes. These technologies have been widely employed in athletic performance analysis, health monitoring, and personalized training. AIPE offered great potential for providing personalized instruction, real-time feedback and assessment, and diverse learning environments. However, the use of AI technology poses challenges, including technical reliability and accuracy, privacy and security issues, as well as technical training and teacher support. These findings provide insights for future research on AIPE.

Parenting children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be challenging, demanding, and overwhelming to parents and families. Understanding parental resilience can help develop appropriate support for parents of children with ASD and their families. This article discusses parental resilience by exploring what is known about parental resilience in families of children with ASD and examining factors that may contribute to parental resilience for practitioners to work on with these parents. This article focuses on three strong predictors of parental resilience in families of children with ASD: (a) locus of control of parents, (b) cognitive appraisal of parents, and (c) informal support for families. Implications for practitioners to help parents build resilience from the above three aspects are discussed.

Numerous studies have been carried out in recent years on the use of virtual reality (VR) technologies and environments in education. On the other hand, many researchers have drawn attention to the inadequacy of studies that deal with the education process in virtual reality environments from a broad perspective. In this research, the process of designing, developing, and testing an educational virtual reality environment in the light of a design model that includes pedagogical, design, and technical steps have been experienced and reported with a holistic perspective. The study was carried out in a two meso cycle structure based on the educational design research methodology. In the scope of research, the educational virtual reality campus platform has been developed to provide a skill-based educational environment for learners. The Internet of Things training process in the platform was held in a single session with each participant. At the end of the practices, it has been seen that the training carried out on the platform can provide learning at both cognitive and skill levels; the knowledge learned in the virtual reality environment can be transferred to real life and has a lasting effect. Furthermore, it was determined that there was a reverse relationship between the participants' sense of presence and their cognitive load, and there was a positive relationship between the participants' sense of presence and their pleasure and arousal levels. It has been concluded that technical data such as frames per second, latency, draw call, and polygon count provided by the platform can have a remarkable effect on the VR experience.

Constructive alignment is a learning design approach that emphasizes the direct alignment of the intended learning outcomes, instructional strategies, learning activities, and assessment methods to ensure students are engaged in a meaningful learning experience. This pedagogical approach provides clarity and coherence, aiding students in understanding the connection of their learning activities and assessments with the overall course objectives. This paper explores the use of constructive alignment principles in designing a graduate-level Introduction to Project Management course by leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs), specifically ChatGPT. We introduce an innovative framework that embodies an iterative process to define the course learning outcomes, learning activities and assessments, and lecture content. We show that the implemented framework in ChatGPT was adept at autonomously establishing the course's learning outcomes, delineating assessments with their respective weights, mapping learning outcomes to each assessment method, and formulating a plan for learning activities and the course's schedule. While the framework can significantly reduce the time instructors spend on initial course planning, the results demonstrate that ChatGPT often lacks the specificity and contextual awareness necessary for effective implementation in diverse classroom settings. Therefore, the role of the instructor remains crucial in customizing and finalizing the course structure. The implications of this research are vast, providing insights for educators and curriculum designers looking to infuse LLMs systems into course development without compromising effective pedagogical practices.

The skills and competencies of IT professionals are often described using employer-led skills frameworks. They express competencies as technical knowledge and skills combined with a range of personal qualities. Employers have indicated the importance of developing such qualities for new graduates. In response, recent ACM/IEEE curricular recommendations have shifted their emphases from bodies of knowledge to the development of competencies. The IT2017 ACM/IEEE Curriculum Guidelines for Baccalaureate Degree Programs proposed a model of IT competency comprising three interrelated components: content knowledge, skills, and dispositions, where dispositions represent personal qualities desirable in the workplace. The ACM/IEEE Computing Curricula 2020 (CC2020) report enriched the IT2017 disposition concept by identifying eleven dispositions that all computing programs should include for the career preparation of their graduates. However, developing and assessing dispositions in a degree program remain challenges, often involving internships, work placements and similar student opportunities. A recent mapping of the eleven CC2020 dispositions to the responsibility characteristics of the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA), a widely used professional skills framework, suggested a promising approach to addressing this challenge. Inspired by this mapping, this paper aims to help educators assess students' achievement of CC2020 dispositions by mapping real-world experiences they have recorded in individual portfolios against the SFIA responsibility characteristics. First, the selection of SFIA to operationalize the CC2020 dispositions is validated by demonstrating that alternative frameworks pose significant challenges for any assessment approach that needs to be independent of particular technical skills. A tool is described that maps demonstration of SFIA responsibility characteristics to CC2020 dispositions, applying a simple, consistent assessment algorithm. Finally, the assessment process and outcomes are illustrated using a fictional student portfolio, constructed to reflect one author's experience of work placement students' achievements.

The present study aimed to reveal science education research (SER) general trends via VOSviewer version 1.6.17 software program. For this purpose, a bibliometric analysis of 13,242 articles in the Education and Educational Research (E&ER) category of Web of Science (WoS) was performed. It was found that there was a significant increase in article counts since 2007, and that the most articles were published in 2020. The first conclusion of the current research was that funding support is an important factor in SER article counts published in WoS. The bibliometric analysis results showed that the most frequently used keywords in SER articles were science education, STEM/STEM education, nature of science, assessment, professional development, science, scientific literacy, argumentation, gender, and conceptual change. Another conclusion of this study was that science education researchers' interest varied according to certain year intervals. The study revealed that the most preferred topics were nature of science and professional development during 2007-2021. Additionally, research interest in the topics of conceptual change, scientific literacy, chemistry education, and attitudes during 2007-2016 declined during 2017-2021. The top four research topics in recent years were STEM, argumentation, self-efficacy, and motivation. The countries where most publications came from were the USA, UK, Australia, Turkey, and Canada. The results of this study showed that science education researchers' interest varied according to countries. The results of the study revealed that STEM/STEM education is mostly referred to in articles from the USA, Australia, UK, Taiwan, and Canada. Additionally, while there was more interest in the nature of science in the USA, Turkey, UK, and Canada there was more interest in argumentation in the USA, Turkey, UK, and Taiwan. Additionally, this study revealed the most cited SER articles' distinctive features and strength collaborations between countries and between authors. The results provided a comprehensive review to understand the recent developments in the SER.

Retention and persistence models share common components such as student characteristics, institutional experiences, and academic and social integration. However, few acknowledge basic needs (e.g., food, housing, transportation) and belonging as essential to student success. In this piece, the authors discuss two gaps in these models that should be considered and addressed through assessment.

The importance of assessment has increased and is now integrated in institutional cultures for faculty, leaders, service units, accreditors, and learners. To address the call for validation of learning, institutions and organizations are building competency-based education (CBE) programs that are relevant, accessible, and ensure quality. In 2021, the Assessment Collaboratory released the Hallmark Practices in Assessment. To illustrate how the Hallmark Practices in Assessment can be used to build an evidence-based assessment in validating learning (i.e., a competency), we will explore five of the assessment practices.

This study aims to examine the distance learning practices carried out at the primary education level during the COVID-19 pandemic from students' and their parents' perspectives. The study was conducted with 76 primary school students at different grade levels, including their parents (76), in the state schools of Giresun city in the spring semester of the 2019-2020 academic year. The study was based on the case study method, one of the qualitative research designs. An information collection form with open-ended questions was used as a data collection tool. The data obtained from the information collection form were analyzed by the content analysis method. The findings have revealed that the distance learning system has a flexible structure and is accessible from any place, but there are difficulties accessing the system due to connection problems. These systems facilitate the teaching process, affecting learning positively. The findings also showed that distance learning systems are not favored by students who long for friends and teachers during the learning process performed on these systems. Unlike face-to-face training, disciplinary and supervision problems in distance learning are also noteworthy. The authors finally suggest that the distance learning and management process should be performed in a restrained manner to ensure the process to be run effectively and efficiently.

This study aimed to examine the awareness of teacher candidates towards inclusive education. This mixed method study was performed with the convergent parallel mixed pattern. The sample of quantitative part of the study consisted of 708 teacher candidates in an education faculty determined by criterion sampling. The study group of the qualitative part of the research is 14 teacher candidates (preservice teachers) selected from among these participants. The research data were collected with Awareness Scale for Inclusive Education and Interview Form for Evaluation of Inclusive Education Course. The scale data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics, and the semi-structured interview data were analyzed by content analysis. The results revealed that the awareness of teacher candidates' inclusive education was at a moderate level. In addition, the awareness level of the participants who had inclusive education training was higher than the participants who did not, and the female participants had higher awareness compared to the male participants. The interview results revealed that training on inclusive education increased teacher candidates' awareness of its history, aims, the students it encompasses, and its applications. According to the results of the research, it has been suggested to expand the inclusive education provided to teachers before and during the service.

Road safety training programs are commonly used to raise awareness of risky attitudes and behaviours. The evaluation of road safety education courses aimed at children is carried out with some assiduity. However, this does not usually occur in courses aimed at young people and adults. The present systematic review aims to identify studies that evaluate the effectiveness of road safety training programs in this population group. This systematic review followed the PRISMA methodology, by which the relevant articles based on the research term were identified. A total number of 1,336 indexed articles were filtered, and a final selection of 22 articles directly addressing the issue was obtained. Search strategies were developed and conducted in WOS, Scopus, NCBI, Google Scholar and APA databases. The selected articles indicate that the effects of road safety training programs in adults are mild to moderate. Their effectiveness is substantially increased when they are aimed at improving risk perception and decision making rather than training in driving skills. In any case, more evaluations of these courses are needed to identify which tools are effective and which should be replaced by new behaviour modification methods in the design of future driver education programs.

Students with learning disabilities (LD), such as dyslexia, are at a greater risk of not completing their postsecondary education compared to their peers. Completion broadly and success more generally rest on how students navigate assessment experiences during postsecondary education. Generally, assessment is viewed as a controlling practice. From a self-determination theory (SDT) lens, highly controlling elements of schoolwork frustrate rather than satisfy students' basic psychological needs. Importantly, satisfaction, rather than frustration, supports intrinsic motivation and wellbeing. The current study examines the experiences of classroom assessment as satisfying or frustrating for students with dyslexia through an online methodology involving both Likert questions and written responses to structured open-ended questions. Overall, when students reported basic psychological need satisfaction, they likewise indicated that they received higher grades and felt more successful. From the open-ended data, we extracted three main themes and 12 sub-themes from the interviews: (a) student characteristics (including dyslexia, effort, prior knowledge, and emotions), (b) the role of others (including help, demeanor, structure, and choice), and (c) outcomes (including grades, knowledge and skills, reactions, and future impact). Taken together, when students experience classroom assessment in a way that supports their basic psychological needs, they experience better outcomes (e.g., high grades and perceived success) than when their basic psychological needs are frustrated. We discuss these results in terms of suggestions for instruction and assessment.

The focus of the present study is the learning processes of concepts related to hydrogen bonds, which were developed using a didactic sequence (DS). Based on the perspective of Imre Lakatos, it was observed whether the explanatory models created by upper-secondary students form progressive transition sequences, which are similar to what Lakatos, in his text The History of Science, calls a "problem" that increases the explanatory/heuristic power of the model. To evaluate the evolution of these models, which generally consist of progressive transitions, four phases were developed: (1) the categorization of answers obtained in the DS in Realist, Empiricist or Rationalist zones, as well as an attribution of scores; (2) the determination of a score range for said zones; (3) hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and (4) an analysis of the progressive transition of the explanatory models. A continuous review of the ideas expressed by the students during their learning of the subject revealed that a significant share of students progressed conceptually. In a general way, it can be said that the activities developed in the DS contributed substantially to the progressive transition of the explanatory models made by most students. Furthermore, the approach of the DS toward the subject of hydrogen bonds allowed the students to interpret the phenomena studied using their knowledge of Chemistry.

Grading approaches differ in undergraduate higher educational settings, but most often reflect traditional systems that support an unbalanced power dynamic that does not acknowledge or support continuous learning. These practices are then taken up by pre-service teachers and applied within their future classrooms with children. Using Critical Theory and Transformative Learning Theory, we analyzed our own grading practices for the purpose of designing and implementing a more equitable approach to assessment. The process led us to think about what we want grades to represent and what matters most to us as educators. The paper includes our process and the challenges we have faced. We hope it is a valuable resource for educators who are considering adjustments to their grading systems.