Portfolio assessment in a collaborative program evaluation: the reliability and validity of a family literacy portfolio

Evaluations increasingly use open-ended assessments, such as portfolios, to gather information about program impact. Portfolios, however, present challenges in achieving acceptable levels of reliability and often lack evidence to support validity. This article describes the components of a portfolio assessment system developed in a collaborative evaluation of a family literacy program. Staff of a family literacy program and two evaluators collaborated to develop the assessment and the tools that frame the review of the portfolios. Rubrics, exemplar portfolios, portfolio logs, and lists of ‘look-fors’ were developed to guide raters in the scoring and to improve the reliability of scores and validity of decisions about the program. Inter-rater reliability for the portfolio assessment was 0.79 for holistic scores and 0.74 for analytic scores. With respect to validity, holistic and analytic scores correlated with criterion measures from 0.50 to 0.59, providing initial evidence of a common construct.     

Research in family financial counseling

Domains of family financial counseling research are proposed in order to establish criteria for assessing research needs in this relatively new field. Identification of the research domains implies progress for an emerging profession. A survey of the family financial counseling research to date is reported. Results of research in several domains are shown to demonstrate how results from empirical studies can contribute to the theory and practice of family financial counseling.Research conducted under the auspices of Agricultural Experiment Station Research Project 01803, Family Economic Problems and Resource Management.Dr. Williams is an Associate Professor in the Department of Consumer Sciences and Retailing, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907. Her Ph.D. was received from Purdue. Current research interests include income adequacy, economic security, financial problems, and financial counseling.     

试论独生女家庭环境对促进女性成长的积极影响

"计划生育"作为一项人口政策,除了产生直接的人口后果外,还会带来广泛的社会影响。"独生女"家庭内部平等意识的增长、家庭性别教育的转向,对女孩期望的提高以及父女间的频繁互动等,对于培养独生女一代现代性别意识、提高女性素质,促进女性独立、健康发展都产生了积极影响。     

心理干预对恶性肿瘤患者家属心理障碍的作用

目的分析恶性肿瘤患者家属焦虑、抑郁状态的形成因素及心理干预对其的影响。方法对105名晚期恶性肿瘤患者家属根据其焦虑或抑郁症状给予心理干预,采用焦虑自评量表(SAS)和抑郁自评量表(SDS)测评其治疗前后的症状变化。结果心理干预前后SAS分别为59.16±4.11、45.35±3.25(t=27.08,P<0.05),SDS分别为54.13±3.67、47.95±2.21(t=15.07,P<0.05),治疗后评定分值较治疗前明显下降,治疗后症状减轻。结论焦虑和抑郁症状是晚期恶性肿瘤患者家属不可忽视的心理问题,应引起医学界的重视。心理干预能够明显改善焦虑和抑郁症状。     

The use of savings as a family resource management strategy to meet child rearing costs

This study examines the effect of children on family savings decisions over the life cycle. The model used is a multinomial logit budget share allocation model. The data are from the 1982 Canadian Family Expenditure Survey Data. Results indicate that the addition of a child to a family results in fewer assets being accumulated than if the child was not present. As much as 43% of direct child rearing costs may be met through this substitution out of future consumption. Closer analysis reveals that accrual of housing equity is relatively unaffected by child's presence and that substitutions occur primarily out of other types of savings instruments.The authors would like to acknowledge financial support from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada (Grant #1498-85-0005), the Department of Consumer Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison and the College of Home Economics, University of Saskatchewan. However, all opinions expressed are our own and do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Special thanks is due Susan Bruns for outstanding research and computer programming assistance. The authors accept responsibility for any errors or omissions. All correspondence should be directed to Prof. Douthitt at 1300 Linden Drive, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706.Robin A. Douthitt received her Ph.D. from Cornell University. She is an Associate Professor, Department of Consumer Science and the Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706. Her research interests include the relationship between child support awards and child rearing costs, and family time use.Joanne M. Fedyk received her M.S. from the University of Saskatchewan. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the College of Home Economics, University of Saskatchewan S7N OWO, Canada. Her research interests include both the cost of raising children and the valuation of homemaking services.     

《颜氏家训》中的早期教育思想及其现代启示

《颜氏家训》中关于早期教育的理论,涉及到早期教育的独特意义、内容、原则及方法等。颜之推倡导早期教育、重视道德启蒙、坚持慈爱相济和环境陶冶的早教原则与方法,以及关于儿童语言教育与艺术学习的思想,至今仍可资借鉴。     

闪婚现象的成因及家庭社会工作的介入

"闪婚"是一种快餐婚姻,它的出现与蔓延既存在深刻的社会原因,也存在诸多个人主观因素。运用家庭社会工作的专业方法——家庭个案工作、家庭团体工作和家庭社区工作,可以使闪婚双方化解心理危机、促进相互了解、增进责任意识,从而减少甚至克服闪婚带来的消极面,维持婚姻的稳定和家庭的幸福。     

计生优质服务评估指标体系教学之我见

通过几年的教学实践,对国家人口计生委建立的“全国创建计划生育优质服务先进县(市、区)活动”评估指标体系在教学内容和教学方法上进行研究,认为在教学中应着重强调几个方面,即:评估的内容是一个完整科学的体系;评估的指标中既有定量指标也有定性指标,两者各有侧重但又有机结合;评估方法包括定量和定性两种评估方法,其中定性评估方法是应该重点讲授的内容。在教学方法上应注意增加案例教学、注重现场观察等。     

Constructing family relationships: Intimacy, harmony and social value in accounts of sheltered retirement community residents

This research was undertaken at a West Coast USA sheltered retirement community where fifteen able elder residents were interviewed about their personal relationships and communication with peers, family and younger people. This paper focuses on respondent's discursive constructions of their relationships with family—particularly adult grandchildren. The analysis shows how respondents' talk about family relationships is largely positive and discusses how respondents build an image of intergenerational solidarity through their accounts of frequency and quality of contact with grandchildren. Some of the ways that intergenerational solidarity is communicated in the context of the interview are: discounting of family problems; cataloguing achievements and talking about grandchildren with pride; demonstrating that they–the elder–are valued; and accounts of how problematic aspects of their relationships are avoided in intergenerational talk.