Zoekresultaten

The quest for "safe uncertainty" in student research

This contribution explores the anatomy of “safe uncertainty” in the research process of students in higher education. Uncertainty and research go hand in hand, as uncertainty is omnipresent in the process of research. Mostly in the background, but sometimes looming large in the foreground. We tend to expel uncertainty from research. We try to make the research process as predictable as possible by creating clear criteria, planning, making agreements and organizing supervision. Also with regard to the content, uncertainty has to be decreased. We try to reduce uncertainty by emphasizing precision, objectivity, logic, accountablility, measurability, validity, reliablility. And in the process, we are actually searching for the right concepts, language, or even shared images, in order to get as much grip as possible on the intangible research process.

Measuring students’ appraisals of the relevance of history

This study explores the psychometric qualities of the Relevance of History Measurement Scale (RHMS), a questionnaire designed to measure students’ beliefs about the relevance of history. Participants were 1459 Dutch secondary school students aged between 12 and 18. Data analysis revealed three reliable factors, compliant with our theoretical framework which defines three strands of relevance of history: relevance for building a personal identity, for citizenship, and for insight into ‘the human condition’. The convergent and known-groups validity of the RHMS was demonstrated. The collected data show that students find history more relevant as they grow older, with most progress taking place between 14 and 16. Out of the three strands of relevance, building a personal identity scores lowest in students’ appraisals. This study shows that the RHMS is psychometrically sound and can be used to evaluate effects of lesson interventions directed at enhancing the relevance of history to students.

Is There Dependence Between Process Maturity and Process Performance?

During recent years the world has seen rapid changes such as globalization, the Internet, and the rise of new economies. To survive these changes organizations need to be in control of their processes, and be able to continuously improve the process performance. Therefore many organizations are increasingly adopting Business Process Management (BPM). However, it is not clear if the implementation of BPM(S) is really adding value to an organization. Consequently, in this paper, we try to answer the following research question: 'Does adoption of Business Process Management lead to a higher process performance?' Based on quantitative research we show that there is dependence between the performance of processes within an organization and the BPM maturity of that organization. As a result we conclude that improvement in process performance can be attained by increasing the BPM maturity of an organization.

Measuring program fidelity in case management for high risk families

Abstract Summary: Program fidelity instruments are a key ingredient for clinical supervision and implementation as well as effectiveness studies. This study examines the factor structure of the Functional Family Parole services Global Rating Measure (FFP-GRM); the program fidelity instrument of Functional Family Parole services for case management in youth parole, child protection and child welfare services. Between October 2012 and February 2015, program fidelity was measured with the FFP-GRM by Functional Family Parole supervisors. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed on 380 cases and internal consistency reliability coefficients were calculated. Findings: Confirmatory factor analyses showed that the 33-item and four-factor model of the FFP-GRM achieved a good fit to the data. Internal validity testing results showed that subscale Cronbach’s a ranged between .82 and .90. Applications: Findings affirm a good fit to the data and a good-to-excellent internal consistency of the FFP-GRM, which is considered sufficient to justify its use. The results are discussed with regard to the use of fidelity instruments for both clinical and research purposes.

A framework to improve qualityof hospital-based physiotherapy

Beliefs about Student Achievement Held by Teachers at Dutch Universities of Applied Sciences

Student achievement is a frequently debated issue in many European countries. In most public debates, it is assumed that all school-level stakeholders hold the same beliefs about student achievement. This paper contributes to the debate by presenting the results of research on the beliefs of teachers regarding student achievement.The results reveal four beliefs about student achievement held by teachers. The beliefs are centred on student efficiency, learning and enhancing skills, personal development, and active citizenship. The dominant belief is about the preparation for a profession in which a high-achieving student has good prospects of becoming a successful professional in a particular field. The results also show that the dominant belief held by school administrators(management), namely that student achievement is the same as student efficiency (how quickly students complete their studies), is questioned by teachers.