Authentic assessment in seafarer education: using literature review to investigate its validity and reliability through rubrics

With the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Convention 1995 (STCW’95) moving seafarer training towards outcome-based education (OBE), emphasis has shifted to assessment practices that will allow seafarer students to demonstrate their ability to perform workplace tasks at standards described in the STCW Code. This paper argues that authentic assessment comprising of performance-based tasks applied in real-world and meaningful contexts can provide a holistic approach to competence assessment for seafarers. But, authentic assessment can capture essential aspects of workplace tasks and result in consistency of student performance in different contexts only if they are valid and reliable. Rubrics as assessment tools are known to increase validity and reliability of assessments; however, it can do so only if different aspects of its own validity and reliability have been addressed. A literature review undertaken for this paper has uncovered an absence of academic investigation and empirical study on the different aspects of validity and reliability of authentic assessment through assessment rubrics. Moreover, there exists an even greater absence of global research on authentic assessment in the area of seafarer training. Through an investigation of authentic assessment, this research has uncovered the importance of using valid and reliable rubrics in order to improve not only the assessment process but also the tools and methods used to support the valid, reliable, and authentic assessment of outcomes achieved in the learning process. Future research aims to offer insights into improving the validity and reliability of rubrics and to empirically investigate how they can be used in authentic assessment within the confines of the STCW Code, in particular, to improve seafarer training practices, student engagement, resulting learning outcomes, and employer and regulator satisfaction with the attainment of the standards stipulated in the STCW Code to produce an evidence of competence.     

The impact of transportation alternatives on the decision to cease driving by older adults in Japan

This study investigated whether the availability of transportation alternatives for older drivers is a determinant of the decision to cease driving. We recruited participants from a total of 7827 drivers aged 69 years or older living in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan who were scheduled to renew their driving license between February and April 2011. In November 2010, we distributed questionnaires to collect data on predictors of driving cessation, and again in December 2012 to determine who had actually ceased driving. The relative impacts of factors related to driving cessation were then estimated. Of the 3089 respondents, 157 did not renew their license. The strongest determinants of this decision were having been advised to stop driving and if they had developed less confidence in their ability to drive safely. Even so, respondents were far more likely to have actually stopped driving if they were sure that someone else was available to provide a ride when they needed one. The final decision to stop driving is strongly influenced by personal convenience based on private transport, especially amongst drivers who have been advised to stop. The availability of public transport alternatives is not as important a factor in this decision.     

Establishing value of time for the inter-island passenger transport of the Western Visayas region,Philippines

Transportation infrastructure planning process requires cost–benefit analysis in the evaluation of project proposals. Value of time (VOT) facilitates the conversion of travel time savings, which is a significant proportion of benefits in monetary terms. In cases where VOT has not been established, planners resort to crude estimates that often results in erroneous or biased measurements of benefits. This is the case of the Western Visayas region in the Philippines where transportation studies are rare. Secondary cities and its peripheral regions have often been overlooked subjects of transportation studies. In this study, multinomial logit models using revealed preference data were estimated to facilitate the calculation of the VOT. The total cost, square of the total cost, and total time were identified as significant explanatory variables affecting mode choice. The square of the total cost term was introduced in the models in order to account for income effect. Results indicate that VOT estimates for the inter-island passenger transportation between Iloilo and Negros Occidental generally range from 78.15PHP to 179.15PHP (1.91USD to 4.37USD) depending on trip and traveller characteristics.     

Examining the effects of out-of-home and in-home constraints on leisure activity participation in different seasons of the year

Using multi-day, multi-period travel diaries data of 56 days (four waves of two-week diaries) for 67 individuals in Stockholm, this study aims to examine the effects of out-of-home and in-home constraints (e.g. teleworking, studying at home, doing the laundry, cleaning and taking care of other household member[s]) on individuals’ day-to-day leisure activity participation decisions in four different seasons. This study also aims to explore the effects of various types of working schedules (fixed, shift, partial- and full-flexible) on individuals’ decisions to participate in day-to-day leisure activities. A pooled model (56 days) and wave-specific models (14 days in each wave) are estimated by using dynamic ordered Probit models. The effects of various types of working schedules are estimated by using 28 days of two waves’ data. The results show that an individual’s leisure activity participation decision is significantly influenced by out-of-home work durations but not influenced by in-home constraints, regardless of any seasons. Individuals with shift working hours engage less in day-to-day leisure activities than other workers’ types in both spring and summer seasons. The thermal indicator significantly affects individuals’ leisure activity participation decisions during the autumn season. Individuals exhibit routine behaviour characterized by repeated decisions in participating in day-to-day leisure activities that can last up to 14 days, regardless of any seasons.     

An optimization approach to resolve activity scheduling conflicts in ADAPTS activity-based model

Activity conflict resolution as the core of scheduling process in activity-based modeling is a challenging step because the activity diary databases mostly report the outcome of the scheduling decisions and often fail to capture key factors influencing the resolution process itself. Consequently, most activity-based frameworks ignore modeling this process by using either predefined set of activity patterns or priority-based assumptions to schedule daily activities and prevent conflict occasions. ADAPTS is one of the few activity-based models that attempts to simulate the process of activity scheduling and resolve the conflicts as they occur. This paper advances the current rule-based conflict resolution model of ADAPTS by implementing an advanced and flexible non-linear optimization model. A set of linear optimization sub-models is then proposed that together perform the same task as the non-linear model, however they are much easier to implement and maintain, while fast to run and flexible to extend. The proposed approach defines an objective function, which aims to minimize the extent of changes in timing and duration of conflicting activities, while fitting them in the schedule. Comparing performance of the proposed model with TASHA scheduler and former resolution module of ADAPTS using CHASE scheduling process data reveals significant improvement in fitting the newly planned activities in the schedules with the minimal modifications in the timing and duration of activities.     

A reference-dependent user equilibrium model for activity-travel scheduling

Existing user equilibrium models of activity-travel scheduling generally fall short in representing travelers’ decision-making processes. The majority have either implicitly or explicitly assumed that travelers follow the principle of utility maximization. This assumption ignores the fact that individuals may be loss–averse when making activity-travel decisions. Allowing for the situation that travelers possess accurate information of the urban-transportation system due to modern technologies, studies on reference-dependent decision-making under near-perfect information are receiving increasing attention. In view of traveler heterogeneity, individuals can be divided into multiple classes according to their reference points. In this paper, we propose a reference-dependent multi-class user equilibrium model for activity-travel scheduling, which can be reformulated as a variational inequality problem. Moreover, comparative analyses are conducted on the equilibrium states between utility-maximization (no reference) and reference-dependency of exogenous and endogenous references. A numerical example regarding combined departure-time and mode choice for commuting is conducted to illustrate the proposed model. The simulated results indicate that reference points and loss aversion attitudes have significant effects on the choice of departure time and mode.     

基于冲突技术法的主路优先交叉口通行能力研究

在分析主路优先交叉口交通特性的基础上,确定交通流优先等级,引入冲突技术法构建通行能力模型.以442型交叉口为例,给出不同车道布局形式下的通行能力计算模型.通过实例分析,给出了模型中各参数的建议值,并验证了模型的有效性.     

基于车辆个体行为的交通流跟驰模型研究

用改变参数取值的方法来将个体差异这一重要思想引入跟驰模型,实现对FVD(全速度差)模型的优化,对模拟交通情况和优化交通管理有积极意义.研究实现了驾驶员行为的个性化描述,采用敏感程度的概念并用一个标准正态分布中的取值表示,分析了个性化行为和模型参数的联系,实现了模型的优化和优化后模型对启动车流和稠密交通流扰动传播的数值模拟.     

汽车主动悬架和四轮转向系统的耦合分析及协调控制

针对汽车转向系统和悬架系统的相互作用,建立了转向动力学子模型、悬架动力学子模型以及考虑两者耦合效应的综合动力学模型.通过仿真分析发现:悬架系统主要通过轮胎动载荷引起轮胎侧偏力变化,从而引起转向特性发生显著变化;而转向系统则主要通过离心力影响簧上质量的侧倾运动,从而引起悬架运动特性发生变化;主动悬架与四轮转向协调控制系统在减小车身侧倾和前轮垂直载荷波动的同时,还能有效地改善车辆横摆响应和质心侧偏角响应.     

路桥过渡段不均匀沉降分析及治理

对路桥过渡段的不均匀沉降机理进行了分析,总结了国内近年来的治理措施.同时,对工程中广泛采用的土工格栅加筋结构治理方法进行了分析,阐明土工格栅处理该问题的适宜性.