SEGway August/September 2015

What is Peer Review and Why is it Important?

From Research Study to Knowledge: The Process of Peer Review

Research is the foundation of modern Science. Much of what we know is a product of scientific research.  But how does research become knowledge?  How does research move from the "doing phase" to the "accepted knowledge phase"?

Research is a process. Research is designed, conducted and documented. Before it is accepted by the scientific community (and then practitioners) the research must be shared with the scientific community and gain acceptance in the scientific community. Communicating results with members of the scientific community is central to how we move from "doing research" to "accepted knowledge." Research needs to be shared and then accepted by fellow scientists to be considered credible.

Peer review is a form of quality assurance or "certification."  Peer review is having someone or several people in the field -- outside of anyone involved in the research -- double check the work and provide assurance that the research meets field-accepted standards of scientific quality.

 Peer reviewers scrutinize the work, accept it, reject it, pose questions, or ask for more information before it is printed in a journal or presented at a professional conference to help ensure that that the paper is "sound."  There are several ways in which this is done, but most often the paper is reviewed by two, three, or more scientific peers to "put a stamp of approval" on the research.

Peer reviewers validate the research, and provide a trusted source of communication to the research community and practitioners.  The goal is to help other members of the community (even if they are not familiar with the product or technology) trust in the conclusions presented. 

Ideally, reviewers should be familiar with the expectations of the field, and know how

the research should be conducted and described.  They are expected to know what meets scientific standards. They are entrusted with the job of allowing only qualified work to hold the title of "peer reviewed" and be presented or published.

Steps involved in gaining peer review acceptance:

1. Scientists complete a study and write it up in the form of an article.
2. It is submitted to a journal or conference for publication.
3. An editor or conference program chair sends the article to other vetted scientists in the same field.
4. The reviewers provide feedback and inform the editor or conference programmer if they think the study is of high enough quality to be presented or published.
5. In some cases, particularly for journals, the submitting scientist may often be asked to revise the paper and resubmit it for consideration.
6. Only articles that meet scientific standards (such as logical reasoning and well-designed with evidence), are accepted for presentation or publication and secure peer review status.

As participants in the scientific community of educational researchers, SEG Measurement encourages peer review of our efficacy studies to ensure that they meet appropriate standards.  Our commitment to peer review benefits our clients and their customers, by helping to ensure that the claims made are credible.  Showing that the research has held up to scientific scrutiny, helps clients help gain product acceptance and helps customers make informed buying decisions.  

For example, SEG recently submitted to papers for peer review, that were accepted and presented at the Association for the Advancement of

Computing in Education (AACE) EdMedia 2015 Conference, June 22-24, in Montreal, Canada:

• Improving Student Learning With Digital Learning and Course Management Tools: A Study of the Effectiveness of Digital Learning Tools on Student Achievement in Introductory Psychology Courses.
• A Study of the Effectiveness of Online Integrated Reading Activities on Student Reading Skills in Grades 1 - 8

We have only scratched the surface on this topic.If you would like to know more, please let us know.  You can contact us at 257-759-0617 or email us at info@segmeasurement.com.

Measurement Moment

How far is it?  Distance on the scale of the universe

I was pretty impressed as a kid when, in June 1969, NASA made its long, four-day journey to the moon.  The Apollo mission brought us a new sense of distance and scale. From the first time the Apollo astronauts looked back and saw the Earth as a pale blue dot, we began to realize we were just a small part of a very large Universe. 

The recent Pluto satellite mission brought us to yet a new level. We reached Pluto in less than 10 years and at a speed of 36,373 mph--greater than that achieved by any previous aircraft created by humans.   This is significant in and of itself, but it also gives us a good starting place for understanding just how large the universe is.  Even though Pluto is one of the farthest places we have been able to explore, it is our next-door neighbor when compared to distances outside of our solar system. 

One of the best ways to think of how far away celestial objects are is in terms of how long it would take to get from one place to another at the speed of light.  A light year is the distance we could travel in a year if we could travel at the speed of light.  

It takes "only" about 5.5 hours for light from the Sun to reach Pluto.  The nearest galaxy beyond our own is about 25,000 light years away.  So after that 5.5 hour trip to Pluto, you would still have to travel about 25,000 light years at the speed of light to get to the Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy.  Even this seems like a short trip when comparing it to the 2.5 million light year trip to the Andromeda galaxy, one of the first we would run into as we traveled outside the Milky Way. 

Still, Andromeda looks like a possible vacation destination when compared to the size of the known Universe.  Though we do not know how large the universe is, the edge of the observable universe is believed to be about 14 billion light years away.  

It is a long way from here to there.  I think I'll stay home for now.

This illustration, from Tim Jones and Damond Benningfield, may help you visualize these distances.

Humor in Education

Pearson Education to Launch New Clothing Line 

Largest provider of education publishing and assessment services will introduce a new line of fashion clothing this fall

London July 30 2015.  Pearson Education, the largest provider of educational publishing and assessment services shocked both the education and fashion worlds by announcing today that they will launch a new line of clothing for fall 2015, in time for the new school year.

Pearson's Chief Fashion Officer said, "We realized that there was a huge untapped market for standardized fashionable and appropriate clothing and accessories for students.  We separate ourselves from other clothing manufacturers and school uniform providers by offering a larger pool of fashion choices and customizable features. While our primary goal is to provide a standard set of fashion offerings for the entire country, we also recognize the need for meeting the needs of all students."

Preliminary research supports the link between making critical fashion decisions in the classroom and making critical fashion decisions in the workforce. Dressing appropriately is a critical 21^st century skill.

A rigorous process was used by Pearson to develop the fall clothing line.  A committee of Pearson psychometric and research professionals designed, developed, and approved all proposed clothing items.  The clothing was reviewed by Pearson, and declared consistent with the Standards for Educational and Career Dressing.  The proposed garments were then reviewed by committees of state educators and parents who validated the Pearson decisions.   

"We know that one size does not fit all. The fashion line will be customizable, and tailored to fit individual state needs. States will be able to choose sleeves, collars and shirt bodies from a "garment pool" and will also have the ability to create up to three custom accessories to add to the base clothing offerings. This feature is largely in reaction to states that are concerned that the standard clothing offerings will not meet their unique state needs," said Pearson's Chief Fashion Officer.   

Pearson's fall line will be offered through its website and will be available in Nordstrom retail locations. The spring line is in final stages of production and sports and leisure lines are under consideration. 

In This Issue

Peer Review

How far is it?

Pearson Launches Clothing Line

About SEG

Celebrating Ten Years of Making a Measurable Difference

2015 marks SEG Measurement's 10th year.  It is hard to believe that we have completed several hundred projects for more than 50 clients  during that time.

On a personal note, 2015 is my 37th year of doing business.  I have made many good friends.  The best is yet to come as we continue to work with our current clients and add to the mix.

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