ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Electronic-Based Dynamic Assessment on the Listening Skill of Iranian EFL Learners
Author: Ashraf, Hamid
Date: 2016-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Language Tests,Computer Assisted Testing,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Test Format,Comparative Analysis,Pretests Posttests,Foreign Countries,Listening Comprehension Tests,Student Placement,Females,Teaching Methods,Virtual Classrooms,Conventional Instruction,Adult Students

This study investigated the impact of electronic-based dynamic assessment on the listening skill of Iranian EFL learners to achieve this goal, a group of 40 female EFL upper-intermediate students (aged between 26 to 38 years old) from to language institutes were selected as the participants of the study after administering a Quick Placement Test (QPT) to a larger population of EFL learners (N=65). All of the selected to female EFL upper intermediate student were administered a Listening Test (IELTS Format) as the pretest and posttest to assess the participants' listening comprehension. Participants were divided in two control (N=20) and experimental (n=20) groups. The learners in experimental group were taught the listening skill via Dynamic Assessment through virtual electronic-based classroom and the learners in control group were taught listening skill via traditional dynamic assessment in a physical language classroom. A quasi-experimental pretest and post-test design was employed. After three-month study, the participants in experimental group meaning that electronic-based dynamic assessment can significantly affect the listening skill of Iranian EFL learners.
Middle School English Teachers&apos; Views on Reflection of Core Competencies and Culture Teaching in Korean Textbooks
Author: Kong, Ji Eun
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Middle School Teachers,Language Teachers,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Teacher Attitudes,Positive Attitudes,Likert Scales,Cultural Awareness,Teaching Methods,Educational Objectives,Textbooks,Foreign Countries,Check Lists,Competency Based Education

The study investigated ten Korean secondary English teachers' views on to what extent core competencies were reflected in textbooks using 18 Likert-type statements. This study also examined their views on how well cultural contents and activities met curricular objectives of teaching culture through open-ended questions and interviews. Results showed that the three items on civic competence had lower means except for the one on ethical use of information collected in class. Teachers replied that tasks for each grade were deficient in helping students feel proud of their own culture and developing positive attitudes toward other cultures. They thought that current cultural contents lacked diversity despite positive improvements in including other cultures over the years and possibility of meeting curricular goals. Consequently, they made various efforts to offer appropriate culture teaching using additional materials and/or activities with diverse teaching strategies and techniques. Some implications are drawn from these results for better culture teaching.
Properties of Single-Response and Double-Response Multiple-Choice Grammar Items
Author: Baghaei, Purya
Date: 2016-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Language Tests,Multiple Choice Tests,Test Items,Factor Analysis,Item Analysis,Grammar,Psychometrics,Undergraduate Students,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Test Reliability,Comparative Analysis,Scores,Goodness of Fit,Guessing (Tests),Foreign Countries

The purpose of the present study is to compare the psychometric qualities of canonical single-response multiple-choice items with their double-response counterparts. Thirty, two-response fouroption grammar items for undergraduate students of English were constructed. A second version of the test was constructed by replacing one of the correct replies with a distracter. The two test forms were analysed by means of the Rasch model. To score double-response items, two scoring procedures, dichotomous and polytomous, were applied and compared. Results showed that dichotomously scored double-response items were significantly harder than their single-response counterparts. Double-response items had equal reliability to the single-response items and had a better fit to the Rasch model. Principal component analysis of residuals showed that double-response multiple-choice items are closer to the unidimensionality principle of the Rasch model which can be the result of minimized guessing effect in double-response items.Polytomously scored double-response items, however, were easier than single-response items but substantially more reliable. Findings indicated that polytomous scoring of double-response items without the application of correction for guessing formulas results in the increase of misfitting or unscalable persons. [Note: Several pages of this PDF are incorrectly numbered. The correct page range for this article is p33-49.]
Comparing the Difficulty of Classroom English in Primary English Teacher-Guidebooks by Levels Using Coh-Metrix
Author: Jung, Philip-Yoongoo
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Language of Instruction,English (Second Language),Elementary Education,Guides,Language Teachers,Language Proficiency,Grade 3,Grade 4,Grade 5,Grade 6,Difficulty Level,Language Usage,Syntax,Sentences,Foreign Countries,Vocabulary

This study investigated if the difficulty of instructional classroom English in primary teacher-guidebooks of English is adequately manipulated by learner-proficiency. Corpora of classroom English were compiled from 20 guidebooks from five publishers, approved following the 2015 Revised National Curriculum of Korea. Extracted materials from grades three and four were compared with those of grades five and six to observe variations in the difficulty. Coh-Metrix, a software application that computes an extensive range of measures on cohesion and language, was used for analyses. With evidence-based assessments on (psycho)linguistic features and patterns of classroom English, we report results both congruent and incongruent with the prospect that the difficulty should increase as learners become more proficient. Overall, although partial difficulty manipulations between the two levels were noted, inconsistent results and invariances were also observed, disclosing much room for improvement of classroom English in the guidebooks. Some implications toward teacher-guidebook development, particularly in its classroom English, are suggested.
Cognitive Diagnostic Modeling of L2 Reading Comprehension Ability: Providing Feedback on the Reading Performance of Iranian Candidates for the University Entrance Examination
Author: Hemmati, S. Jamal
Date: 2016-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reading Comprehension,College Entrance Examinations,Foreign Countries,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Reading Tests,Diagnostic Tests,High School Graduates,College Attendance,English (Second Language)

Research has been conducted on linguistic aspects of L2 reading comprehension ability but studies which concern cognitive aspects of this skill are rather scarce. Efforts should be made to have sound understanding of the attributes and subskills needed for successful performance on L2 reading comprehension tests. In this study the reading attributes underlying the reading comprehension section of the Iranian National University Entrance Examination (Konkoor) held in 2011 are investigated. The G-DINA model, a general cognitive diagnostic model, is applied and the CDM package in R is used to run the analyses. The findings indicate problematic areas in reading comprehension at a national level. Students who desire to pursue their studies at national universities, the teachers who train the candidates at high schools and the ministry of education can benefit from such feedbacks.
Examining Construct Validity of the Master&apos;s UEE Using the Rasch Model and the Six Aspects of the Messick&apos;s Framework
Author: Ravand, Hamdollah
Date: 2016-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,College Entrance Examinations,Test Validity,Masters Programs,English (Second Language),Item Response Theory,Construct Validity,Predictive Validity,Test Items,Undergraduate Students,College Applicants,Language Tests

The purpose of the present study was to explore validity of the University Entrance Examination for applicants into English Master's Programs in Iran (Master's UEE) with respect to the Messickian validity framework using the Rasch model. The data of 18821 test takers taking the 2009 version of the UEE were analyzed with Winsteps and R package eRm. An array of tests including Anderson's (1973) test were used to check unidimensionality of the test. Since the test as a whole did not show unidimensionality, the reading, grammar, and vocabulary sections of the test were analyzed separately through Anderson's (1973) likelihood ratio (LR) test using R package eRm. The results showed that (a) all the items in all the sections displayed good fit to the model, whereas more than 5% of the examinees misfit the model, (b) due to small variance of item and person measures, the Rasch model explained small amount of variance in each section, namely 19.7%, 13.8%, and 22.1% in the reading, grammar, and vocabulary sections, respectively, (c) item measures were invariant within sections, contributing to the predictive validity (in the traditional sense of validity as types) of the test, whereas person measured did not show invariance, suggesting multidimensionality of the data hence threatening the construct validity of the test, (d) the bulk of the items did not match the bulk of the persons and there were noticeable gaps in the person-item maps, (e) small variance of person and item measures resulted in low Rasch reliability estimates for the sections, namely 0.53, 0.54, and 0.45 for the reading, grammar, and vocabulary sections, respectively.
An In-Depth Insight into EFL University Students&apos; Cognitive Processes of C-Test and X-Test: A Case of Comparison
Author: Ashraf, Hamid
Date: 2016-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Protocol Analysis,Foreign Countries,Cloze Procedure,Cognitive Processes,Language Tests,Test Format,Comparative Analysis,Undergraduate Students,Correlation

The literature on C-test and Cloze test in a second language provides us with few accounts of the real mental processes that test-takers are involved in, which in fact indicate the real nature of what these tests measure. However, the literature leaves researchers with little attention to the cognitive processes involved in X-Tests. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to discover the extent to which the C-Test and the X-Test tap participants' use of mental strategies. In doing so a C-Test and an X-test were administered to eight subjects who were EFL learners in Mashhad, Iran. They all took part in introspective methods of think-aloud and retroactive interviews throughout the test administration. Think aloud protocol was used to collect the required data. The results showed that both tests were similar to each other regarding mental processes, except in using two strategies that participants applied only for filling out the gaps of the X-Test. Moreover, it appeared that the X-Test was more difficult for the subjects.
Developing a Model of Analytic Rating Scales to Assess College Students&apos; L2 Chinese Oral Performance
Author: Chen, Guangyan
Date: 2016-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Oral Language,Factor Analysis,Chinese,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Rating Scales,Goodness of Fit,Evaluators,Video Technology,Language Proficiency,Item Analysis,Language Fluency,College Students,Student Evaluation

This study develops a model of analytic rating scales to assess L2 Chinese oral performance. It uses Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) to identify a model and employs Confirmative Factor Analysis (CFA) in a separate dataset to test the degree of model fit. The researcher videotaped ten speeches and ACTFL professional raters assessed the oral performances in these samples. The researcher then selected three samples (Samples 1, 2, and 3) to represent the proficiency levels of Novice High, Intermediate High, and Advanced Low. Then, the researcher developed 20 rating items by interviewing ten experienced L2 Chinese teachers and running an EFA. The 20 items were descriptors that Chinese teachers used to assess oral performance in two studies: Study 1 and Study 2. To complete Study 1, the researcher recruited 45 teachers to assess Sample 1 using the 20 items, 62 teachers rated Sample 2, and 49 teachers rated Sample 3. In Study 2, 104 teachers assessed all three samples. The EFA indicated a four-factor model of analytic rating scales: &quot;fluency,&quot; &quot;conceptual understanding,&quot; &quot;communication clarity,&quot; and &quot;communication appropriateness.&quot; In this model, the correlations between these analytic rating scales were relatively high and teachers weighted &quot;fluency&quot; as most important. Together the four scales explained 65.5% of teachers' holistic judgments of oral performance. The CFA did not show a strong model fit to the data, but the fit was acceptable. This model advances our understanding of the relationship between analytic rating scales and holistic ratings in the context of L2 Chinese. These findings give Chinese teachers with which a reference to assess U.S. college students' L2 Chinese oral performance.
Rethinking the Factor of Duration for Professional Development: A Workshop-Seminar-Demonstration Class Model for Science Teachers
Author: Li, Nuo
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Science Teachers,Faculty Development,Program Length,Junior High School Teachers,Foreign Countries,Program Effectiveness,Teacher Improvement,Lesson Plans,Educational Practices,Teacher Attitudes,Teacher Workshops,Demonstrations (Educational),Seminars

Participating in effective professional development (PD) activities is crucial for helping teachers improve the quality of pedagogy and students' learning results. Numerous factors influence the design of effective PD, one of which is duration. However, many teachers do not find much time to participate in long-term concentrated and continuous PD due to their heavy workloads. Based on this consideration, this paper presents the Workshop-Seminar-Demonstration Class PD (WSDPD) model, which addresses the factor of duration by shortening the hours of contact, lengthening the total span of time required, and integrating elements such as active learning and expert follow-up to improve teachers' practical teaching methods. With &quot;Teaching for Conceptual Change&quot; as the theme and junior high school science teachers as participants, the results of the study show that WSD-PD can serve teachers by generating willingness to improve teaching practices for and influence teaching behaviors in them. The settings of different activities in this model are also considered to play distinct and indispensable roles in the program.
Teachers&apos; Perceptions about Mathematics in a Socio-Religious Context: A Case from Pakistan
Author: Amirali, Munira
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mathematics Teachers,Teacher Attitudes,Mathematics Instruction,Beliefs,Social Influences,Religious Factors,Foreign Countries,Educational Philosophy,Muslims,Experience,Teacher Education Programs

This study investigated mathematics teachers' beliefs about the nature of mathematics and the contributory factors shaping them. A survey of 200 trained and untrained mathematics teachers from public and private schools was carried out in Karachi Pakistan, a context with a strong influence of religion on the socio-cultural practices of the people. The survey was followed by a focus-group discussion with selected teachers and is the focus of this paper. This is a groundbreaking study in a hitherto under-researched socio-religious context. Teachers across the system showed a strong similarity in beliefs. A commonly held view was that mathematics is created by Allah and mathematicians have worked with this knowledge to invent practical applications in service of religion. Teachers' experiences of learning mathematics and their deep-rooted religious beliefs shaped their views of mathematics. The study highlights the sensitive and resilient nature of teachers' beliefs and the significance of taking them into account in reforming teacher education policy and practice.
Collective Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale for Elementary School Teachers
Author: Sánchez-Rosas, Javier
Date: 2022-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Effectiveness,Self Efficacy,Teacher Collaboration,Decision Making,Family Involvement,Community Involvement,Educational Environment,Job Satisfaction,Teaching Conditions,Stress Variables,Well Being,Foreign Countries,Elementary School Teachers,Teacher Attitudes

Collective Teacher Self-Efficacy refers to the beliefs of the faculty of a school about their ability to work as a team and achieve positive results. Although it presents itself as a promising concept related, the research is relatively scarce and the existing instruments have some limitations. The present work aims to provide new psychometric evidence for a recently created instrument. For this, an expert judgment test was carried out that evaluated content validity, and the instrument was administered to a sample of 309 subjects to analyze internal structure and test criterion validity. Good content validity was observed, evidenced by the satisfactory evaluations of the pertinence and clarity of the items. Evidence of a five-dimensional factor structure was provided (self-efficacy for decision making, teaching, familial participation, community participation and positive school climate), with good fit indexes and internal consistency. As was expected, relationships with job satisfaction, institutional belonging, job stress, institutional commitment, and job wellbeing were found. Finally, the possible applications of the instrument are discussed.
Connecting Science, Design Thinking, and Computational Thinking through Sports
Author: Galoyan, Tamara
Date: 2022-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Middle School Students,Student Attitudes,STEM Education,Design,Computation,Thinking Skills,Athletics,Urban Schools,Science Education,Summer Programs,Minority Group Students

Despite calls for both research and curricular implementations that support underrepresented students' exploration of STEM topics, curricula that apply principles of embodied cognition, such as the use of sports to teach science, are still needed. Further research may also serve to clarify how underrepresented students construct knowledge over time and make sense of embodied STEM learning experiences. In order to encourage engagement with science education, the four-week Science Through Sports summer curriculum was designed and implemented at a middle school located in an economically underrepresented urban area. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore 15 middle school students' attitudes toward science, design thinking, and computational thinking as a result of engaging in Science Through Sports. Findings revealed growth in students' attitudes toward science and science identities, as well as development of skills, self-efficacy, and knowledge in relation to science, sports, computational thinking, and design thinking.
Contextualization of Inclusive Education: Education for Children with Disabilities in Myanmar
Author: Tonegawa, Yoshiko
Date: 2022-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Inclusion,Students with Disabilities,Visual Impairments,Blindness,Special Schools,Traditional Schools,Student Needs,Institutional Cooperation,Elementary Secondary Education,Postsecondary Education,Barriers

Inclusive education is regarded as one of the global agendas of education; in recent years, many countries have implemented an inclusive education policy. This case study aimed to examine the actual practice of inclusive education among children with disabilities today. More specifically, this study analyzed the case of inclusive education for children with visual impairment in Yangon, Myanmar. In Yangon, &quot;a limited inclusive education in phase&quot; allows children with visual impairment to experience both special and regular schools. This study's findings revealed that the special schools had met the students' needs with life-skills courses, supplementary study time, and a safe environment. However, there were some challenges, including a lack of communication between the special and regular schools and inadequate bonding between students with and without visual impairment. However, it also suggests the importance of addressing the wider range of needs of students with disabilities for inclusive education. This case in Yangon is considered as a type of inclusive education which utilizes their resources to fit their context.
Postgraduate Theses on Digital Literacy in Turkey: A Content Analysis Study
Author: Elçiçek, Mithat
Date: 2022-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computer Literacy,Foreign Countries,Content Analysis,Research Methodology,Research Design,Doctoral Dissertations,Masters Theses,Educational Technology

The purpose of this research is to reveal the research trends of postgraduate theses published in the field of digital literacy published in Turkey between 2015 and 2020. In this context, a total of 34 postgraduate theses on digital literacy published between 2015 and 2020 in the database of YÖK (Higher Education Institution) National Thesis Centre were examined. In the examination of the theses, the publication classification form including year, level, language, department, research method, research design, sample, the determination method of the sample, number of sample, data collection tool, data analysis techniques, research topic, and research results were used. According to the results of the research, it was determined that the number of studies published in the field of digital literacy increased until 2019 and decreased in 2020. It was also determined that these theses are generally carried out at the master's level and mostly regarding the department of Computer and Instructional Technology Education. Another finding was that common methods and designs used in these studies are the quantitative research method and descriptive and relational research design. Considering the sample in the theses, it was determined that pre-service teachers and university students constitute the sample and that the convenience sampling method is used. The topics were mainly about the examination of digital literacy level based on various variables and the highest digital literacy levels of secondary and high school students were found to be the highest in the results obtained.