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JimJam
Joined: 06 Mar 2010
Posts: 69
Location: UK
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 Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 5:34 pm Post subject: IELTS research |
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Hi all,
Doing some research for my diploma. If you know anything about the IELTS test will you do my questionnaire please. It will take 2 minutes.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/L8TRW38
I'm investigating face validity and it's relationship to 'the power of test', Shohamy and all that. |
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LongShiKong
Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 1082
Location: China
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| Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 9:49 am Post subject: |
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Why don't you ask students who've taken the IELTS or those who administer it? Do a search for 'IELTS examiner' on teaching forums. I've come across at least one not long ago.
Your research is for a diploma? Mind if I ask what program you're in? |
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JimJam
Joined: 06 Mar 2010
Posts: 69
Location: UK
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| Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 10:17 am Post subject: |
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Hi LongShiKong,
Thanks for the tips. I have had a lot of responses from students so I'm just trying to get some responses from people who actually teach IELTS.
I'm doing the Trinity TESOL diploma. You have to do 3 big projects for a portfolio, two classroom based and this one which is research based. |
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LongShiKong
Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 1082
Location: China
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| Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 3:08 pm Post subject: |
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Just took your quiz. What exactly are you after in #2? May I suggest reformulating the question--I could've answered either way but there's no 'depends'.
Doing research for your diploma reminds me of my B.Ed 'Action Research Project'--a standard in teacher training. The idea is that professional educator are supposed to be engaged in ongoing learning partly through such methodical research shared within 'professional learning communities'. In my mind, the only 'educators' who have time for that (during working hours) are tenured professors with TAs doing their teaching. (Sorry folks, just couldn't resist another put down of bharrell's beloved academia.)
But back on topic:
I'm sure you're already aware of the official IELTS website research: http://www.ielts.org/researchers/research.aspx
In January, I emailed Dave to either add an IELTS forum or rename TOEFL to include it and other tests. Still waiting  There is, however, a dedicated IELTS forum on the Cambridge ESOL Teachers Forum where you'll find students and teacher posts and there's also a link to a Yahoo IELTS group as well: https://www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org/ts/forums?q=/forums/show/15/609.page |
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Perilla
Joined: 09 Jul 2010
Posts: 792
Location: Hong Kong
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| Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 4:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Some questions need to be reformulated, and more options offered for some answers. |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 4:46 pm Post subject: |
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| The idea is that professional educator are supposed to be engaged in ongoing learning partly through such methodical research shared within 'professional learning communities'. In my mind, the only 'educators' who have time for that (during working hours) are tenured professors with TAs doing their teaching |
Actually, I know quite a few practicing teachers (without TAs) who do this on a regular basis (including me). It likely depends on the specific research being carried out - this can obviously be on a range from quite simple to very complex.
I think the open questions on the IELTS survey by the OP are quite useful. The others do seem rather subjective, and lead to black-or-white answers when the reality consists of shades of grey;-) |
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JimJam
Joined: 06 Mar 2010
Posts: 69
Location: UK
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| Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 5:43 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks all for your input.
Criticism about the questions is well placed to some extent, although I should stress that I'm dealing with perceptions of the test so I have gone to some lengths to ask subjective questions. For example, I'm not interested in actual levels of construct-irrelevant variance but perceived levels. In terms of impact on 'stakeholders' it is the perception of this variance which effects their relationship to the test. So, if admissions tutors think the test is not valid they may look for a better test whatever the actual validity is. Equally, if a test taker gets a poor grade it is desirable for them to think that it is because their language skills are not good rather than thinking they were unlucky enough to get a tough marker.
In interviews I've done I discovered that some Chinese people think it's better to do the IELTS exam in a smaller test centre, where (it is believed) they fail fewer test takers. Of course the research does not support this at all but the point is that it is believed and therefore is part of the impact of the test. |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 5:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| although I should stress that I'm dealing with perceptions of the test so I have gone to some lengths to ask subjective questions |
Yes, I do see what you mean. But, for example, the questions about whether two different examiners will rate a test at the same level - or not - would benefit from a 'sometimes' or 'possibly' option. Neither option is probably 'always' true, even in the minds of the stakeholders involved.
I don't put too much weight on IELTS scores myself, having experienced over the past decade plus that it doesn't necessarily correlate to success at academic studies or participation in them. But I wouldn't throw out the test results entirely, either. Basically, in my experience, it's a useful tool of several that we use to measure proficiency. The application of several tools rather than just one is obviously optimal.....
But your study about perceptions could have interesting ramifications...what would you do with your findings? |
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JimJam
Joined: 06 Mar 2010
Posts: 69
Location: UK
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| Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 6:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| the questions about whether two different examiners will rate a test at the same level - or not - would benefit from a 'sometimes' or 'possibly' option. Neither option is probably 'always' true, even in the minds of the stakeholders involved |
Unfortunately it's difficult to measure shades of grey and a questionnaire is a rather blunt approach. In that particular question it is a case of Schr�dinger's cat I think. If it is possible that the test can sometimes be unfair (and the system isn't transparent enough to show us when) then that is enough to undermine the test completely and it might as well always be unfair.
I will probably find that many people view the test as not being particularly valid because they don't have access to research which tends to support its validity. Obviously the test has huge power to make people winners or losers in life, so I think I will recommend that teachers have a responsibility to acknowledged the social aspect of tests in their teaching. Perhaps by spending a small amount of time in a test prep class talking about how test questions are made and prototyped and all that.
If a learner fails a test and they think it's because their English isn't good enough, maybe they'll work harder next time If they think it's because they got a lazy examiner who couldn't be bothered to mark their paper properly, they may just give up. |
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