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Application of an On-Line Diagnostic English Language Test

The 11 th 334 Symposium Advancing Teaching and Learning: Evidence, Outcomes and E-learning Lingnan University 4 March 2011. Application of an On-Line Diagnostic English Language Test. Overview of presentation. Background The DELTA system Applications of DELTA. Background.

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Application of an On-Line Diagnostic English Language Test

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  1. The 11th 334 Symposium Advancing Teaching and Learning: Evidence, Outcomes and E-learning Lingnan University 4 March 2011 Application of an On-Line Diagnostic English Language Test

  2. Overview of presentation • Background • The DELTA system • Applications of DELTA

  3. Background

  4. DELTA Context • Opportunity provided by planning for 4-year curriculum for English language centres to review their curricula and provision of learning, teaching and assessment • Tertiary education’s focus on outcomes-based learning, teaching and assessment • Increased emphasis on learner autonomy and the independent learner • Bachman report to UGC on language enhancement

  5. The Bachman Report (1) While there may be a number of specific, research and development (R&D) projects involving inter-institutional collaboration among language center staff at different universities, one that is of particular importance, in my view, is the collaborative R&D project involving HKIEd, PolyU, and LU, on the development of a system for assessing English language proficiency ... there is a need for much greater collaboration in this area. Language Enhancement in Hong Kong Universities: Some Observations and Recommendations (Annex A, p.4)Lyle F. Bachman, July 2010

  6. The Bachman Report (2) 2. An overall plan for the development of language assessments could include the following: • Different tests developed for complementary purposes, some could be CR, objectives-based, and some could be NR, and independent of any particular learning objectives. • Tests with some components to be delivered face-to-face and some on-line. • Integration with a language [learning] management system that could include E-portfolios for tracking students’ LE activities and progress in language proficiency. • A delivery platform that is flexible enough to be used for formative and summative course-based assessments by all eight institutions. This flexibility would make it usable for use in general foundational language courses, language for academic purpose courses, and discipline-specific language courses, as well as for certification. (Annex A, p.17)

  7. Relevance and Significance of DELTA The DELTA project is relevant to the partner institutions and this symposium for several reasons: • It is a genuinely collaborative, inter-university project in which language centres share knowledge, experience and resources. • It provides additional data about students’ language proficiency. • Partner universities will be able to use DELTA results for various purposes. • It will feed into the teaching and learning process with forward perspective to 2012. • It will create the opportunity to engage in collaborative research.

  8. PolyU assessment outline for 4-year curriculum Exit Entry

  9. What is DELTA? An English language proficiency assessment system designed specifically for the Hong Kong academic context which can • diagnose students’ strengths and weaknesses • track and report on students’ language gains • help students to plan their language learning • inform curriculum development

  10. Assessment Format • Four components - Listening, Reading, Grammar and Vocabulary • Academic & general text-based • Multiple-choice items • Items calibrated using Item Response Theory (Winsteps) analysis • Assessment targeted to each student’s proficiency level

  11. DELTA Track

  12. DELTA Track and Component Skills Profile

  13. Component Diagnostic Report

  14. The DELTA system

  15. The DELTA System ENROLMENT / REGISTRATION student-specific test selection TEST DELIVERY tracking automated scoring & test analysis REPORTING report generation & transmission Learning Management System (Moodle) and/or e-Portfolio

  16. DELTA system (admin) Customizable set up • Test setup (venue, sessions, enrolment period, etc.) • Item database (active / inactive items) • Test difficulty level for groups of students • Student report content Management • Enrolment and attendance • Item database • Results (Export to Winsteps for analysis)

  17. New student (1st attempt of DELTA) Sets DELTA target (with the advice of a language teacher) Receives email reminder to register Completes a generic test SEEKS LANGUAGE SUPPORT TO ACHIEVE TARGET Receives an email that results are available

  18. 2nd year student (2nd attempt of DELTA) (Re)sets DELTA target (with the advice of a language teacher) Receives email reminder to register Seeks language support to achieve target Completes a targeted test (targeted to proficiency level) Receives an email that results are available

  19. Applications of DELTA@ CITYU

  20. Relevance to English Language Teaching and Learning at CityU

  21. DELTA & English support for CityU students from 2012 DELTA DELTA DELTA DELTA

  22. approx 5200 (all Year 1 students) + approx 1300 (from 2011) approx 2600 (all Year 1 students) + approx 5200 (from 2012) + approx 1300 (from 2011)

  23. http://elws2.cityu.edu.hk/IndependentLearning/writing2.html

  24. http://elws2.cityu.edu.hk/IndependentLearning/writing2.html Independent learning guidance

  25. Language learning plan

  26. Meeting with a Language Learning Advisor

  27. Applications of DELTA @Lingnan

  28. Application of DELTA at Lingnan • The DELTA system at Lingnan University is informing and interacting with the teaching-learning process by: • Providing additional information to help in curriculum planning and decision making • Promoting learner autonomy and guiding students in independent learning • Providing valuable input to both students and faculty for academic advising

  29. Curriculum Planning and Decision Making • Planning and developing the 2012 curriculum • All new courses in 2012 will contain significantIndependent Learning (IL) component in which students will plan and execute their individualised learning pathwayswith help from DELTA student reports • CEAL will track language proficiency development of all students by making the DELTA test mandatoryonce per year • CEAL currently anticipating proficiency targets and how to work with parent departments

  30. Promoting Learner Autonomy and Independent Learning • DELTA student reports enable students and CEAL staff to identify: • specific language subskills for IL work • resourcesthat need to be developed

  31. Input to provide information and help in Academic Advising • Lingnan currently using Degree Worksas a tool for advisors and students in academic advising • Students and staff able to discuss English language proficiency, development and targets • CEAL hopes to work with academic advisors to enable better understanding and more effective use of DELTA student reports

  32. Sample student report in DegreeWorks

  33. The DELTA Team Centre for Language in Education (HKIEd) Michelle Raquel, Gwendoline Guan Centre for English and Additional Languages (LU) Christine Shirley, Jerry Gray English Language Centre (PolyU) Alan Urmston, Carrie Tsang, Felicia Fang, Cherry Ng English Language Centre (CityU) Jane Lockwood, Eva Lui External Consultant Professor Trevor Bond, James Cook University, Australia

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