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Learning by Sharing Implementation of the Oman Academic Standards for General Foundation Programmes. Effective Assessment Tools to measure / evaluate Learning Outcomes – English Dhofar University Presented by: Samantha Burns. The context in which the assessment takes place.
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Learning by SharingImplementation of the Oman Academic Standards for General Foundation Programmes Effective Assessment Tools to measure / evaluate Learning Outcomes – English Dhofar University Presented by: Samantha Burns
Expansion of levels 3 level programme extended as follows: • Level 1 1X extra support needed low 1R regularhigh • Bridging Programme – 2 additional hours of English support 5 hours of English
A Way to think about the OAC Learning OutcomesLearning Outcome 1 LEVEL 3 Outcomes • Use text features to predict general idea of a text (e.g. visuals, title, headings) • Scan a text to identify and explain specific information. • Skim a passage to determine the organization, general ideas, and scan the passage for relevant details. • Recall important points and interpret text by answering factual questions. • Compare and contrast relationships/ • Summarize/ • Paraphrase information from text. Goes to ENG101 Reading L.O.1 Read a one to two page text and identify the main idea(s) and extract specific information in a given period of time. .
Assessment • Placement test • Exit exam • Course material evaluation • External testing system • Student evaluation
Assessment Breakdown 2007-2009 ITP TOEFL 2009-2010 IELTS
SWOT(Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats) Performance Reviews: Key Performance Measures (English) A student completing each of the three levels: • Shall sit for a comprehensive exit exam prepared by GFP. • Exit exam for Level 3 would be ITP TOEFL or IELTS • Shall have a passing grade in the coursework of the semester (min. 60%) • Shall be promoted to the next level (or year one) if the aggregate average of coursework and exit exam is 60% and above (70% coursework + 30% exit exam (or ITP TOEFL/IELTS) • The target aim is 50% coursework and 50% external test.
ITP TOEFL vs IELTS Institution Testing Program Test of English as a Foreign Language International English Language Testing System 4 skills are rated based on practical skills which are used for academic study provides a variety of contexts and range of situations and speakers in line with OAS • Idiomatic language • Culturally biased • No speaking component • Does not differentiate in the lower registers • No writing component
Coursework Assessment • All tests and other assessed assignments are kept in students’ • portfolios with instructor for evidence of progress. • All writing papers are marked by two teachers to ensure fair grading. • Journals are collected on a weekly basis for teachers to identify • common errors and for student – teacher feedback. • Involvement in Project work is encouraged for further learning • opportunities.
DHOFAR UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION PROGRAM • FALL SEMESTER 2009-`10 • FINAL EXAM- LISTENING • Name: ID No: Class: L3/ S TOTAL MARKS:50 • SECTION 1:Listen to the conversation and circle the correct answers. (2.5 marks each) • The caller can book a car by pressing button number • (a)One (b)Two (c)Three • Who is the caller? • (a)Maxine (b)Melanie (c)Moris • The booking reference is • (a)ASFY15AG (b)ACFY15AG (c)ACFY50AJ • The caller wants to………… • (a)make changes to his car reservation ( b)complain about a car (c) make a car reservation • Mr Maxine will have to pay a total of ………….. • (a) ₤ 165 (b) ₤ 65 (c) ₤ 15 • SECTION 2: Listen to the lecture and answer the questions. • How much money was given by Alfred Nobel to establish the Nobel Prize? • ____________________________________________ • Which are the two Nobel prizes given by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences? • _____________________________________________ • How many members are there in the committee for Nobel Peace prize? • _____________________________________________ • Which was the sixth Nobel prize established in 1969? • ______________________________________________ • What is the last date for receiving names of candidates for the Nobel Prize? • ______________________________________________ • (continued…..page:2)
Speaking Level 3 Assessment Tasks 1 Prepare a dialogue on a familiar topic with a partner. Demonstrate: • initiate conversation / asking and answering questions • asking for clarification / concluding conversation. • Research and talk for 2 minutes about a current news item. • provide the reference /show clear understanding of the topic • use vocabulary that the class can understand • be able to answer questions seeking clarification • paraphrase successfully • Give a presentation of 5 minutesabout a career you are interested in pursuing or the major you will take at the university. • evidence of research • effective use of visual aids • provide clear information and ability to answer questions
SPEAKING RUBRIC Student’s Name:______________________ Level 3 Section: ____ TOTAL MARK: ____ / 30
SAMPLE OF READING TEST Questions 1-4 Complete the sentences below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer. 1 Global warming causes a set of ____________________________ patterns. 2 The IPCC meets annually to review the ________________________ and then prepares a report. • The gas that is responsible for most global warming is ___________ or CO². Questions 5-8 Choose the correct letter A, B or C. 5 IPCC stands for A International Peace on Climate Change B International Panel on Climate Change C Internal Panel on Climate change
SAMPLE OF READING TEST Questions 11 – 13 Using the information in the passage, complete the table below. Write your answers in the space provided. 11. Today, water services are inferior to those of ancient________. 12. Around ______ to _____children are killed every year due to water-related diseases. Questions 14 – 17 Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 2? Write your answers in the space provided: YESif the statement agrees with the claims of the writer NO If the statement contradicts the claims of the writer NOT GIVENif it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this 14.In the future, governments should maintain ownership of water reservoirs. _________ 15. Industrial growth is increasing the overall demand for water. _________
SAMPLE OF WRITING TEST WRITING – TASK 4 COMPARE AND CONTRAST PARAGRAPH- Focus on • good ideas content • topic sentence • concluding sentence organization • supporting sentences • good use of vocabulary • spelling use of English • punctuation • grammar Choose one of the following and write 120 – 150 words. (10 marks) In a well organized paragraph, compare and contrast two friends you know well. OR In a well organized paragraph, compare and contrast two cities, (for example: Dubai and Muscat or Muscat and Salalah).
SAMPLE OF WRITING TEST Essay Writing: (about 250 words for each essay) Directions: Choose ONE topic from Part I and One topic from Part II: A or B Part I: Agree/disagree topics( 20 marks) 1. Some people feel that it is better to have separate classes at university for male students and female students. Do you agree or disagree with these people? Give three reasons. 2. Mobile phones are helpful in many ways, but they also cause problems. We should limit our use of mobile phones. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Give three reasons. Part II: Cause/effect 1. What are the effects of using public transportation? Give three effects and explain each. • What are the reasons some students get bad grades at university? Give three causes and explain each.
The next step in our process of improving our assessment tools High stakes assessment Other forms of data collection Journals Portfolios Project work Oral Presentations Homework assignments Informal observations of student proficiency • Tests • Exams • Quizzes • External testing systems How do we quantify these other forms while maintaining reliability and validity?
The future ... Effective educators must, by the very nature of our changing society, adapt and redefine the goals of student learning and the tools used to assess these. Assessment guides instruction and aids us, as teachers, in improving our programmes to meet the needs of • our changing student base • our students’ increasing exposure to English and awareness of world affairs • the increasing fields for job opportunities and the paths taken to attain employment.