Feasibility of Computer Assisted English Proficiency Tests in Turkey: A Field Study

Yıl 2017, Cilt: 7 Sayı: 1, 107 - 122, 16.02.2017

Belgin Aydın Serkan Geridönmez Murat Polat , Emel Akay

https://doi.org/10.18039/ajesi.292590

Cited By: 1

Öz

The content and administration procedures of
proficiency tests, the difficulties faced and the perception of “proficiency”
in schools of foreign languages in Turkish context are issues worth focusing
on. One of the comprehensive studies on this topic was conducted by Aydın,
Akay, Polat and Geridönmez (2016) in which they conducted a series of
interviews with the administrators of 12 schools of foreign languages in Turkey
as a part of a Scientific Research Project of Anadolu University. One of the
striking findings of this study was the willingness and enthusiasm of
administrators for computer assisted language proficiency tests. They stated
that this practice may bring certain advantages regarding work load and
quality. Therefore, two international test providers which design and
administer such tests were visited within the scope of this research project to
gather information about the technical and procedural information regarding the
following issues: the reasons of the transition from paper-based tests to
computer-based ones; the decisions taken prior to transition and preliminary
works; the advantages and difficulties of computer based tests; and automatic
scoring practices. This paper aims to report the results of these interviews by
suggesting a possible path to develop our nationwide computer based proficiency
test. development of the student.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Language testing, Language proficiency, Paper based and computer based testing, Proficiency exam

Türkiye'de Bilgisayar Destekli İngilizce Yeterlilik Sınavlarının Fizibilitesi

Öz

The content and administration procedures of
proficiency tests, the difficulties faced and the perception of “proficiency”
in schools of foreign languages in Turkish context are issues worth focusing
on. One of the comprehensive studies on this topic was conducted by Aydın,
Akay, Polat and Geridönmez (2016) in which they conducted a series of
interviews with the administrators of 12 schools of foreign languages in Turkey
as a part of a Scientific Research Project of Anadolu University. One of the
striking findings of this study was the willingness and enthusiasm of
administrators for computer assisted language proficiency tests. They stated
that this practice may bring certain advantages regarding work load and
quality. Therefore, two international test providers which design and
administer such tests were visited within the scope of this research project to
gather information about the technical and procedural information regarding the
following issues: the reasons of the transition from paper-based tests to
computer-based ones; the decisions taken prior to transition and preliminary
works; the advantages and difficulties of computer based tests; and automatic
scoring practices. This paper aims to report the results of these interviews by
suggesting a possible path to develop our nationwide computer based proficiency
test. development of the student.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Language testing, Language proficiency, Paper based and computer based testing, Proficiency exam

Kaynakça

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• Aydın B., Akay E., Polat M., Geridönmez S. (2016). Türkiye’deki Hazırlık Okullarının Yeterlik Sınavı Uygulamaları ve Bilgisayarlı Dil Ölçme Fikrine Yaklaşımları. Anadolu Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 16 (2).
• Aydın, S. (2000). İngilizce Öğretiminde Uygulanan Testlerle İlgili Sorunlar ve Çözümler. Atatürk Üniversitesi K.K. Eğitim Fakültesi dergisi, Dil Bilimi ve Dil Öğretimi Özel Sayısı, 4(1), 182-192.
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• URAP. (2013). Ekim 2013 Basın Açıklaması. Ankara, Urap Araştırma Laboratuarı, ODTÜ Enformatik Enstitüsü. [Available online at http://tr.urapcenter.org], Retrived on November 25th 2015.
• Yabancı Diller Yüksekokulları Yöneticileri Toplantısı (2015). [Available online at https://ydyotr.wordpress.com/toplantilar] Retrieved on December 15th 2015.
• YÖK. (2015). Bolonya Süreci Nedir? Yükseköğretim Kurulu Başkanlığı, Uluslararası İlişkiler Birimi, Ankara. [Available online at http://www.yok.gov.tr/web/uluslararasiiliskiler/bologna-sureci-nedir] Retrived on November 27th 2015.