An Investigation of the Development of Pre-service Teacher Assessment Literacy through Individualized Tutoring and Peer Debriefing

Many pre-service teachers lack deep understanding of assessment concepts and have low self-efficacy for using assessments but pre-service on-campus programs have been shown to support their assessment literacy development. Likewise, individualized tutoring has helped pre-service candidates improve instructional practice and peer debriefing has been found to help push their thinking. However, questions remain regarding the usefulness of these techniques to develop candidates’ assessment literacy. The primary aim of this exploratory qualitative study was to describe pre-service teachers’ perceptions of assessment literacy and the process of their assessment literacy development during a literacy assessment class containing an individualized tutoring component. Five teacher candidates in a literacy assessment and instruction course at a large urban university in the US engaged in individual semi-structured interviews and submitted written reflections and artifacts which were analyzed following the constant comparative and content analysis methods. Findings were that individualized tutoring allowed participants to apply the assessment techniques they were learning in class to determine their suitability with the diverse urban learners. Likewise, peer debriefing enabled them to share knowledge and ideas, offer mutual support and engage in collaborative problem solving to improve their tutoring. These findings support the conclusion that individualized tutoring and peer debriefing within a graduate class can be effective tools for deepening candidates’ reflection, connecting theory to practice, and providing feedback on instructional technique to support their assessment literacy development

Improving Urban Teachers’ Assessment Literacy through Synergistic Individualized Tutoring and Self-reflection

In this reflective piece, I provide an account of one method I am developing for fostering the assessment literacy of pre-service teachers’ in an Master of Arts in Teaching program through individualized tutoring of K-6 learners that also incorporated collaborative reflection. This method was developed for a pre-service teacher education course on individualized literacy assessment and instruction. I incorporated the individualized tutoring sessions and candidate reflection activities to develop candidates’ assessment literacy in response to several observations I made as I taught the class. The teacher research I consulted to address this challenge echoed my experience of the general superficiality with which assessment is covered in teacher education programs (Popham, 2004, 2010; Stiggins, 1999). Consequently, teacher candidates are graduating with an inadequate grasp of key assessment concepts (e.g., validity, bias etc.) and low self-efficacy for using assessments (Volante & Fazio, 2007). In an effort to address this situation, I have integrated individualized tutoring and teacher reflection into the class. Scholars emphasize the benefit of teacher reflection for improving their understandings of instructional strategies, teaching challenges, and raising awareness of their own tacit beliefs (Brookfield, 1995) as well as the ability to integrate their growing knowledge into a coherent framework (Larrivee, 2000). Other researchers report that individualized tutoring can improve pre-service teachers’ instructional technique (Schwartz et al., 2009). The central aim of this paper is to reflect on my experience using tutoring and reflection activities to improve pre-service teachers’ understanding of key literacy assessment concepts, and their knowledge of administration and interpretation procedures for a variety of literacy assessment tools

Teaching What We Know: The Influence of Pre-service EFL Teachers Background on L2 Reading Attitudes

Some aspects of Korean English teachers background such as the experience as second language readers may have shaped their attitudes toward English reading in less than favorable ways. Therefore, the primary aim of this research was to investigate how Korean EFL teachers background variables which include their L2 reading proficiency, access to English books for pleasure reading and their teaching experience relate to affective aspects of their L2 reading attitudes. To address these aims, a two-part L2 reading attitude survey was administered to 29 pre-service Korean EFL teachers. Results were that those with higher L2 reading proficiency are more comfortable reading in English, but there was no difference in comprehension ability and anxiety regarding L2 reading. Thus, it appears some aspects of attitude are more affected by L2 reading proficiency than others. Amount of teaching experience was found not to affect the participants levels of comfort or anxiety when reading in English. In accordance with other studies, those who reported having access to English books available to read for pleasure were more comfortable and less anxious about reading in English than those who indicated that they did not. This finding demonstrates that simply having L2 books available can make a difference in pre-service teachers L2 reading attitudes

High school may not be enough: An investigation of Asian students’ eligibility for post-secondary education

Post-secondary education has increased in importance as the world’s economies become more knowledge-based. Employment trends suggest that a high school diploma may be insufficient in some jurisdictions to meet the skills and demands of the 21st century workplace (HRSDC, 1998). In addition, immigration trends are resulting in more ethnic and cultural diversity in North American schools (cf., Goldenberg, 2006). The problem is that little research has been conducted to explore the participation of students from a variety of language or ethnic groups in Post- Secondary Education Programs (PSEPs) or to explore factors that may influence their eligibility to participate. According to Statistics Canada, by 2031, one in four Canadians will have been born in another country. Immigrants from Asia make up the largest group moving to urban centres around North America (CBC, 2010). This trend has implications for teachers who need to know how to meet these learners’ needs. While participation rates in PSEPs in Canada are steadily increasing (Shaienks, Gluszynski, & Bayard, 2008), it is unclear how immigrant student groups are faring. The goal of this exploratory study was to explore factors that influence Asian students’ eligibility for PSEPs.L'importance de l'éducation post-secondaire a augmenté en parallèle avec les économies mondiales qui deviennent de plus en plus des sociétés de la connaissance. Les tendances en matière d'emploi suggèrent qu'un diplôme d'études secondaires peut être insuffisant dans certaines juridictions pour répondre aux compétences et aux exigences du monde du travail au XXIème siècle (RHDCC, 1998). En outre, l'évolution de l'immigration se traduit par une plus grande diversité ethnique et culturelle dans les écoles nord-américaines (cf Goldenberg, 2006). Le problème est que peu de recherches ont été menées afin d'étudier la participation des étudiants ayant des antécédents culturels et linguistiques différents dans les programmes de l'éducation post-secondaire (PEPSs), ou pour étudier les facteurs qui peuvent influer sur leur admissibilité. Selon Statistique Canada, en 2031, un Canadien sur quatre sera né dans un autre pays. Les immigrants en provenance d'Asie forment le groupe le plus important se déplaçant vers les centres urbains à travers l'Amérique du Nord (SRC, 2010). Cette tendance a des implications pour les enseignants qui doivent savoir comment répondre aux besoins de ces apprenants. Bien que le taux de participation dans les PEPSs au Canada est en constante augmentation (Shaienks et coll., 2008), il est difficile de savoir comment les groupes d'étudiants immigrants se débrouillent. L'objectif de cette étude exploratoire était d'analyser les facteurs qui influent sur l'admissibilité des étudiants asiatiques dans les PEPSs

Critical Spaces for Critical Times: Global Conversations in Literacy Research as an Open Professional Development and Practices Resource

This paper reflects an OER (Open Educational Resources) critical literacy project, Global Conversations in Literacy Research (GCLR), (www.globalconversationsinliteracy.wordpress.com), now in its fourth year. GCLR annually hosts seven web seminars presented by internationally recognized literacy and education scholars. We outline key dimensions of GCLR not only as an OER but as an open educational practice (OEP) (Andrade et al., 2011) that through its design, not only provides open access to scholarship, but also understands the critical nexus among resources, practices and theory. Informed by data from a longitudinal study, this paper situates these dimensions within professional development literature, and outlines GCLR as a critical space designed for critical times, and the importance of intentionality when accessing OER. Like scholars before us, we argue that that availability is not the only consideration when using OER (Andrade et al., 2011); OER must be considered in relation to pedagogical considerations and how OER are used as a critical component to online professional development

An investigation of the cross-mode comparability of a paper and computer-based multiple-choice cloze reading assessment for ESL learners

This study was designed to determine whether a computer-based version of a standardized cloze reading test for second language learners is comparable to its traditional paper-based counterpart and to identify how test takers’ computer familiarity and perceptions of paper and computer-based tests related to their performance across testing modes. Previous comparability research for second language speakers revealed that some studies found that the two forms are comparable while others found they are not. Findings on the connection between computer attitudes and computer test performance were also mixed. One hundred and twenty high school ELL students were recruited for the study. The research instruments included both paper and computer-based versions of a locally developed reading assessment. The two tests are the same in terms of content, questions,pagination and layout. The design was a Latin squares so that two groups of learners took the tests in the opposite order and their scores were compared. Participants were also asked to complete questionnaires about their familiarity with computers and their perceptions of each of the two testing modes. Results indicate that the paper and computer-based versions of the test are comparable. A regression analysis showed that there is a relationship between computer familiarity and computer-based LOMERA performance. Mode preference survey data pointed to differences in preferences depending on each unique test feature. These results help validate the cross-mode comparability of assessments outside of the traditional discrete point multiple choice tests which tends to predominate in current research.Education, Faculty ofLanguage and Literacy Education (LLED), Department ofGraduat

COMPUTER FAMILIARITY AND TEST PERFORMANCE ON A COMPUTER-BASED CLOZE ESL READING ASSESSMENT

Researchers have raised questions regarding the connection between learner familiarity with computers and performance on computerized tests virtually since interest arose in studying the applicability of computers for assessment purposes. However, despite this longstanding attention, at present, there has been a surprising lack of research that explores the connection between computer familiarity and performance on computerized tests that fall outside of the traditional multiple-choice discrete-point tests that have historically predominated in the fielf of testing and assessment. The current study aims to address this gap in previous research by examining the relationship between computer familiarity and computer-based test performance on a computer-based test of second language reading that is integrative rather than discrete-point. The study investigated the online reading ability of ESL students from one secondary school in a large city in western Canada (61 females and 59 males in the sample, ages 13-19, M=15.73). The students responded to a questionnaire about their computer familiarity and then completed an online multiple-choice cloze test. Contrary to other most other findings based on discrete-point tests, the results revealed that the familiarity variables do account for a small but significant amount of the variability in the computer-based test scores

Pre-service English Teachers Extensive Reading and Its Effect on L2 Reading Self-efficacy

The many benefits of using extensive reading (ER) to foster language learning are increasingly clear. However, considerably less is known about how ER might improve pre-service English teachers affect regarding L2 reading. Accordingly, this study investigated the effect of ER on pre-service English teachers L2 reading self-efficacy and perceptions of ER. A pre-posttest quasi-experimental intervention was conducted with participants who engaged in ER to observe its impact on their self-efficacy and perceptions. In contrast to previous positive research findings, these results were that ER did not substantially affect a number of aspects of their self-efficacy. Qualitative results revealed that participants became more familiar with English and enjoyed ER, but they also expressed some dissatisfaction with their ER experiences. These findings suggest that while ER encourages some positive emotional states when reading, we also need to pay much closer attention to addressing learners reservations and helping them to see the value of ER