Researching participants taking IELTS Academic Writing Task 2 (AWT2) in paper mode and in computer mode in terms of score equivalence, cognitive validity and other factors

Computer-based (CB) assessment is becoming more common in most university disciplines, and international language testing bodies now routinely use computers for many areas of English language assessment. Given that, in the near future, IELTS also will need to move towards offering CB options alongside traditional paper-based (PB) modes, the research reported here prepares for that possibility, building on research carried out some years ago which investigated the statistical comparability of the IELTS writing test between the two delivery modes, and offering a fresh look at the relevant issues. By means of questionnaire and interviews, the current study investigates the extent to which 153 test-takers’ cognitive processes, while completing IELTS Academic Writing in PB mode and in CB mode, compare with the real-world cognitive processes of students completing academic writing at university. A major contribution of our study is its use – for the first time in the academic literature – of data from research into cognitive processes within real-world academic settings as a comparison with cognitive processing during academic writing under test conditions. The most important conclusion from the study is that according to the 5-facet MFRM analysis, there were no significant differences in the scores awarded by two independent raters for candidates’ performances on the tests taken under two conditions, one paper-and-pencil and the other computer. Regarding analytic scores criteria, the differences in three areas (i.e. Task Achievement, Coherence and Cohesion, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy) were not significant, but the difference reported in Lexical Resources was significant, if slight. In summary, the difference of scores between the two modes is at an acceptable level. With respect to the cognitive processes students employ in performing under the two conditions of the test, results of the Cognitive Process Questionnaire (CPQ) survey indicate a similar pattern between the cognitive processes involved in writing on a computer and writing with paper-and-pencil. There were no noticeable major differences in the general tendency of the mean of each questionnaire item reported on the two test modes. In summary, the cognitive processes were employed in a similar fashion under the two delivery conditions. Based on the interview data (n=30), it appears that the participants reported using most of the processes in a similar way between the two modes. Nevertheless, a few potential differences indicated by the interview data might be worth further investigation in future studies. The Computer Familiarity Questionnaire survey shows that these students in general are familiar with computer usage and their overall reactions towards working with a computer are positive. Multiple regression analysis, used to find out if computer familiarity had any effect on students’ performances on the two modes, suggested that test-takers who do not have a suitable familiarity profile might perform slightly worse than those who do, in computer mode. In summary, the research offered in this report offers a unique comparison with realworld academic writing, and presents a significant contribution to the research base which IELTS and comparable international testing bodies will need to consider, if they are to introduce CB test versions in future

PRESCRIBING JOINT CO-ORDINATES DURING MODEL PREPARATION IN OPENSIM IMPROVES THE ACCURACY OF LOWER LIMB KINEMATICS

The lower limb sidestepping kinematics of 20 elite female athletes were calculated using: 1) an established direct kinematic (DK) model (criterion) and, 2) two inverse kinematic (IK) models; one with and one without participant-specific joint co-ordinates prescribed during model preparation. The aim of this research was to determine whether prescribing joint co-ordinates influences the accuracy of IK derived sidestepping kinematics. Time-varying analysis (1D SPM) of IK derived hip, knee and ankle joint kinematics showed model’s prepared with participant-specific joint co-ordinates more closely matched that of the criterion measure. Prescribing participant-specific joint coordinates during model preparation improves the accuracy of IK derived sidestepping kinematics in OpenSim

DO FIELD HOCKEY PLAYERS REQUIRE A SPORT-SPECIFIC BIOMECHANICAL ASSESSMENT TO CLASSlFY THEIR ANTERIOR CRUClATE LIGAMENT INJURY RISK?

The lower limb biomechanics of 13 elite female hockey players were compared between 1) a generic, and 2) a hockey-specific (i.e., flexed trunk and hockey stick present) ACL injury risk movement assessment. Our aim was to determine if an athlete's ACL injury risk classification differed as a function of their movement assessment. An increase in trunk, hip and knee flexion was observed during the hockey-specific movement assessment. No significant differences in key ACL injury risk factors (i.e., peak three dimensional knee moments) were observed. These results show that imposing hockeyspecific requirements during a lab based movement assessment did not change an athlete's ACL injury risk classification when compared to a generic movement assessment

THE EFFECT OF BIOMECHANICALLY FOCUSED INJURY PREVENTION TRAINING ON REDUCING ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT INJURY RISK AMONG FEMALE COMMUNITY LEVEL ATHLETES

This study investigated changes in biomechanical risk factors following a 9-week body-weight based training intervention focused on the dynamic control of the hip/trunk. Peak knee moments and lower limb muscle activation of female community level athletes (n=18), split into intervention (n=8) and comparison (n=10) groups, were measured during unplanned sidestepping pre/post training. Following the 9-week intervention, total muscle activation of the muscles crossing the knee decreased, which was accompanied by elevated peak knee valgus and internal rotation moments among the comparison group. Increases in peak knee valgus and internal rotation moments were not observed among the training intervention group. In the context of ACL injury risk, these findings suggest that participation in biomechanically focused training may mitigate the potentially deleterious effects of regular community level sport participation

CHANGES IN SUPPORT MOMENT AND MUSCLE ACTIVATION FOLLOWING HIP AND TRUNK NEUROMUSCULAR TRAINING: THE HIP AND ACL INJURY RISK

This study investigated lower limb muscular activation strategies following an 8-week body-weight based training intervention focused on the dynamic control of the hip/trunk. Muscle activation, support moment and frontal plane knee moments of elite female hockey players (n=13) were measured during unplanned sidestepping pre/post training. Post-training, gluteal muscle activation increased (+10%;p=0.006). There was no change in support moment or frontal plane knee moments however, the contribution of hip extension to total support moment increased (+10%;d=0.56) following training. Hip/trunk neuromuscular training is effective in improving hip neuromuscular activation, allowing athletes to more effectively utilise their hip to generate their support moment, which may prevent dangerous ‘dynamic valgus’ knee postures during sidestepping sporting tasks