© 1990 by Oxford University Press
Articles |
Three new tests for overseas students entering postgraduate and vocational training course
Secondary ESL students and trained secondary science teachers in ESP methodology before teaching at Nanchang Teachers‘ College (China) in 1982. She has worked as a tutor and researcher on EAP and ESP programmes since then at the English Preparation Centre and Sydney Technical College. Apart from testing and evaluation, she develops films and videos for exploitation in the classroom.
This article reports the creation and trial of three new exit tests for students (mostly Asian) attending pre-course English language training at the English Preparation Centre (EPC) which is administered by the Common wealth Department of Employment, Education and Training, Sydney.
The aims of the trial were to bring into operation a testing program which reflected the EPC student population's needs and which satisfied the usual validity criteria. The methods used involved the drawing up of specifications to match students' needs, the analysis and selection of appropriate content, the design of formats and test booklets, pre-testing, administering, and the statistical analysis of results gained over a twelve-month period.
The results were evaluated initially in terms of tutors' and students' responses, and finally in terms of several concurrent validation procedures, and proved highly positive. The conclusion reflected the need for continual revisions to be made to individual test components, and the main recommendation—to maintain the testing programme in its entirety—has since been accepted by the administration.