scholarly journals Relating a Sustained Monologue Speaking Production Test to CEFR: Towards Alignment

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (S3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hazita Azman ◽  
Zarina Othman ◽  
Chairozila Mohd. Shamsuddin ◽  
Wahiza Wahi ◽  
Mohd Sallehuddin Abd Aziz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Production Test ◽  
Assessment Criterion ◽  
Speaking Test ◽  
Test Items ◽  
Cognitive Framework ◽  
Sequential Mixed Methods ◽  
Fundamental Requirement ◽  
Related Rating

This article evaluates a sustained monologue speaking production test to validate its link to the CEFR model. The monologue test is a low-stakes production test that engages the test taker in sustained monologue tasks targeted at B2-C1 of the CEFR levels. The evaluation of the test included determining the extent to which the monologue speaking tasks and the single assessment criterion-related rating scale developed for the test are valid and reliably aligned to CEFR benchmarked descriptors. The socio-cognitive framework for test evaluation was adopted, and an explanatory sequential mixed-methods research design was implemented. The evaluation revealed some contentious points of contrast between the test items and the language demand that each item prompted in production. Consequently, selected items were improved or deleted to ensure the appropriate competency levelled at B2-C1 are correctly prompted. Additionally, the findings underlined the imperative need for test developers to adhere to five inter-related sets of procedures in the justification of a claim that the monologue speaking test is aligned to the CEFR. These include familiarisation, specification, standardisation and benchmarking, standard-setting, and validation. It emerged that thorough familiarity with the CEFR by test item writers and examiners is a fundamental requirement for a test closely related to CEFR construct and levels. Thus, familiarisation training of CEFR and its illustrative descriptors is a mandatory prerequisite for ensuring test items and assessment of the elicited production correspond to the levels and ratings described in the CEFR model.

scholarly journals “Running myself ragged”: stressors faced by peer workers in overdose response settings

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zahra Mamdani ◽  
Sophie McKenzie ◽  
Bernadette Pauly ◽  
Fred Cameron ◽  
Jennifer Conway-Brown ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Use ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Financial Burden ◽  
People Who Use Drugs ◽  
Frequency Distributions ◽  
Sequential Mixed Methods ◽  
Health Quality ◽  
Mental Health Effects ◽  
Perception Of Health

Abstract Background Peer workers or “peers” (workers with past or present drug use experience) are at the forefront of overdose response initiatives, and their role is essential in creating safe spaces for people who use drugs (PWUD). Working in overdose response settings has benefits for peer workers but is also stressful, with lasting emotional and mental health effects. Yet, little is known about the stressors peer workers face and what interventions can be implemented to support them in their roles. Methods This project used a community-based sequential mixed-methods research design. Eight peer researcher-led focus groups (n = 31) were conducted between November 2018 and March 2019 to assess needs of peer workers. The transcripts were thematically coded and analysed using interpretative description. These results informed a survey, which was conducted (n = 50) in September 2019 to acquire quantitative data on peer workers’ perception of health, quality of life, working conditions and stressors. Frequency distributions were used to describe characteristics of participants. X2 distribution values with Yates correction were conducted to check for association between variables. Results Five themes emerged from the focus groups that point to stressors felt by peer workers: (1) financial insecurity; (2) lack of respect and recognition at work; (3) housing challenges; (4) inability to access and/or refer individuals to resources; and (5) constant exposure to death and trauma. Consistent with this, the factors that survey participants picked as one of their “top three stressors” included financial situation, work situation, and housing challenges. Conclusion Peer workers are faced with a diversity of stressors in their lives which often reflect societal stigmatization of drug use. Recognition of these systemic stressors is critical in designing interventions to ease the emotional, physical and financial burden faced by peer workers.

A Generative Sequential Mixed Methods Approach Using Quantitative Measures to Enhance Social Constructionist Inquiry

2021 ◽  
pp. 155868982098627
Author(s):  
Diego Romaioli
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Maslach Burnout Inventory ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Constructionist ◽  
Social Scientists ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative Methods ◽  
Sequential Mixed Methods

In order to enhance core mixed methods research designs, social scientists need an approach that incorporates developments in the social constructionist perspective. This work describes a study that aimed to promote occupational well-being in hospital departments where employees are at risk of burnout, based on a constructionist inquiry developed starting from the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Taking this study as an example, we define a “generative sequential mixed methods approach” as a process that involves consulting quantitative studies to identify criticalities on which to conduct focused, transformative investigations. The article contributes by envisaging ways to mix qualitative and quantitative methods that consider a “generative” and “future-forming” orientation to research, in line with recent shifts in social psychology.

scholarly journals Learning for Stewardship in the Anthropocene: A Study with Young Adolescents in the Wet Tropics

2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcia Thorne
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Ethic Of Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Environmental Stewardship ◽  
Earth Systems ◽  
Sequential Mixed Methods ◽  
Analysis And Synthesis ◽  
Wet Tropics ◽  
Sustainability Curriculum

Enhancing student capacity to act for sustainability is recognised as an important strategy for reversing current patterns of environmental degradation. To achieve this, the emerging Australian Curriculum incorporates a sustainability cross-curriculum priority, designed to ensure students develop the necessary knowledge, skills, values and world views to contribute to more sustainable patterns of living. Stewardship has an important role to play in helping to develop sustainable patterns of living. However, it is not known to what extent or how the sustainability cross-curriculum priority includes stewardship.<br />This research investigates sustainability teaching and learning from an environmental stewardship perspective. Education based on environmental stewardship aims to develop an ethic of care for the natural and built world. Proponents of environmental stewardship argue that the approach is effective because it provides a foundation for the development of well-being, critical thinking and problem solving in tandem with the desire and confidence to act to maintain life supporting Earth Systems.<br />This research will apply an explanatory sequential mixed methods research design to map and review environmental stewardship in the Australian Curriculum’s sustainability cross-curriculum priority and in Year 10 students and teachers in the Wet Tropics region of Australia. Research methods will include a document analysis of the Australian Curriculum’s sustainability cross-curriculum priority; and survey and interviews to understand student and teacher subjective foundations of environmental stewardship and the expression of stewardship in school and life contexts. Subjective foundations include the existent aspirations, values and knowledge that guide student and teacher thinking and action for stewardship. Analysis and synthesis of this data, through a stewardship lens, will inform a stewardship pedagogical framework that will complement the sustainability curriculum.

Reducing apartment vacancy duration: lessons from affordable housing

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 450-466
Author(s):  
Christina S. Bollo
Keyword(s):  
Affordable Housing ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Qualitative Variable ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
Sequential Mixed Methods ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Multiple Variables

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine how much variance in vacancy duration can be explained by the architectural attributes of apartments and to illuminate strategies to reduce vacancy duration utilized by non-profit housing providers. Design/methodology/approach This is a sequential mixed methods research study with a qualitative variable-gathering phase followed by a quantitative variable-testing phase. Vacancy duration in days was the dependent variable and the attributes of the apartments were the independent variables. Each building functioned as a separate case, with its own results, and the cases were compared to draw conclusions about the strongest predictors for vacancy duration. Findings Each case study project has a significant linear regression equation with multiple variables contributing to the variance in tenancy duration. The R2 statistic varied for the case study projects from a low of 10.2 percent to a high of 36.9 percent. Factors that resulted in longer vacancies for two or more of the projects include: unit mix, floor level, road proximity and length of tenancy for the tenant moving out. Factors resulting in shorter vacancies include: corner position in the building and relatively larger size of the apartment. Research limitations/implications The geography of the study is limited to Washington State in the USA. However, the case study projects represent three metropolitan statistical areas, with distinct climates and economic conditions. There are limitations to the stepwise analysis method because the degrees of freedom limit the complexity of models that can be estimated. Practical implications This paper highlights influences on vacancy duration and proposes conceptual models for measuring the periods of vacancy duration. Social implications Through this study, architectural contributions to vacancy were uncovered and tested so that subsidized housing, a public good, can be distributed more efficiently. Originality/value This research is the first known study to compare vacancy durations on a unit-by-unit basis.

scholarly journals Module Development in Home and Family Living for College Students of a State University in the Philippines

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 39
Author(s):  
Mark Raguindin Limon ◽  
John Paul Castillo Vallente
Keyword(s):  
Rating Scale ◽  
Teaching Strategy ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Design Development ◽  
Practice Test ◽  
Test Items ◽  
Home Care Nursing ◽  
Instructional Characteristics ◽  
Family Living ◽  
Teaching Learning

<p>This paper generated a module in Home and Family Living along the six units in Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE): The Filipino Family; The Teenager; Making and Keeping Friends; Looking towards Marriage; Towards Responsible Parenthood; and Home Care Nursing. This instructional material was prepared on the assumption that given adequate and meaningful instruction in the different units, the module can enhance the teaching-learning process, and help students master the content and skills required of a TLE teacher. In the development of the module in HFL, the researchers followed the research and development cycle called research-based development technology, using the ADDIE Model’s stages. The major steps in developing the module included analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation; each stage is composed of different phases. After the construction of the module, it was examined and content-validated with regard to objectives, content, instructional characteristics, and practice test items, using a rating scale by seven experts from the different fields in Home Economics. The module was found highly valid in all its aspects, and revisions were made based on the suggestions given. Subsequently, 25 TLE students and seven teachers assessed the usefulness of the module. The evaluators adjudged the material useful as revealed by their testimonials; therefore, it was concluded that the material was more effective than traditional, lecture-based classroom teaching strategy. It was recommended that this validated module be published, reproduced, and utilized to supplement the existing materials employed by the students and the teachers to help them develop the required competencies, and further master the content and skills required of a TLE teacher.</p>

Using legitimation criteria to establish rigour in sequential mixed-methods research

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 44-51
Author(s):  
Ahtisham Younas ◽  
Subia Parveen Rasheed ◽  
Hussan Zeb
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Sequential Mixed Methods

scholarly journals Attitudinal and Behavioural Loyalty: Zimbabwe Tourism Brand Performance Ascendancy

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 52
Author(s):  
Farai Chigora ◽  
Promise Zvavahera
Keyword(s):  
Brand Loyalty ◽  
Personal Experience ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Word Of Mouth ◽  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Brand Performance ◽  
Sequential Mixed Methods ◽  
Attitudinal Effects ◽  
Accommodation Sector ◽  
To Come

The study investigated the most common sources of brand loyalty in Zimbabwe’s tourism destination. This was based on two dominant sources of brand loyalty which are attitudinal and behavioural loyalty. The main reason for the study was that Zimbabwe’s tourism brand is underperforming due to various socio-economic and political factors such that authorities should know on the most prevailing source of brand loyalty. This helps in formulating strategies that turn either attitudinal or behavioural loyalty to better Zimbabwe tourism brand performance. The study used a sequential mixed methods research design which is a combination of both qualitative and quantitative approaches. In-depth interviews were carried out with various experts from the tourism industry in order to come up with the common sources of tourist loyalty in Zimbabwe. The identified variables were personal experience, general perception, media propaganda, word of mouth reference and speculations. These variables were then investigated as sources of brand loyalty through survey questionnaires that were distributed in the Zimbabwe tourism accommodation sector and resorts. The results showed that the most effective source of brand loyalty is media propaganda followed by word of mouth reference then speculation, personal experience and general perception. The most common sources have been classified as attitudinal effects and that study recommended effective media publicity management, sponsored familarisation tours and tourism brand showcasing partnerships at both regional and international levels.

scholarly journals Needs assessment for faculty development at an Egyptian medical school: a triangulation approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 1669
Author(s):  
Elsayed Abdelkreem ◽  
Seham A. Abo-Kresha ◽  
Emad A. Ahmed ◽  
Doaa Ibrahim ◽  
Shimaa B. Hemdan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Faculty Development ◽  
Needs Assessment ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Complex Structure ◽  
Career Stage ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Sequential Mixed Methods ◽  
Online Methods

Background: Faculty development (FD) is a core component of medical education, and needs assessment is central for planning effective FD programs. In the present study, we assessed the perceived development needs of medical faculty and the factors affecting these needs at an Egyptian medical school.Methods: This sequential mixed-methods research was conducted in 2019 at Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University (Egypt) using a triangulation approach for data collection: (1) web-based survey composed of 74 items about demographics and educational experiences, satisfaction with current FD programs, perceived development needs, delivery and scheduling preferences; (2) semi-structured interviews for in-depth understanding; and (3) secondary data.Results: A total of 434 out of 793 target faculty (54.7%) completed the survey. Participants in general perceived moderate to extreme need to all FD areas with the highest priorities given for discipline-specific and research domains. Awareness of teaching needs has increased among faculty in recent years. Perceived FD needs varied across career stage, and most participants preferred short interactive workshops; online methods are also desired. Compulsory participation in FD programs was a subject of high controversy. More than one-third of participants were interested in joining the newly established medical education department.Conclusions: Perceived FD needs are affected by accreditation standards, academic reward systems, and socioeconomic factors. The present study provides a transferrable model for conducting FD needs assessment, and the findings are important for planning effective and economically sound FD programs within the complex structure of today’s medical schools.

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