Tertiary level English Language Teachers' Use of, and Attitudes to Alternative and Online Assessments during the Covid-19 Outbreak

This study aims to investigate the English language teachers’ perceptions and attitudes towards the use of alternative and online assessments adopted during the Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak, in Saudi Arabia. The current study employs a descriptive method, and the data were collected using a survey questionnaire, which consists of 33 closed-ended and four open-ended questions. The participants were 102 (46 male and 56 female) teachers of English at Northern Border University, Saudi Arabia. The questionnaires were administered online via Google Form. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics for quantitative responses, whereas content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative responses collected from the open-ended questions. The findings revealed that the teachers had mixed reactions towards alternative and online assessments. The online assessments adopted were in form of both alternative and traditional types, administered via Blackboard. It was found that portfolios and oral presentations were the most frequently used forms of alternative assessments by the English language teachers at the time of Covid-19. Other types of alternative assessments, including, online collaborative/peer assessment, self-assessment, virtual concept map, concept map, article review, and mini-project, were claimed to be less used by the teachers. However, the teachers’ top priority was summative assessment, where by the traditional exams were in fact still be used in online assessment. In addition, teachers reported constraints related to time for the assessments, need for computer literacy, possibility of cheating, and technical issues, when adopting online assessments. However, they believed online assessment covered the content of the course of study. Teachers also reported that students did not initially like online assessment but later warmed to it as it proved easier to do well in. Finally, pedagogical implications are discussed based on the study findings.

A comparison of multidimensional qualities discriminant of selection in elite adolescent Australian basketball athletes

Purpose The aims of this study were to (1) quantify the multidimensional attributes of male and female basketball athletes under 16 years of age (U16) and under 18 years of age (U18), and (2) identify attributes that distinguish selection into a talent pathway according to sex and age group. Methods 67 male and 71 female athletes competing in U16 and U18 selection trials for a state based Australian basketball talent pathway completed a multidimensional testing battery. The test battery consisted of anthropometric, physical (20- linear sprint, countermovement jump height, Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 2), technical (Basketball Jump Shooting Accuracy Test), tactical (video decision making), and psychological (Sports Orientation Questionnaire, Psychological Performance Inventory-Alternative) assessments. Mean differences and independent t-tests were used to assess comparative differences between selected and non-selected athletes within each age and sex cohort. Stepwise discriminant analyses were used to identify attributes that were the strongest discriminators of selection in each group (male U16, male U18, female U16, and female U18). Results The discrimminant models showed for male U16 athletes smaller height (ES = -0.18) and greater shooting accuracy (ES = 0.52) was most discriminant of selection. Results were largely homogenous for male U18 athletes with lower visualisation score (ES = -0.62) most discriminant of selection. In female cohorts, faster 20-m sprint time (ES = -0.66) and taller height (ES = 0.58) was most discriminant of selection in U16 athletes while greater shooting accuracy (ES = 0.67), countermovement jump height (ES = 1.04), and height (ES = 0.65) was most discriminant of selection in U18 athletes. Conclusions These results emphasise the differing selection priorities within adolescent basketball cohorts according to sex and age group. The testing of anthropometric, physical and technical attributes may hold particular utility in adolescent female basketball given their identified importance to selection across U16 and U18 cohorts.

Penilaian Alternatif pada Keterampilan Berbicara Bahasa Inggris di Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan Kota Pontianak

English speaking skill is an important communication skill and must be mastered by students to be able to interact actively, convey ideas and provide responses in both formal and informal situations. Alternative assessment provides benefits for students and teachers in improving students' speaking skill in English. This research focuses on an alternative assessment of English speaking skill in Vocational High Schools in Pontianak City, especially South Pontianak. The objectives of this research are (1) to determine problems related to the English speaking skill of vocational school students in South Pontianak, (2) to identify and analyze alternative assessments applied in overcoming the problems of English speaking skill of vocational school students in South Pontianak, and 3) to find a solution to the English speaking skill problems of vocational school students in South Pontianak by using alternative assessments. This research was a qualitative research, and data were collected from interviews with English teachers and documents analysis. Data were collected through interviews with English teachers at SMK in south Pontianak and analysis of related documents. The stages of data analysis include data reduction, display data, and conclusion drawing / verification. The results showed that the problems faced by students related to English speaking skill were limited ability of students caused by several factors, namely grammar, pronunciation, vocabulary and self-confidence. The alternative assessments that were applied include performance - assessment, peer - assessment and portfolio. The solutions taken were to involve students in providing assessments to other students and the teacher focuses on conveying information clearly and conveying the moral values that are learned without focusing too much on grammar. The suggestions that the researchers gave were in the form of matriculation for students in the early year of school, knowledge sharing between teachers, determining priority aspects of speaking that were assessed and implementing self-assessment as an additional form of alternative assessment that could motivate and encourage students to gradually improve their speaking skills in English.

Integrating disciplinary practices to optimally deliver alternative assessments and embed graduate attributes in a Global Mental Health Master’s programme

The routes to optimising the authenticity of assessments in different organisational and disciplinary contexts have been ambiguous and challenging. This paper offers a case study of diversifying the assessments in a taught Master’s Programme by integrating disciplinary practices to design alternative assessments. Embedding discipline-specific principles and perspectives was found to be key to achieving authenticity of assessments. This paper reports on a descriptive mixed-method study that the authors conducted to evaluate current students’ perceptions of and experiences with the diversified assessments in the Programme. Overall, the findings demonstrate students’ acknowledgement of the importance of a diverse mix of assessments, especially in terms of fostering the development of several graduate attributes. The findings also highlight several opportunities for enhancing the constructive alignment of the curriculum. Alternative assessments can be feasibly designed to promote many of the graduate attributes necessary to create ‘global students’ in an increasingly competitive and internationalised job market.

Alternative Assessments in Online Learning during Covid-19 Pandemic: The Strenghths and Weaknesses

Currently, online learning becomes a new trend in the Indonesian education. But, the educators are not ready to adapt to online learning, especially in online learning assessments. This study aims to describe the alternative assessments in online learning that can be implemented at elementary education along with its advantages and disadvantages. This study employed a qualitative approach with the literature review method. Researchers collected a number of reputable national and international journal articles, textbooks, handbooks, regulations, and so on from the google scholar database, science direct, eric, and others related to research problems and objectives. The analysis of the literature review uses the critical appraisal method. The results of this study showed that online learning assessments that can be implemented in elementary education were formative and summative assessments. It included cognitive assessments, performance assessments, portfolios, writings and journals, self-assessment and peers-assessments. The use of online learning assessments has many advantages such as the availability to conduct tests on demand and at any time, provides direct feedback to users, the students’ quick access to the test results, and a more accurate measurement of student learning. However, online assessment systems also have several drawbacks, such as students who have low information technology (IT) skills might be disadvantaged. For this reason, in implementing online learning and assessment, teachers and students should master information and communication technology skills.

Increasing Student Motivation through the Use of Alternative Assessments in Basic Physics Online Lectures

Poor student motivation in the online lecture process encourages researchers to provide a treatment that results in better student motivation in basic physics courses. Student learning motivation in the basic physics course is 30.38 with a poor category. The treatment applied in this study is to apply alternative assessments in the form of paper assessments, knowledge assessments, portfolio assessments, and discussion assessments. This study aims to determine how to increase learning motivation that occurs in students after the implementation of alternative assessments in online lectures. The research method used in this study is a pre-experimental method with one group pretest posttest design. The instrument used is a scale of student learning motivation attitudes using a Likert scale. Student learning motivation after the implementation of the alternative assessment has a value of 89.50 in the very good category. The increase in student learning motivation has increased significantly with a value of <N-Gain> of 0.85. Various assessments that are not only concerned with knowledge competencies can increase student motivation in carrying out basic physics online lectures.

USING PORTFOLIO AS A SOURCE OF INFORMATION ABOUT LEARNING PROCESS

Alternative assessments are said to be suitable for young language learners, but are rarely used by language teachers from all educational levels. One of the causes is teachers’ lack of knowledge regarding the best ways to utilize alternative assessments. This research explores how an English teacher for young learners can use portfolio, an alternative assessment, as a source of information about learning process. Data from journal entries and stimulated recall sessions that focus on the participant’s lesson plans were collected every week to reveal how portfolio was used, while initial and final interviews were done to reveal the participant’s perception about portfolio. The results indicate that portfolio could help the participant identify learners’ weaknesses, strengths and needs as she started exploring a topic; determine the teaching focus, suitable teaching materials and appropriate teaching strategies; monitor learners’ development; and decide whether the topic needs to be explored further. The participant also has a positive perception about using portfolio. Some issues about portfolio, such as its use alongside other forms of assessment, are also revealed. The results provide new, more specific information about how teachers can use portfolio.