Impact of TOEIC as a University Exit Test: A Vietnamese Perspective

<p>The Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) has recently become a language exit test in many Vietnamese universities. Despite the high stakes of the test for a large number of Vietnamese students, no robust research has been done to explore its impact on teaching and learning yet. Also, although the powerful influence of tests on teaching and learning has been well documented, the way test impact occurs is very complicated and varied because of a myriad of context-specific factors. Language testers, therefore, have called for more research in different contexts. In response to the needs mentioned above, this study examined the impact of TOEIC on teaching and learning in Vietnamese universities with an emphasis on discovering the variations of the test impact due to school settings. To meet the research objectives, a mixed-methods study was conducted at two different locations in Vietnam. The perspectives from three groups of stakeholders, namely educational policymakers, teachers, and students were sought by means of semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and case study. The study was conducted in two phases. Phase 1 aimed at understanding policymakers’ perspectives on the TOEIC-as-exit-test policy and identifying the general patterns of the actual test impact from the teachers’ and students’ perspectives. Phase 2 had the purpose of explaining the patterns found in Phase 1 through a case study. Both the questionnaire and case study participants came from the same three large universities. The study gave interesting insight into the nature of the impact of the TOEIC test in the Vietnamese context. It showed a clear tendency of teaching and learning to the test since its introduction. However, the test impact varied greatly in form and intensity across different groups of participants although, contrary to expectations, school settings did not seem to be a major factor that caused this variability. On the one hand, the findings confirmed the indirect nature of the relationship between a test and its impact found in many other studies. On the other hand, they shed light on specific features of the mechanism of the impact of the TOEIC-as-exit-test, which might be attributed to the socio-cultural and educational context in Vietnam. The study suggested that the test impact on teaching and learning operated differently. While the influence of the TOEIC test on teaching was likely to be first filtered through the course factors, the latter was through students’ abilities. In both cases, beliefs about communicative language teaching and learning and some other person factors only played subservient roles in shaping the test impact. The study also had important implications for stakeholders, especially policymakers. It proved certain values of the TOEIC-as-exit-test policy as well as revealed negative issues associated with it. It suggested measures that need to be taken to modify the policy.</p>

Impact of TOEIC as a University Exit Test: A Vietnamese Perspective

<p>The Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) has recently become a language exit test in many Vietnamese universities. Despite the high stakes of the test for a large number of Vietnamese students, no robust research has been done to explore its impact on teaching and learning yet. Also, although the powerful influence of tests on teaching and learning has been well documented, the way test impact occurs is very complicated and varied because of a myriad of context-specific factors. Language testers, therefore, have called for more research in different contexts. In response to the needs mentioned above, this study examined the impact of TOEIC on teaching and learning in Vietnamese universities with an emphasis on discovering the variations of the test impact due to school settings. To meet the research objectives, a mixed-methods study was conducted at two different locations in Vietnam. The perspectives from three groups of stakeholders, namely educational policymakers, teachers, and students were sought by means of semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and case study. The study was conducted in two phases. Phase 1 aimed at understanding policymakers’ perspectives on the TOEIC-as-exit-test policy and identifying the general patterns of the actual test impact from the teachers’ and students’ perspectives. Phase 2 had the purpose of explaining the patterns found in Phase 1 through a case study. Both the questionnaire and case study participants came from the same three large universities. The study gave interesting insight into the nature of the impact of the TOEIC test in the Vietnamese context. It showed a clear tendency of teaching and learning to the test since its introduction. However, the test impact varied greatly in form and intensity across different groups of participants although, contrary to expectations, school settings did not seem to be a major factor that caused this variability. On the one hand, the findings confirmed the indirect nature of the relationship between a test and its impact found in many other studies. On the other hand, they shed light on specific features of the mechanism of the impact of the TOEIC-as-exit-test, which might be attributed to the socio-cultural and educational context in Vietnam. The study suggested that the test impact on teaching and learning operated differently. While the influence of the TOEIC test on teaching was likely to be first filtered through the course factors, the latter was through students’ abilities. In both cases, beliefs about communicative language teaching and learning and some other person factors only played subservient roles in shaping the test impact. The study also had important implications for stakeholders, especially policymakers. It proved certain values of the TOEIC-as-exit-test policy as well as revealed negative issues associated with it. It suggested measures that need to be taken to modify the policy.</p>

EFFECT OF CHICKEN BONE ASH ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF Al 8011 REINFORCED WITH SILICON CARBIDE

To deal with demands in advanced engineering applications that focus on improved mechanical properties of metal composites, aluminium metal matrix composites are recommended. This paper deals with mechanical characteristics of aluminium (Al8011) fortified with silicon carbide (SiC) and Chicken Bone Ash (CBA).Varying percentages of silicon carbide starting from 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10% with percentages of chicken bone ash starting from 10%, 8%, 6%, 4%, 2% and 0% respectively for the purpose of testing and reinforcement. Stir casting method is employed to manufacture the components. In this paper, fatigue test, impact test and hardness test is carried out to obtain results about the mechanical characteristics of the components. The mechanical characteristics observed in the resultant composites as per ASTM standards and microstructural study is used to characterize the distribution of reinforcements. Ultimately as the weight percentage of reinforcement materials increases, elevation in mechanical characteristics of material is discerned.

Effect of Twice Stablizing Heat Treatment on the Properties of 347H Stainless Steel

In this study, the mechanical properties and intergranular corrosion properties of 347H austenitic stainless steel were studied by tensile test, impact test, double-ring electrochemical potentiodynamic reactivation test (DL-EPR) and microstructure observation in three states of solution, primary and twice stabilized state. Results showed that the key mechanical properties of 347H stainless steel under three different conditions had little change, and the mechanical properties at room temperature were not affected by the stabilizing heat treatment. After 12h of sensitization, the solution material showed obvious sensitization behavior, and the Ir/Ia index exceeded 0.3, indicating that the material entered the range of complete sensitization. Both primary and twice stabilizing heat treatment can significantly reduce the occurrence time of sensitization and prevent the sensitization process. However, the stabilizing heat treatment cannot completely prevent the material sensitization, and it must be combined with other methods .

Parents’ Involvement in High-Stakes Language Assessment A Review of Test Impact on Parent Behavior

This paper reviews a total of 20 empirical research studies concerning parents&rsquo; behavior under the context of high-stakes language assessment, aiming to reveal the impact of the assessment on parents&rsquo; behavior. The results show that (1) parents are typically involved in high-stakes language assessment process; (2) their involvement practice includes general (such as hiring tutors for children) and extreme involvement behavior (such as participating in movement against high-stakes testing); (3) no unanimous conclusion is reached concerning the effectiveness of parents&rsquo; involvement in high-stakes language assessment; (4) multiple factors that affect parents&rsquo; involvement in high-stakes language assessment are identified, including parents&rsquo; perceptions of tests, their educational background, and the time they spend with their children. This study concludes that tests might influence the ways parents are involved in children&rsquo;s education. However, not all parents might be influenced by testing, and testing might have a positive impact on some parents but a negative impact on others. This synthesis has several practical implications. Firstly, it indicates that parents&rsquo; involvement behavior in the context of high-stakes language assessment deserves to be further investigated. Secondly, it points that various intervention programs should be provided for parents to help them better support their children&rsquo;s learning and test preparation. The paper also offers several suggestions for future research. &nbsp;

Improving Rutting Resistance of Flexible Pavement Structure By Using Waste Plastic

On these days traffic is increasing faster rate on roads then various type of defects are produced on road that is rutting, raveling etc A pavement structure have different layers purpose to transfered traffic loads to the sub grade. Rutting is one of the pavement distresses that effects the performance of road pavements. Waste plastic is the type of materials to use for improving the performance of flexible pavements against rutting. In this study utilization of waste plastic water bottles, cold drink bottles, polythene bags, parcel package polythene and films. This waste material clean and shredded small particles (1-3cm) sizes. Aggregate heated 170-200° and mix particles with different percentage (3%, 5%, 7%) properly coated on hot aggregate. This plastic waste coated aggregate is also mixed with hot bitumen. And perform some laboratory test (impact value test, moisture absorption test, marshal value test) on the sample and check the property of rutting resistance.

Measuring a small nonreciprocity of the objects.

In the paper the methods and features of measuring the small nonreciprocity of objects is considered. Several variants of nonreciprocity characteristics are proposed and the variant with most noise immunity is selected. A method of normalizing the chosen nonreciprocity characteristic is considered. It is shown that the exposure of nonreciprocity depends on the probing signals. It is noted that the main factor that limiting the bottom bound of the nonreciprocity measurement range is the difference of the impedances of input and output networks. If a calibration is absent and if the difference between the inductance of the input and output networks is of few tenths of nH, then at a test impact duration of about 50 ps the bottom bound of the nonreciprocity measurement range is of about 1%. The observation of nonreciprocity with a relative value of 3% has been performed experimentally.

Investigation of Mechanical Properties of Silk and Epoxy Composite Materials

This research Investigates the new composite materials are fabricated of two or more materials raised. The fibers material from the sources of natural recycled materials provides certain benefits above synthetic strengthening material given that very less cost, equivalent strength, less density, and the slightest discarded difficulties. In the current experiments, silk and fiber-reinforced epoxy composite material is fabricated and the mechanical properties for the composite materials are assessed. New composite materials samples with the dissimilar fiber weight ratio were made utilizing the compression Molding processes with the pressure of 150 pa at a temperature of 80 °C. All samples were exposed to the mechanical test like a tensile test, impact loading, flexural hardness, and microscopy. The performing results are the maximum stress is 33.4MPa, elastic modulus for the new composite material is 1380 MPa, and hardness value is 20.64 Hv for the material resistance to scratch, SEM analysis of the microstructure of new composite materials with different angles of layers that are more strength use in industrial applications.

Pengaruh Kecepatan Pengadukan pada Proses Stircasting terhadap Sifat Mekanik pada Paduan Aluminium

<p class="Abstract">The composite material is a material composed of a mixture or combination of two or more of the major elements that macro differ in shape and material composition that basically can not be separated. In this research, the aluminum used was the outcome of production cesspool with the addition of volcanic dust from Mount Kelud by 2% as reinforcement. The stir casting process is the casting process by adding a material (powder form) in pure metal (aluminum), which has been melted and then stirring constantly. After that, the composite materials (the volcanic dust from Mount Kelud) were mixed slowly into the stirred liquid material. In this research, the variations of stirring speed were 0,200,300,400,500 and 600 rpm. The stirring each time for 4 minutes. In this study, the stirring speed in the casting process was 0, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 rpm. Tensile test, Impact test, and microstructure observations were carried out on the casting results. From these tests, the highest modulus of elasticity and impact value was obtained at the 600rpm stirring process. It may due to globular grains are more evenly distributed. And the result of metallographic testing was stirring speed could affect the amount and density of composite grain structure. The faster the stirring, the grain structure was getting smaller and close.</p>

Analytical Behaviour of Coconut Coir Roofing Sheet

In world wide the ever increasing population in most developing countries and the corresponding increase in demands and need for infrastructural development, there is an urgent need to focus attention on low-cost alternative construction materials. Lignocellulosic fibers from green coconut fruit were dried under suitable conditions. After this, mixture of phenol cardanol formaldehyde resin and hardener are added to the fiber for binding purpose. Then it is impacted and compressed between two corrugated sheets, in order to obtain the shape of the roofing sheets, for 12 hours. After 12 hours of drying, it is then subjected to various tests such as tensile test, flexural test, impact test, compression test, and hardness test. The results are tabulated in order to compare it with GI sheet and asbestos cement sheet. This coconut coir roof sheet can be replace the former roofing sheets because of its durability, high strength, heat resistivity and low cost which i have been collected data from literature survey. The choose of this alternative is based on economic interest because it is very cheap, available with good mechanical properties, and also based on environmental interest because it is eco friendly. Thus this review paper addresses the characterization and performance of the coconut coir roofing sheet.