POET Tutorial: Test preparation, coaching, or washback?
Abstract
This dissertation reports results from a thee-year longitudinal study, which explores the effectiveness of the Purdue's Oral English Test Tutorial (POET Tutorial), a program designed for preparation for the Purdue's Oral English Test (POET) ©, a locally developed, computer-based screening test for oral English proficiency. Beginning in the academic year of 2001/02 and in the following two academic years, surveys were administered to all of the examinees after they completed the POET. The surveys queried examinees' knowledge of (1) the testing format, (2) the testing environment, (3) the equipment, that is the computer accessories, used for during testing, (4) the testing procedures, (5) the items of the test, (6) the purpose of the POET, and (7) the consequences of passing or failing the test. The surveys also examined the ways examinees accessed the different presentations of the Tutorial, that is, either in paper format, CD-Rom, or the now dominant web version of the Tutorial. In addition, the study traces the sources of dissemination of information about the Tutorial, that is whether examinees found out about the Tutorial from (1) their academic advisors before or after arriving in the U.S., (2) department secretaries before or after arriving in the U.S., (3) the Oral English Proficiency Program (OEPP) or the OEPP website, (4) the Graduate School letter of acceptance at the University, (5) friends, (6) the Undergraduate library at Purdue, (7) Purdue Writing Lab, or (8) other sources. The study found that in the developing permutations over the years as the POET Tutorial became more integrated with the test, the sources of dissemination changed and the electronic versions are significantly more informative than the paper version. When the paper practice test is compared to the electronic versions of the Tutorial (CD-ROM and web version) there is a significant difference in the levels of knowledge with respect to questions involving format administration of the test. This means that the development, integration, and examination clearly demonstrate that the Tutorial was extremely successful in achieving the primary goals for which it was designed.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Ginther, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Linguistics|Language|Higher education
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