Dissertation
Diagnosing Chinese college-level English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ integrated writing capability: A mixed methods study
University of Iowa
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
Spring 2023
DOI: 10.25820/etd.007054
Abstract
A sizable body of research has been conducted in second/foreign language testing and assessment (LTA) that provides reliability and validity evidence to the use of integrated writing tasks. However, relatively little research has been conducted to examine integrated writing tasks as a means to provide diagnostic insight for teachers and learners. The current study aims to fill in this lacuna by carrying out mixed methods research, proceeding from quantitative estimation to qualitative exploration.
The procedures the current study adopted are as follows. First, an integrated writing assessment was developed with the topic of “eating for professional purposes,” and 315 Chinese college-level English as a Foreign Language (EFL) examinees took the test. The collected essays were rated by two experienced raters who have extensive experience of teaching writing to second/foreign language student writers. As for quantitative data analysis, a log-linear cognitive diagnostic model (LCDM) was applied to the integrated writing data. The integrated writing task was conceptualized as consisting of language use, source use, and content, with each of these unobservable attributes measured by surrogate indicators. Then, a Q-matrix, which specifies which items require which attributes for correct response, was developed for LCDM analysis.
Results showed that all the attributes were positively correlated, yet to varying degrees. The strongest association was observed between source use and content, with an estimated correlation of .86. This was followed by the correlation between language use and source use (r=.71). Language use and content had the lowest correlation (r=.25). Also, item parameters indicated that language use is more important than the other attributes for obtaining a passing score for the indicators. Lastly, the test-taker classification showed that it is impossible to master source use without other attributes, nor was it possible to master other attributes without source use, demonstrating its dependence on other attributes.
To analyze the qualitative data, content analysis was applied. The themes that emerged out of the data include the raters/teachers’ identification of important components of integrated writing tasks and the connections between the constructs of integrated writing tasks. The findings of this study have practical implications for the teaching and learning of integrated writing.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Diagnosing Chinese college-level English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ integrated writing capability: A mixed methods study
- Creators
- Kwangmin Lee
- Contributors
- Lia Plakans (Advisor)Pamela Wesely (Committee Member)David Cassels Johnson (Committee Member)Jonathan Templin (Committee Member)Lesa Hoffman (Committee Member)
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
- Degree in
- Teaching and Learning (Foreign Language and ESL Education)
- Date degree season
- Spring 2023
- Publisher
- University of Iowa
- DOI
- 10.25820/etd.007054
- Number of pages
- xii, 125 pages
- Copyright
- Copyright 2023 Kwangmin Lee
- Language
- English
- Date submitted
- 04/24/2023
- Date approved
- 05/07/2023
- Description illustrations
- tables
- Description bibliographic
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 110-119).
- Public Abstract (ETD)
- The primary intent of this mixed methods research is to identify diagnostically useful information about Chinese college-level English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students’ proficiency in integrated writing. To this end, I developed and administered an integrated writing assessment whose topic was “eating for professional purposes” to a population of 315 Chinese college-level English as Foreign Language learners. Two raters were invited to rate the essays who have past experience of teaching English writing to L2 learners. This study utilized mixed methods research that proceeded from quantitative estimation to qualitative exploration. The results obtained from the LCDM demonstrated the associations among the attributes, the item functioning of the Q-matrix, and classifications of test-takers according to their attribute mastery. Then, the findings of qualitative analysis on the interviews with the two raters highlighted their understanding of the integrated writing tasks, particularly as it relates to 1) the nature of the integrated writing task and 2) the interconnectedness of the constructs underlying the task. The findings of this study have practical implications for teaching and learning of integrated writing.
- Academic Unit
- Teaching and Learning
- Record Identifier
- 9984428939902771
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