The comparative role of paper-based and computer-delivered IELTS in the cognitive and meta-cognitive strategies use of Iranian IELTS candidates in the academic module reading
Subject Areas : Curriculum Design and Development
Nahid Majidi
1
(English Department, Ahar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahar, Iran)
Elham Kavandi
2
(English Language Teaching Department, Farhangian University)
Mohammadreza khodadoust
3
(Assistant Professor, Department of English Language Teaching, Farhangian University)
Keywords: Cognitive strategies, Computer-delivered IELTS, IELTS, Metacognitive strategies, Paper-based IELTS, Reading test-taking strategies,
Abstract :
The present study examined the comparability of Paper-Based (PB) and Computer-Delivered (CD) IELTS in the academic module reading section, focusing on Iranian IELTS candidates' cognitive and metacognitive strategies. The study intended to determine if the delivery mode had any impact on the use of these strategies. To this aim, 200 upper-intermediate learners were randomly selected and divided into two groups to participate in the study under the two aforementioned test conditions. They completed a test-taking strategy survey under both test conditions. Moreover, five participants from each test condition group took part in think-aloud protocols. The quantitative data were analyzed by means of Independent-sample t-test and Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) to test the research hypotheses. Content analysis of the think-aloud protocols was also conducted to identify the strategies employed by the IELTS candidates in both PB and CD formats. The results revealed that the PB group had a significantly higher mean than the CD group on the cognitive and metacognitive processes used in academic IELTS. However, the think-aloud protocols indicated that, in many cases, these differences were minimal, with cognitive and metacognitive processes being similarly employed across both formats. Moreover, significant differences were observed between the PB and CD groups in their reading test-taking strategies. The implications of these findings for test preparation and design are discussed.
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