Designing and Validating a Model for Successful English Learning: How Socially-Mediated Testing Can Make a Difference
Subject Areas : Research in English Language Pedagogy
Fatemeh Sadat
Alamdar
1
(Department of English Language, Qeshm Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qeshm, Iran)
Shahram
Afraz
2
(Department of English Language, Qeshm Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qeshm, Iran)
Fazlollah
Samimi
3
(Department of English, Bandar-Abbas Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bandar-Abbas, Iran)
Keywords: Learning, Testing, Socially-Mediated, Student, Vygotsky,
Abstract :
In this study, the investigator sought to explore the perceptions and attitudes of Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners towards the use of Socially Mediated Testing (SMT) in their English learning process. The primary aim was to identify the factors that significantly influence their learning experience when using SMT. The research process began with in-depth interviews of 50 EFL learners, aiming to gain a qualitative understanding of their thoughts and experiences with SMT. Based on the insights obtained from these interviews, the researcher developed a questionnaire tailored to capture the nuances of these learners' experiences. This questionnaire, consisting of 25 items, was then distributed to a larger sample of 475 EFL students. In the end, the researcher was able to identify four variables after using exploratory factor analysis to identify the factors. The 25-item questionnaire was then given to 785 EFL students, who chose each item on a Likert scale. The factor structure of the instrument was verified by the researcher using structural equation modeling (SEM). To determine if the suggested model matched the data, the researcher used the measurement with the best fit. The fit indices were estimated using the original EFA structure, which contained four factors and 25 elements. As a result, the researcher created a model that can be used as a respectable foundation for SMT research that will take place in Iran in the future, where such specific insights are unavailable in this politically distinct EFL setting.
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