چکیده:
For the first time, this study combined models and principles of authentic assessment from two parallel fields of applied linguistics as well as general education to investigate the authenticity of the TOEFL iBT speaking module. The study consisted of two major parts, namely task analysis and task survey. Utilizing Bachman and Palmer’s (1996) definition of authenticity, the task analysis examined the degree of the correspondence between the characteristics of the speaking module tasks in the TOEFL iBT test and those of target language use (TLU) tasks. In the task survey, a Likert Scale questionnaire of authenticity was developed by the researcher based on Herrington and Herrington’s (1998; 2006) four criteria of authentic assessment. The questionnaire was sent through email to 120 subjects who had already taken the test in order to elicit their attitudes towards the degree of the authenticity of the speaking section tasks. The results of the task analysis revealed a limited correspondence between the characteristics of the test tasks and those of the TLU tasks. However, the results of the task survey indicated that except for one factor (indicators), most of the test takers had a positive view toward the authenticity of the speaking module tasks in terms of the three other factors (context, student factor, task factor).
خلاصه ماشینی:
In 2012, an announcement was made by TOEFL COE research program to address the topic of validation and more specifically the problem of candidates‟ performance on the TOEFL iBT test speaking and/or writing sections and its correspondence to their performance on real-life academic tasks; an issue which is at the heart of authentic assessment.
As a result, this study built upon Herrington and Herrington‟s (1998, 2006) criteria of authentic assessment in general education to conduct a task survey, eliciting student test takers‟ attitude towards the authenticity of the speaking section of the TOEFL iBT test, which is one of the most widely accepted English language assessments around the world.
e. the task survey, Herrington & Herrington‟s (1998, 2006) list of the essential characteristics of authentic assessment was drawn upon from the field of general education to develop a questionnaire of authenticity to elicit test takers‟ attitudes towards the authenticity of the speaking section tasks in the TOEFL iBT test.
Utilizing a mixed method, and drawing upon Bachman and Palmer‟s (1996) model of test usefulness from the field of applied linguistics and Herrington and Herrington‟s (1998; 2006) essential elements of authentic assessment from general education, this study was intended to investigate the authenticity of the speaking module tasks in the TOEFL iBT test in two ways, task analysis, and task survey.