Placement testing of the civilian personnel in the Air Service Command.

The core tenet of competency-based education is a focus on mastery of a skill or ability. The shift in focus in social work education to a competency-based approach can be applied and understood in varying ways. The current research study examined the use of waiver exams as one iteration of competency-based education in social work education. Forty seven of the 496 programs that replied to the survey indicated they offered some form of placement testing or the use of waiver exams. Further examination of program level policies suggests that social work educators continue to focus on policies and practices aligned with traditional seat-time requirements that run contrary to the principles of competency-based education. Results implicate the need for social work education to examine its commitment to competency-based education in all its forms or to at least encourage research in nontraditional approaches aligned with competency-based education including waiver exams and prior learning assessment.

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Are C-tests valid measures for L2 vocabulary research?

Second language Research ◽

10.1177/026765839401000203 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 157-187 ◽

Cited By ~ 49

Author(s):

Carol A. Chapelle

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Construct Validity ◽

Test Performance ◽

Measurement Theory ◽

Current Measurement ◽

Test Method ◽

Placement Testing ◽

Definition Of ◽

Vocabulary Assessment ◽

L2 Vocabulary

Second language (L2) researchers (Singleton and Little, 1991) have sug gested that C-tests, developed as norm-referenced measures for proficiency and placement testing (Klein-Braley, 1985), can be used in L2 vocabulary research. This article illustrates how researchers can bring to bear essentials of measurement theory on L2 research by weighing validity justifications pertaining to use of the C-test method for vocabulary assessment in L2 research. Validity is defined using the predominant framework from current measurement theory (Messick, 1989) and its relevance for L2 research is explained. The cornerstone of the definition is construct validity, which requires a definition of the construct to be measured - interlanguage vocabulary (i.e., vocabulary ability). A theoretical definition of vocabulary ability is presented and used to consider justifications for and against interpreting C-test performance as indicative of vocabulary ability. On the basis of evidence concerning construct validity and utility as well as the consequences of interpretations, the potentials and limitations of the C-test method for L2 vocabulary research are identified.

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