The present study investigates whether it may be possible to use Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT) and Word Associates Test (WAT) for measuring language proficiency and placement purposes. In so doing, 85 upper-intermediate and 50 lower-intermediate EFL learners took Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT), Word Associates Test (WAT), and Oxford Placement Test (OPT). Results of correlation and regression analyses indicated that (a) Word Associates Test could not predict performance on Oxford Placement Test neither for the lower-intermediate nor the upper-intermediate group, (b) Vocabulary Levels Test could significantly predict performance on Oxford Placement Test for both proficiency groups, and (c) while the 2,000 word level correlated with and predicted performance on Oxford Placement Test for the lower-intermediate group, the 5,000 word level predicted performance on proficiency test for the upper-intermediate group. The findings point to the possibility of using VLT for measuring language profici.....

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This research focuses on standardization of items for the purpose of testing knowledge with reference to language component _case marker_. An analysis is made with reference to the questions covering language component 'case marker' in Tamil language. Study was undertaken at the secondary school and university in the district of Tanjung Malim, Perak, Malaysia. There are 24 question items (covering the said contents) included in the questionnaire. Analysis was made based on the information or data collected from 56 selected students of school and university. The aim of this research is to see the problems in studying case markers via language dimensions. In this study question items are analyzed on the basis of the difficulty index and discriminations index. The data is collected through the questionnaire prepared for this purpose. Through this method the raw data gathered will be analyzed using the descriptive statistic calculation and with the use of important formula from the certain.....

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This study empirically analyzed the item difficulty and discrimination indices of senior school certificate examination SSCE multiple choice biology tests used by West African Examinations Council and National Examinations Council in Nigeria. Sample for the study consisted of 1450 Senior Secondary Three students drawn from 20 randomly selected secondary schools. Item by item analysis was used for obtaining difficulty and discrimination indices. Findings from the study showed that 2008 SSCE Biology multiple choice test had mean difficulty index of 0.42 and slightly higher than NECO Biology multiple choice test with mean difficulty index of 0.40 and 2008 SSCE in Biology had a discriminating power of 0.43 and higher than NECO with mean discriminating power of 0.39. It was recommended that 4 option items in multiple choice Biology tests should be encouraged but if 5 options items should be used more attention should be given to psychometric properties of tests. Keywords difficulty indices.....

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The purpose of this study was to seek the validity and reliability of net game_s performance-based assessment on the context of elementary school physical education students_ achievement. Research and development used as a primary research method. The subject were forty students in Yogyakarta_s table tennis school club which chose through random sampling technique. Content Validity Ratio (CVR) is used to test the validity, on the other hand, Anava-general Multifacet model for the inter-rater reliability. the results were as follows: CVR of the decision making is 0.714; CVR of the skill acquisition process is 1; CVR of the skill acquisition product is 1; and CVR of the returning on beginning position is 0.714. as for the decision making inter-rater reliability r = 0.785; skill acquisition process reliability r = 0.872; skill acquisition product r = 0.785; and returning on beginning position r = 0.885. As the conclusion, performance-based assessment instrument of net game, particularly t.....

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As a useful base for scale development, self-efficacy construct can be used in measuring competency and self-perception of individuals in their social behavior and academic achievements. The aim of this study was to develop a self-efficacy scale with two subscales of writing and social self-efficacy. To this effect, 261 high school students_ responses were used and resulted in development and validation of a 25-item self-efficacy scale. The presented two-factor model was supported with a principal factor analysis with high alpha reliabilities. It was also checked for model fit through conducting confirmatory factor analysis and was approved. Moreover, the developed scale was tested for presence of differential item functioning (DIF). The results presented confirmation for reliability and construct validity for the proposed scale and no DIF was detected. Further implications of the developed self-efficacy scale along with the limitations for this research are discussed in the concluding.....

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This study ascertained on the relationship between students_ learning styles, which are global and sequential learning styles with their historical understanding and thinking. The specific objectives of the study were to: describe the learning style of the students which are sequential and global; to find out whether students_ historical understanding and thinking differ with their learning styles; and determine the difference between the learning style and their historical understanding and thinking. The participants of the study consist of 40 Form Four Secondary School students from a National School in Kedah State, Malaysia. The Index of Learning Styles (ILS) questionnaire was utilized to carry out the rationale of the study. The results demonstrated that generally the students are fairly well balanced in global and sequential learning styles presented in the ILS questionnaire. An assessment test of history essay writing was used to determine their historical thinking from four cate.....

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The lagging science and mathematics achievement of Malaysian secondary students in international assessment studies and the decreasing enrollment of science students at secondary school level call for the promotion of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in our country. One of the preliminary steps that could be taken was to identify the quality of learning experiences provided by assessments in STEM related subjects at the secondary school level. In addressing this concern, this study (which is part of a larger research project) aimed to investigate Form Four Science students' perceptions of the quality of learning experiences provided by assessments in STEM related subjects such as Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and Additional Mathematics. A cross-sectional survey research design was used and a sample of 852 Form Four Science students was selected from three categories of secondary schools in Peninsular Malaysia, namely Daily High-Performing (12.....

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The purpose of the study was to develop and validate an assessment practice inventory for teacher educators adapted from Zhang and Burry-Stock (1994, copyright 2003) to be used to evaluate assessment practice among teacher educators. The initial instrument contained 70 items (excluding background information) that were divided into three important sections _ practice related to assessment literacy standards (Section B); belief about assessment principles (Section C); and frequency of carrying out described items (Section D). The instrument was administered to 254 teacher educators from a teacher education university and a teacher training institute. Exploratory factor analyses (EFA) and reliability tests were performed on the data. Results showed that the instrument developed yielded high values of internal consistency as reflected by the Cronbach alpha values. Results of EFA suggest that 21 items need to be removed due to their non-dimensionality as they have more or less equal loadin.....

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Improving numeracy skills is fundamental to increasing productivity and therefore economic growth. The purpose of this study was to assess the level of numeracy level attain by a cohort of Malaysian primary school pupils. Specifically, we were interested to examine the pupils_ level of numeracy according to the mathematical topics and the impact of using numeracy model towards pupils_ mathematics achievement. This study employed two types of research designs; a qualitative descriptive research and the experimental pre-post design. A total sample of 200 Primary Four, Year 5 pupils (9-10-year-old) from 20 Malaysian primary schools at the District of Kota Bharu, Kelantan was randomly selected for this study. The Mathematics Test was designed to measure students' Mathematics Achievement. Bloom taxonomy was used in developing items for the tests as it allowed in examining key concepts and levels of numeracy understanding. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages and infere.....

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Second language acquisition, or sequential language acquisition, is learning a second language after a first language is already established (Krashen, 1981). The field of second language, L2 acquisition research always has been associated to understand the underpinnings of second language grammars and the factors that influence the development of those grammars. While this is a wide ranging area of interest, this paper emphasis on the common patterns of grammars of Tamil as second language in particular to phonological acquisition. It is unknown whether it could be easier for a learner of a non-quantity language to Tamil quantity if this feature would instead delay or disturb the acquisition. Therefore, the current research assess the acquisition of Tamil phonology Tamil by the Malay learners. A clear asymmetric pattern of acquisition between both the tests emerged that the subjects were able to acquire the non-identical Tamil phonology from Malay by sound than the form or structure. T.....

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