Schedule: 2009-09-11 (15:45 - 16:30)
Parallel Session 2 (Room A-34)

Title: The role of volition in the implementation of an Internet based language testing system
Authors: Jesús García Laborda
Abstract: Many teachers believe that students do not perceive a significant difference in learning through computers (Lowerison et. Al., 2006) or CALL. It is still necessary to find out if in CALL classes teachers’ resilience towards CALL makes a difference in teaching. That is whether teachers who have to use CALL (for instance to teach for IB TOEFL) but may not wish to do so may feel that they influence their teaching. This paper intends to be a first approach to the issue of biased volition in attempting to implement a new Internet based language entrance examination in Spain. Although training can be an influential factor in moderating the acceptance of language testing innovation, after two questionnaires given to two groups of teachers, the researcher found that biased internal perceptions may jeopardize the success of a test implementation. Two open-answer questionnaires were given to a 100 teacher non trained group and a 10 teacher trained group in the use of a new online test at the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Although different in their format, both questionnaires intended to verify whether there is a change in the teachers’ will to implement the test according to their training in the new format and delivery system. The paper concludes, as opposed to (West, Toplak, Stanovich, 2008) that training and test delivery familiarity has some effect in teacher’s motivation and interest but also claims that innovation is greatly mediated by volition and internal resilience and that computer teacher training requires not only obligation but also interest and desire of producing new implementation. The implications of these results for valuing, training and informing teachers in educational contexts are discussed. The role of technology rejection and inner change according to age and sex is also addressed (Meece and Painter, 2008). Furthermore, the paper concludes with set of guidelines for computer language teacher training. Overall, the research evidences that there is an urgent need in revising the role of inner volition and computer-human emotions in computer use especially in pedagogical innovation such as language testing.

References

Lowerison, G., Sclater, J., Schmid, R. F., & Abrami, P. (2006). Student perceived effectiveness of computer technology use in post-secondary classrooms. Computers & Education.Special Issue: Methodological Issues in Researching CSCL, 47(4), 465-489.

Meece, J. L., & Painter, J. (2008). Gender, self-regulation, and motivation. In D. H. Schunk, & B. J. Zimmerman (Eds.), Motivation and self-regulated learning: Theory, research, and applications. (pp. 339-367). Mahwah, NJ, US: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.

West, R. F., Toplak, M. E., & Stanovich, K. E. (2008). Heuristics and biases as measures of critical thinking: Associations with cognitive ability and thinking dispositions. Journal of Educational Psychology, 100(4), 930-941.
Keywords: volition, testing, questionnaire, teachers, emotions

Main topic: Assessment, testing, feedback and guidance in CALL

Biodata: Dr. Jesús García Laborda, PhD., MA., MEd., is an Associate professor at the Applied Linguistics Department of the Universidad Politécnica of Valencia (Spain) and has led two CALL regional projects in CALL and language testing. His main research has been in computer based low stakes language testing. He is currently a member of the Camille Research Group.
Type of presentation Paper presentation

Paper category Research

Target educational sector Secondary education

Language of delivery English

EU-funded project Yes

Schedule:	2009-09-11 (15:45 - 16:30) Parallel Session 2 (Room A-34)
Title:	The role of volition in the implementation of an Internet based language testing system
Authors:	Jesús García Laborda
Abstract:	Many teachers believe that students do not perceive a significant difference in learning through computers (Lowerison et. Al., 2006) or CALL. It is still necessary to find out if in CALL classes teachers’ resilience towards CALL makes a difference in teaching. That is whether teachers who have to use CALL (for instance to teach for IB TOEFL) but may not wish to do so may feel that they influence their teaching. This paper intends to be a first approach to the issue of biased volition in attempting to implement a new Internet based language entrance examination in Spain. Although training can be an influential factor in moderating the acceptance of language testing innovation, after two questionnaires given to two groups of teachers, the researcher found that biased internal perceptions may jeopardize the success of a test implementation. Two open-answer questionnaires were given to a 100 teacher non trained group and a 10 teacher trained group in the use of a new online test at the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Although different in their format, both questionnaires intended to verify whether there is a change in the teachers’ will to implement the test according to their training in the new format and delivery system. The paper concludes, as opposed to (West, Toplak, Stanovich, 2008) that training and test delivery familiarity has some effect in teacher’s motivation and interest but also claims that innovation is greatly mediated by volition and internal resilience and that computer teacher training requires not only obligation but also interest and desire of producing new implementation. The implications of these results for valuing, training and informing teachers in educational contexts are discussed. The role of technology rejection and inner change according to age and sex is also addressed (Meece and Painter, 2008). Furthermore, the paper concludes with set of guidelines for computer language teacher training. Overall, the research evidences that there is an urgent need in revising the role of inner volition and computer-human emotions in computer use especially in pedagogical innovation such as language testing. References Lowerison, G., Sclater, J., Schmid, R. F., & Abrami, P. (2006). Student perceived effectiveness of computer technology use in post-secondary classrooms. Computers & Education.Special Issue: Methodological Issues in Researching CSCL, 47(4), 465-489. Meece, J. L., & Painter, J. (2008). Gender, self-regulation, and motivation. In D. H. Schunk, & B. J. Zimmerman (Eds.), Motivation and self-regulated learning: Theory, research, and applications. (pp. 339-367). Mahwah, NJ, US: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers. West, R. F., Toplak, M. E., & Stanovich, K. E. (2008). Heuristics and biases as measures of critical thinking: Associations with cognitive ability and thinking dispositions. Journal of Educational Psychology, 100(4), 930-941.
Keywords:	volition, testing, questionnaire, teachers, emotions
Main topic:	Assessment, testing, feedback and guidance in CALL
Biodata:	Dr. Jesús García Laborda, PhD., MA., MEd., is an Associate professor at the Applied Linguistics Department of the Universidad Politécnica of Valencia (Spain) and has led two CALL regional projects in CALL and language testing. His main research has been in computer based low stakes language testing. He is currently a member of the Camille Research Group.
Type of presentation	Paper presentation
Paper category	Research
Target educational sector	Secondary education
Language of delivery	English
EU-funded project	Yes