Developing speaking assessment tasks to reflect the 'social turn' in language testing

Interactional competence has emerged as a focal point for language testing researchers in recent years. In spoken communication involving two or more interlocutors, the co-construction of discourse is central to successful interaction. The acknowledgement of co-construction has led to concern over the impact of the interlocutor and the separability of performances in speaking tests involving interaction. The purpose of this article is to review recent studies of direct relevance to the construct of interactional competence and its operationalisation by raters in the context of second language speaking tests. The review begins by tracing the emergence of interaction as a criterion in speaking tests from a theoretical perspective, and then focuses on research salient to interactional effectiveness that has been carried out in the context of language testing interviews and group and paired speaking tests.

Testing for the non-separability of bi-ambiguous compounds

Separability is a concept that is very difficult to define, and yet much of our scientific method is implicitly based upon the assumption that systems can sensibly be reduced to a set of interacting components. This paper examines the notion of separability in the creation of bi-ambiguous compounds that is based upon the CHSH and CH inequalities. It reports results of an experiment showing that violations of the CHSH and CH inequality can occur in human conceptual combination.

Power network in loop : a paradigm for real-time simulation and hardware testing

This paper discusses a new paradigm of real-time simulation of power systems in which equipment can be interfaced with a real-time digital simulator. In this scheme, one part of a power system can be simulated by using a real-time simulator; while the other part is implemeneted as a physical system. The only interface of the physical system with the computer-based simulator is through data-acquisition system. The physical system is driven by a voltage-source converter (VSC)that mimics the power system simulated in the real-time simulator. In this papar, the VSC operates in a voltage-control mode to track the point of common coupling voltage signal supplied by the digital simulator. This type of splitting a network in two parts and running a real-time simulation with a physical system in parallel is called a power network in loop here. this opens up the possibility of study of interconnection o f one or several distributed generators to a complex power network. The proposed implementation is verified through simulation studies using PSCAD/EMTDC and through hardware implementation on a TMS320G2812 DSP.

On-board mass monitoring of heavy vehicles : results of testing program

The Transport Certification Australia on-board mass feasibility project is testing various on-board mass devices in a range of heavy vehicles (HVs). Extensive field tests of on-board mass measurement systems for HVs have been conducted during 2008. These tests were of accuracy, robustness and tamper-evidence of heavy vehicle on-board mass telematics. All the systems tested showed accuracies within approximately +/- 500 kg of gross combination mass or approximately +/- 2% of the attendant weighbridge reading. Analysis of the dynamic data also showed encouraging results and has raised the possibility of use of such dynamic information in tamper evidence in two areas. This analysis was to determine if the use of averaged dynamic data could identify potential tampering or incorrect operating procedures as well as the possibility of dynamic measurements flagging a tamper event by the use of metrics including a tampering index (TIX). Technical and business options to detect tamper events will now be developed during implementation of regulatory OBM system application to Australian heavy vehicles (HVs).

Repeat participation in colorectal cancer screening utilizing fecal occult blood testing : a community-based project in a rural setting

Background and Aim: To investigate participation in a second round of colorectal cancer screening using a fecal occult blood test (FOBT) in an Australian rural community, and to assess the demographic characteristics and individual perspectives associated with repeat screening. ---------- Methods: Potential participants from round 1 (50–74 years of age) were sent an intervention package and asked to return a completed FOBT (n = 3406). Doctors of participants testing positive referred to colonoscopy as appropriate. Following screening, 119 participants completed qualitative telephone interviews. Multivariable logistic regression models evaluated the association between round-2 participation and other variables.---------- Results: Round-2 participation was 34.7%; the strongest predictor was participation in round 1. Repeat participants were more likely to be female; inconsistent screeners were more likely to be younger (aged 50–59 years). The proportion of positive FOBT was 12.7%, that of colonoscopy compliance was 98.6%, and the positive predictive value for cancer or adenoma of advanced pathology was 23.9%. Reasons for participation included testing as a precautionary measure or having family history/friends with colorectal cancer; reasons for non-participation included apathy or doctors’ advice against screening.---------- Conclusion: Participation was relatively low and consistent across rounds. Unless suitable strategies are identified to overcome behavioral trends and/or to screen out ineligible participants, little change in overall participation rates can be expected across rounds.

Accountability through high-stakes testing and curriculum change

The motivation for secondary school principals in Queensland, Australia, to investigate curriculum change coincided with the commencement in 2005 of the state government’s publication of school exit test results as a measure of accountability. Aligning the schools’ curriculum with the requirements of high-stakes testing is considered by many academics and teachers as negative outcome of accountability for reasons such as ‘teaching to the test’ and narrowing the curriculum. However, this article outlines empirical evidence that principals are instigating curriculum change to improve published high-stakes test results. Three principals in this study offered several reasons as to why they wished to implement changes to school curricula. One reason articulated by all three was the pressures of accountability, particularly through the publication of high-stakes test data which has now become commonplace in education systems of many Western Nations.

Testing for accountability

Current graduates in education are entering a very different profession to the one in which most of their “baby-boomer” colleagues started. It is a profession in which accountability and national high-stakes testing (e.g. NAPLAN) have become catch-cries, and where the interpretation and use of educational data is an additional challenge. This has led to schools focusing on performance, and teachers now have to analyse test data and apply the findings to their teaching.

Curriculum change in testing times

In these new, testing times, we need a new controlled rapid approach to curriculum change. Judy Smeed and TerrI Bourke explain.

High-stakes national testing: it's global, it's here to stay, and graduating teachers need to know about it

My oldest daughter recently secured a position as a Science/Geography teacher in a P-12 Catholic College in regional Queensland. This paper looks at the teaching world into which she has graduated. Specifically, the paper will outline and discuss findings from a survey of graduating early childhood student teachers in relation to their knowledge and skills of the current regime of high-stakes testing in Australia. The paper argues that understanding accountability and possessing skills to scrutinise test data are essential for the new teacher as s/he enters a profession in which governments world-wide are demanding a return for their investment in education. The paper will examine literature on accountability and surveillance in the form of high-stakes testing from global, school and classroom perspectives. It makes the claim that it is imperative for beginning teachers to be able to interpret high-stakes test data and considers the skills required to do this. The paper also draws on local research to comment on the readiness of graduates to meet this comparatively new professional demand.

Near infrared for non-destructive testing of articular cartilage

The concept of non-destructive testing (NDT) of materials and structures is of immense importance in engineering and medicine. Several NDT methods including electromagnetic (EM)-based e.g. X-ray and Infrared; ultrasound; and S-waves have been proposed for medical applications. This paper evaluates the viability of near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, an EM method for rapid non-destructive evaluation of articular cartilage. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that there is a correlation between the NIR spectrum and the physical and mechanical characteristics of articular cartilage such as thickness, stress and stiffness. Intact, visually normal cartilage-on-bone plugs from 2-3yr old bovine patellae were exposed to NIR light from a diffuse reflectance fibre-optic probe and tested mechanically to obtain their thickness, stress, and stiffness. Multivariate statistical analysis-based predictive models relating articular cartilage NIR spectra to these characterising parameters were developed. Our results show that there is a varying degree of correlation between the different parameters and the NIR spectra of the samples with R2 varying between 65 and 93%. We therefore conclude that NIR can be used to determine, nondestructively, the physical and functional characteristics of articular cartilage.

A compact mock circulation loop for the in vitro testing of cardiovascular devices

In vitro cardiovascular device performance evaluation in a mock circulation loop (MCL) is a necessary step prior to in vivo testing.A MCL that accurately represents the physiology of the cardiovascular system accelerates the assessment of the device’s ability to treat pathological conditions. To serve this purpose, a compact MCL measuring 600 ¥ 600 ¥ 600 mm (L ¥ W¥ H) was constructed in conjunction with a computer mathematical simulation.This approach allowed the effective selection of physical loop characteristics, such as pneumatic drive parameters, to create pressure and flow, and pipe dimensions to replicate the resistance, compliance, and fluid inertia of the native cardiovascular system. The resulting five-element MCL reproduced the physiological hemodynamics of a healthy and failing heart by altering ventricle contractility, vascular resistance/compliance, heart rate, and vascular volume. The effects of interpatient anatomical variability, such as septal defects and valvular disease, were also assessed. Cardiovascular hemodynamic pressures (arterial, venous, atrial, ventricular), flows (systemic, bronchial, pulmonary), and volumes (ventricular, stroke) were analyzed in real time. The objective of this study is to describe the developmental stages of the compact MCL and demonstrate its value as a research tool for the accelerated development of cardiovascular devices.

Deterring drug drivers : a study into the initial impact of oral random roadside drug testing in Queensland

Objective: The global implementation of oral random roadside drug testing is relatively limited, and correspondingly, the literature that focuses on the effectiveness of this intervention is scant. This study aims to provide a preliminary indication of the impact of roadside drug testing in Queensland. Methods: A sample of Queensland motorists’ (N= 922) completed a self-report questionnaire to investigate their drug driving behaviour, as well as examine the perceived affect of legal sanctions (certainty, severity and swiftness) and knowledge of the countermeasure on their subsequent offending behaviour. Results: Analysis of the collected data revealed that approximately 20% of participants reported drug driving at least once in the last six months. Overall, there was considerable variability in respondent’s perceptions regarding the certainty, severity and swiftness of legal sanctions associated with the testing regime and a considerable proportion remained unaware of testing practices. In regards to predicting those who intended to drug driving again in the future, perceptions of apprehension certainty, more specifically low certainty of apprehension, were significantly associated with self-reported intentions to offend. Additionally, self-reported recent drug driving activity and frequent drug consumption were also identified as significant predictors, which indicates that in the current context, past behaviour is a prominent predictor of future behaviour. To a lesser extent, awareness of testing practices was a significant predictor of intending not to drug drive in the future. Conclusion: The results indicate that drug driving is relatively prevalent on Queensland roads, and a number of factors may influence such behaviour. Additionally, while the roadside testing initiative is beginning to have a deterrent impact, its success will likely be linked with targeted intelligence-led implementation in order to increase apprehension levels as well as the general deterrent effect.

Is a mango just a mango? Testing within-fruit oviposition site choice and larval performance of a highly polyphagous fruit fly

For fruit flies, fully ripe fruit is preferred for adult oviposition and is superior for offspring performance over unripe or ripening fruit. Because not all parts of a single fruit ripen simultaneously, the opportunity exists for adult fruit flies to selectively choose riper parts of a fruit for oviposition and such selection, if it occurs, could positively influence offspring performance. Such fine scale host variation is rarely considered in fruit fly ecology, however, especially for polyphagous species which are, by definition, considered to be generalist host users. Here we study the adult oviposition preference/larval performance relationship of the Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae), a highly polyphagous pest species, at the “within-fruit” level to see if such a host use pattern occurs. We recorded the number of oviposition attempts that female flies made into three fruit portions (top, middle and bottom), and larval behavior and development within different fruit portions for ripening (color change) and fully-ripe mango, Mangifera indica L. (Anacardiaceae). Results indicate that female B. dorsalis do not oviposit uniformly across a mango fruit, but lay most often in the top (i.e., stalk end) of fruit and least in the bottom portion, regardless of ripening stage. There was no evidence of larval feeding site preference or performance (development time, pupal weight, percent pupation) being influenced by fruit portion, within or across the fruit ripening stages. There was, however, a very significant effect on adult emergence rate from pupae, with adult emergence rate from pupae from the bottom of ripening mango being approximately only 50% of the adult emergence rate from the top of ripening fruit, or from both the top and bottom of fully-ripe fruit. Differences in mechanical (firmness) and chemical (total soluble solids, titratable acidity, total non-structural carbohydrates) traits between different fruit portions were correlated with adult fruit utilisation. Our results support a positive adult preference/offspring performance relationship at within-fruit level for B. dorsalis. The fine level of host discrimination exhibited by B. dorsalis is at odds with the general perception that, as a polyphagous herbivore, the fly should show very little discrimination in its host use behavior.

Noise robust voice activity detection using normal probability testing and time-domain histogram analysis

This paper presents a method of voice activity detection (VAD) suitable for high noise scenarios, based on the fusion of two complementary systems. The first system uses a proposed non-Gaussianity score (NGS) feature based on normal probability testing. The second system employs a histogram distance score (HDS) feature that detects changes in the signal through conducting a template-based similarity measure between adjacent frames. The decision outputs by the two systems are then merged using an open-by-reconstruction fusion stage. Accuracy of the proposed method was compared to several baseline VAD methods on a database created using real recordings of a variety of high-noise environments.