Internationally Educated Nurses and the Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses: A Qualitative Test Validation Study of Test-Taker Accounts

Autor/inn/en	Baldwin, Stefanie; Cheng, Liying
Titel	Internationally Educated Nurses and the Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses: A Qualitative Test Validation Study of Test-Taker Accounts
Quelle	In: Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics / Revue canadienne de linguistique appliquée, 23 (2020) 2, S.96-117 (22 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1481-868X
Schlagwörter	Nurses; Nursing Education; Foreign Countries; Licensing Examinations (Professions); Task Analysis; English (Second Language); Second Language Learning; Language Tests; Benchmarking; Computer Assisted Testing; Knowledge Level; High Stakes Tests; Decision Making; Immigrants; Foreign Nationals; Attitudes; Canada; Test of English as a Foreign Language + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Pflegepädagogik; Ausland; Aufgabenanalyse; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Language test; Sprachtest; Wissensbasis; Decision-making; Entscheidungsfindung; Immigrant; Immigrantin; Immigranten; Ausländer; Ausländerin; Attitude; Einstellung; Verhalten; Kanada
Abstract	This qualitative validation study examines sixteen Internationally Educated Nurses' (IENs') accounts of the Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses (CELBAN) at two testing centres (Toronto and Hamilton). This study adopts both focus groups and one-on-one interviews to investigate the inferences drawn from the test, and its consequences. Focus groups and interviews were conducted using an adapted interview guide utilized in the TOEFL iBT [Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-based test] investigation of test-taker accounts of construct representation and construct irrelevant variance (DeLuca et al., 2013). While construct representation describes the degree of authenticity in the presentation of Canadian English language nursing tasks, construct irrelevant variance refers to potential factors impacting the test-taking experience which might contribute to a score variance that was not reflective of test-taker knowledge of the testing constructs (Messick, 1989, 1991, 1996). In this study, test-taker accounts of construct representation and construct irrelevant variance constituted the data which were coded and analyzed abductively via the sensitizing concepts derived from DeLuca et al., and Cheng and DeLuca (2011) on examining test-takers' experience and their contribution to validity. Seven themes emerged, answering four research questions: How do IENs characterize their test experience? How do IENs describe the assessment constructs? What, if any, sources of Construct Irrelevant Variance (CIV) do IENs describe? Do IENs feel the language tasks are authentic? Overall, participants reported positive experiences with the CELBAN, while identifying some possible sources of CIV. Given the CELBAN's widespread use for high-stakes decisions (a component of nursing certification and licensure), further research of IEN-test-taker responses to construct representation and construct irrelevant variance will remain critical to our understanding of the role of language competency testing for IENs. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Canadian Association of Applied Linguistics / Association Canadienne de Linguistique Appliquée. Departement de langues, linguistique et traduction, Pavillon de Koninck, Universite Laval, Quebec, QC G1K 7P4, Canada. Web site: http://www.aclacaal.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01