The effects of computer-mediated listening-speaking test tasks on the oral abilities of first year Buriram Rajabhat University students

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of the computer-mediated listening-speaking test consisting of 3 tasks: answering questions, describing pictures, and transferring information on the oral abilities of first-year Buriram Rajabhat University students. The study was conducted on 84 English and Business English major students. The Cambridge Key English Test (KET) was used to classify the students into three levels (advanced, intermediate and beginning) according to their levels of language abilities. The subjects were selected by the stratified random sampling method. Then, they took the computer-mediated listening-speaking test tasks developed by the researcher. Their oral responses were scored by two raters in terms of accuracy, fluency, complexity, and comprehension. Two-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and descriptive statistics were used to analyze and interpret the data. In addition, the data were investigated qualitatively by using content analysis. The results from the test tasks reveal that the three levels of the language abilities (advanced, intermediate and beginning) and the three test task types, namely, the answering questions, describing pictures and transferring information tasks significantly affected the oral abilities in the four language components. However, the interaction effect between the levels of the language abilities and task types was not found. With regard to the four language components of the oral abilities of the three levels of the students, it was found that the advanced students gained significantly higher scores than the other two groups. Moreover, the intermediate group got higher scores than the beginning one. Regarding the four language components of the oral abilities of the students performing the three task types, the accuracy, complexity and comprehension scores of the answering questions task were significantly higher than those from the describing pictures and transferring information tasks. In addition, the comprehension scores of the transferring information task were significantly higher than those from the describing pictures task. As for the fluency scores, they were higher in the answering questions task than in the describing pictures task. The quantitative data can be used to design instructional materials, and the assessment of listening and speaking courses with the balanced development of all four language components. The results from content analysis provide useful information to the preparation or remedial oral courses for diverse students.