175 / 2018-03-28 19:00:28

A Test Review on the English Test for International Communication (ETIC) – An Assessment Use Argument Evaluation

ETIC; assessment use argument (AUA); global influence

全体主题 > Standards in validating language assessments

A Test Review on English Test for International Communication (ETIC)
– An Assessment Use Argument Evaluation

Abstract: The English Test for International Communication (ETIC) is a high-stakes computer-assisted language assessment which has been developed and operationalized fairly recently (since 2016). Despite its tremendous potential in the certification performance testing area, the evaluation on ETIC is sporadic in both domestic and international academia due to its current introduction and unique approach to language proficiency assessment. To address this gap, the present study grounds on the assessment use argument (AUA; Bachman, 2005; Bachman & Palmer, 2010) to evaluate its role as the gatekeeper to professional practice in the international business and diplomatic arena.
This review includes two interrelated processes. The first is an articulation of AUA which consists of explicit claims to connect test takers’ performance and the proposed score interpretations based on the ETIC-related official documents. The second process is an evidence collection stage to support the claims in the AUA, which connects score interpretations to decisions. In both stages, there would be warrants to provide validity evidence for the claims while potential rebuttals concerning the lack of information, possible existence of construct-irrelevant variance and other evidence-based statements. The proposed claims in this study are: (1) Administration of ETIC is followed consistently across different occasions and all test taker groups; (2) Band scores in different levels of ETIC are clearly defined and the procedures for producing the scores are well adhered to; (3) The computer assisted language assessment model is developed through multiple trials and appropriate for multiple test subgroups; (4) Language skills (listening, speaking and translation/interpreting) have distinct construct definitions and appropriately represented in ETIC; (5) ETIC test reflects real-life scenarios in business or diplomatic exchanges; (6) Scores of ETIC can be interpreted as indicators of test construct; (7) The test tasks do not include response formats or content that may either favor or disfavor some test takers. All of these claims are properly dealt with sufficient evidence-based warrants or/and rebuttals, thus a comparatively compete review of ETIC is formed.
This evaluation makes contribution in (1) providing proof for the intended decision-makers to be better informed in making their judgements; (2) offering evidence to the test developer taking appropriate action to mitigate possible consequences brought by rebuttals; (3) making a fairly overall introduction of ETIC to the international academia, thus expanding its global influence.

Key words: ETIC; assessment use argument (AUA); global influence

References:
Bachman, L. F. (2005). Building and supporting a case for test use. Language Assessment Quarterly, 2(1), 1-34.
Bachman, L. F., & Palmer, A.S. (2010). Language assessment in practice (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.