The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of collaborative learning on learners' communicative strategies in English for specific purpose (ESP) tour guide training course. The 12-week study was conducted using a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test and post-test, following the instruction of twelve topics in the ESP language…

We use student-level online resource usage data for students in four different introductory accounting courses to explore the impact on exam performance of both student study effort and students' revealed preferences for reading text or watching video lectures. The online learning tool tracks student study choice (read text, watch video, or skip)…

Use of high-stakes exams in a course has been associated with gender, racial, and socioeconomic inequities. We investigated whether offering students the opportunity to retake an exam makes high-stakes exams more equitable. Following the control value theory of achievement emotions, we hypothesized that exam retakes would increase students'…

I conducted a set of four studies to catalogue and examine course elements, including active learning strategies and evidence-based teaching practices, and their influence on student experiences and performance in college biology classes. In the first study, I defined the term "active learning" and catalogued the 300[plus] strategies…

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of integrated ACT Prep course on students' English component of the ACT assessment and English III TN Ready assessment with respect to examining students' self-efficacy for the English component of the English component of the ACT assessment. Specifically, this study will examine the effects…

Virtual universities have developed considerably over the past decade, particularly on the African continent. They provide a way to deal with the considerable need to educate a large young population, but the lack of physical space can be a drawback that prevents students from succeeding and increasing dropout compared to a more traditional…

The purpose of this study was to examine the potential impact of integrating the Smart Sender platform to gamify and automate L2 e-classes on students' motivation, English language proficiency in reading and language use, engagement, and attitudes towards the platform. This experimental research employed a quasi-experimental design, specifically a…

This dissertation study presents a case study of one of the largest educational agencies in China. The study investigated the instructional effectiveness of the test prep program in Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The purpose of this study is threefold: 1) to examine the educational effectiveness of a language proficiency test…

The current study examined study habits of postsecondary students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) through the theoretical context of deliberate practice. The responses of participants with and without ADHD were compared on a survey of study time, study quality, and self-perceptions of study habits, as well as a measure of test…

The writing module of the IELTS has proven to be a challenging section for test takers. Part of this difficulty may stem from the divergence between what test takers expect to learn in such courses and what is delivered by instructors. To address this issue, a 24-item questionnaire (Student Questionnaire A) relating to IELTS writing preparation…

The present study aimed to determine university students' perceptions regarding EM and EAP courses and how they studied EM and EAP courses and their exams. It was designed as a qualitative study. Eight students participated in the study. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed by content analysis method. The…

Benefits for L2 reading through offering learners extensive reading with listening have been found in empirical studies, but those findings may be under-utilized in academic English preparation settings, due to prioritized test practice in response to high-stakes testing for university matriculation. Self-paced extensive reading with listening…

Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have the potential to reduce the workload for the second language (L2) teachers and test developers. We propose two AI distractor-generating methods for creating Chinese vocabulary items: semantic similarity and visual similarity. Semantic similarity refers to antonyms and synonyms, while visual similarity…

In this study, I examined several ecological factors at play when students make use of test preparation. I first looked at students' usage of test preparation and followed that with an examination of the relationship between family income and test preparation use. Finally, I examined familial support in preparing for admissions exams. Many…

This study measured the effectiveness of three tasks (cloze, editing and writing) on the learning of phrasal verbs for students learning English as a foreign language (EFL). A total of 72 low-to-intermediate EFL learners were recruited. This study employed pre- and post-test designs. The performance of the learners who completed the three tasks…