(1) from "Fuqiang Zhuo" <[log in to unmask]>
> 1. What placement test do you use?
WebCAPE: German, French, Spanish, and Russian .
Self-created: Japanese, Italian, Chinese (not done yet)
> 2. Is credit awarded for classes that they place out of? If so, how does
> that work in your institution?
No credit but results may be used to opt out a course requirement.
> 3. Are students required to take the exam in-person even though the exam
> is online? If not, how have you addressed the potential for academic
> dishonesty?
So far in person in summer (newcomers), all year round for everybody.
Large group exams for Japanese
> Again, any and all thoughts and suggestions are gratefully accepted.
(2) from Hans Gilde <[log in to unmask]>
At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, we have students take the test (CAPE)
on site for the very reasons you stated, namely security, integrity of the
test, etc. We also do a brief advising session with students to evaluate
other pertinent information that could influence their placement. This can't
be done if students take the test off site.
We don't award credit for any courses students may be skipping. Those
fulfilling the language requirement simply enter the sequence where the test
and the advising session indicate thus reducing their language obligation if
they can jump in at a level higher than 101.
I hope this helps.
--
Hans Gilde, Ph.D.
snail mail:
1111 Oldfather Hall
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln NE 68588-0315
phone: 402-472-1786
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
Office: Burnett Hall 304
(3) Sharon Scinicariello <[log in to unmask]>
>Dear All:
>
>Times being as they are, those of us associated with the FL Placement Exam (we
>use WebCAPE, but administer the exam in-person during Orientation) have been
>summoned to meet with the Provost's office to discuss moving placement exams
out
>of Summer Orientation, and have them delivered instead online during the
summer.
>Apparently, they took the time to review seventeen schools and found that we
are
>the only university that still conducts placement exams in person during Summer
>Orientation. All the other universities they reviewed conduct the placement
>exams online and offsite. Of course, none of the reviewers can seem to remember
>who they talked to...I'll bet their memories come back to them @ the meeting!
We still give our placement exams face-to-face at orientation, but we have
agreed to move them to a self-assessment environment before next summer. Of
course, we have far fewer students than you. The advising people want students
to be able to take the tests--and get advised via e-mail--before they register
for classes.
>I seem to remember a post a few years back where Andrew Ross was expressing
>reservations about the prospect of using online/offsite exams over the summer
--
>questions of validity, security, and integrity, if I recall. But no bites...or
>more likely, you all replied to Andrew off-list.
Andrew may have been asking when he was still here at Richmond. If so, the
problems derive from the fact that the placement tests have also been used for
exemption from the language requirement. We use the WebCAPE tests, and they
were never intended to be used this way, but it has taken a long time to come up
with an alternative. Meanwhile, of course, we have not only tested face-to-face
but have had to check picture IDs.
>Frankly, I just need a lot of data right now...and quick.
>
>Just so that there is a record of this for others who might find themselves
>summoned in the future, I think it would be best if you could reply to the list
>(so we're not re-inventing the wheel in a few months/years) but I'll take
>answers to this questions however you feel comfortable sending them (on or
>off-list). I need anyone and everyone, especially those who handle several
>hundreds to thousands of exams during Orientation online, to respond to the
>following questions:
>
>1. What placement test do you use? WebCAPE
>2. Is credit awarded for classes that they place out of? If so, how does that
>work in your institution?
No, students can only receive credit via AP, some IB exams, transfer work, etc.
>3. Are students required to take the exam in-person even though the exam is
>online? If not, how have you addressed the potential for academic dishonesty?
Because placing into the 300-level will no longer be sufficient for an exemption
from the language requirement, we aren't going to worry about academic
dishonesty. That's really the only reason to cheat. There is also no incentive
to do poorly in order to place into beginning and 'get an easy A', because entry
into beginning language courses requires permission of the language program
director or prof--and placement scores are only one piece of information used in
that process. And, of course, academic dishonesty is a violation of the honor
code.
Our biggest concern about moving the placement tests to summer is that we will
lose that face-to-face contact with incoming students. The testing sessions are
important because we use them to advise students, encourage them to continue
their language study after the requirement, study another language, etc.
Hope this helps,
Sharon Scinicariello
University of Richmond
(4) from "Ross, Andrew" <[log in to unmask]>
Hi, Doug:
I seem to remember a lot of crickets chirping, actually ...
We're still using WebCAPE for Spanish and French placement exams. The rest are
on paper and in-department. They seem to like the control over the process, and
it allows them to be somewhat more flexible with the speaking/listening
components, which just don't happen in WebCAPE. We've ginned up a dictee in PHP
for the listening component in French.
Credit is not awarded for the courses they place out of. They are simply
permitted to enroll in courses at a higher level. This makes things slightly
lower-stakes, and allows for some adjustment of placement with minimal angst if
they're misplaced.
Students (still) are required to take the exam in person, although it's online.
The scheduled exam period (4 days in Orientation and the first week of the
semester) is sufficient to handle most students -- we test about 350 - 400
during this time. They must show ID and sign in -- that helps with positive
identification and traffic control at rush hour. We put together a pledge entry
page -- "I hereby acknowledge that ... " summing up the academic honesty code.
This, however, was in response to people deliberately failing the exam.
Couple of caveats: Brown has no general education requirements, so the credit
issue isn't one for us; Brown does have "shopping period", in which students
change sections until they find a schedule they like (usually the first two
weeks of the semester; Brown allows students to drop a course without penalty up
until the last day of the semester, if they wish, provided they're carrying a
minimum number of credits otherwise.
Hope this helps.
a.
(5) from Jose Rodriguez [log in to unmask]
Doug and all,
We have been using WebCAPE at Emory University for Spanish and German
for years (about 8 for Spanish, about 6 for German). To answer your
questions:
> 1. What placement test do you use?
WebCAPE Spanish, German
>
> 2. Is credit awarded for classes that they place out of? If so, how
> does that
> work in your institution?
No credit is awarded for classes that they place out of -
undergraduate students at Emory are required to take 2 contiguous
semester of a language no matter what level they place. If a student
places into 201, they begin with 201 and are expected to take 202. No
credit is given for 101 and 102. Some incoming students have taken the
AP exam in high school and might be accepted with incoming credits,
but generally only for the first semester. This is not determined by
the placement exam, however.
>
> 3. Are students required to take the exam in-person even though the
> exam is
> online? If not, how have you addressed the potential for academic
> dishonesty?
Students are expected to take it online. We address academic
dishonestly purely through our Emory Honor Code. However, the faculty
member in charge of placement reviews results and can make some
determination about whether or not students are not being honest in
their answers (this, however, I do not know how). If there is enough
question, she will request a copy of the student's high school
transcript. They have been doing it enough years now that they seem to
be able to spot questionable placement results.
Hope this helps,
Jose
(6) from Ron BAlko [log in to unmask]
1. What placement test do you use?
WebCape
2. Is credit awarded for classes that they place out of? If so, how does that
work in your institution?
Our proficiency requirement is to pass the 112 class level. A student that
places out of the 111 intro class, enrolls in the 112 class and passes that
class with a 'C' or better will be given retroactive credit for the 111 course.
3. Are students required to take the exam in-person even though the exam is
online? If not, how have you addressed the potential for academic dishonesty?
Our students are not required to take the test in a controlled environment. Our
faculty feels that if a student cheats to get into 112, it will become apparent
early on they can't handle the material. Any student that scores high enough to
entirely opt out of the language requirement in its entirety are required to
submit a written paper as one proof and meet with a faculty member of the
language department for conversation as another proof.
Hope this helps Doug.
Ron
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Ron Balko
Learning Technologies Coordinator
Concordia College
Moorhead, MN
Treasurer, IALLT
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
(7) from David Kleinberg [log in to unmask]
> 1. What placement test do you use?
> 2. Is credit awarded for classes that they place out of? If so, how does that
> work in your institution?
> 3. Are students required to take the exam in-person even though the exam is
> online? If not, how have you addressed the potential for academic dishonesty?
>
>
Hi Doug,
1. We just adopted WebCAPE this last summer and I, the department chair,
the dean, and the academic advisors have been very pleased (with the
exception of the server failures this summer 5 minutes into a testing
session with 120 students). We like that the test cuts down on cheating
because every test is unique, and that the results are available to
advisors right away.
2. If students place out of a course, they have to get a B or better in
the class they place *into* in order to get credit for the courses they
placed out of.
See
http://www.winthrop.edu/modernlanguages/Language%20Lab/ModernLanguagesPlacementC
redit.pdf
Of course, many students tank on the test intentionally so that they can
have an easier time when they take 101 courses.
3. Students take the test in person, although we don't check IDs for
fraud. We don't give out the password to access the test until the
students are in the computer lab. One of the things we like about giving
the test in person is that we can give advising on the spot, and the
dept. chair likes to meet with advanced students right away. We also get
to push the idea of becoming a minor or major to advanced students, and
we can explain the credit system to all students.
Our info regarding the tests is here:
http://www.winthrop.edu/modernlanguages/Language%20Lab/placement_test.htm
We also have the Orientation Office pushing us to move the test to
something that can be done from home prior to orientation, but we are
resistant to this idea.
Hope that helps,
Dave
--
David Kleinberg, Ph.D.
Language Lab Director, Instructor of German
Department of Modern Languages
Winthrop University
310 Kinard Hall, Rock Hill, SC
Telephone: (803) 323-4660
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
http://www.winthrop.edu/modernlanguages/
(8) from Amber Kennedy Kent [log in to unmask]
1. What placement test do you use? BYU's Webcape Online Assessment (French and
Spanish)
2. Is credit awarded for classes that they place out of? If so, how does that
work in your institution?
Our departments use the assessment exam more to establish placement (start in
101 or 102?) which they use in conjunction with a spoken interview. If a
student is interested in getting credit for a class, they have to take a
separate cumulative exam for each of the classes they would like to test out of.
3. Are students required to take the exam in-person even though the exam is
online? If not, how have you addressed the potential for academic dishonesty?
We do use the online exam, but they must take them in the Language Learning
Center on campus. Our exam is password protected to prevent people from taking
them off campus.
Amber Kennedy Kent
Coordinator, Language Learning Center
Bowling Green State University
University Hall 303
Bowling Green, Ohio 43403
Voice: 419-372-8146 Fax: 419-372-2571
http://www.bgsu.edu/llc
(9) from [log in to unmask]
At W&J College we developed our own new system that does not rely on a
traditional grammar exam. The grammar and text based exam had several
issues:
1: Students at our institution tended to purposefully get low scores to be
placed into lower level language classes in order to bolster their GPA.
Since we have caps on our class sizes, many sections of elementary language
courses were populated by students with 4 years of high school language. It
was not a productive learning environment and shut out many true beginners
in the language.
2: Since the exam does not address speaking and listening, it is inherently
a limited skill assessment and does not reflect the approach of our classes.
We have moved to an online, off site 'questionaire' that incorporates
information from Datatel regarding their high school grades and courses
taken. (The admissions department often puts a wealth of information in your
college computer system. Our program accesses this information and utilizes
it for placement)
We also take a writing sample and do a European framework based
self-assessment.
For most of the students, placement is fairly simple. For the more complex
cases, faculty can log in from any location an view the students records,
sample, and self-assessment. For students who wish to get 'Advanced
placement', they must speak with a faculty member and demonstrate oral
proficiency.
This may sound complicated, but it works quite well. We process 500 students
each summer with a faculty of 7. The result has been more accurate
'placement', classes populated by students with more similar ability levels,
and students who actually place higher and go further with their language
abilities.
We only give course credit for a 4 or 5 on an AP exam or a college level
course taken during high school.
Michael Shaughnessy
Chair of Modern Languages
W&J College
www.washjeff.edu
[log in to unmask]
(10) from [log in to unmask]
Dear Doug,
We use WebCAPE for incoming freshman offsite during the summer. Everyone
"testing out" (scoring above the intermediate level that is required for
graduation) is then "invited" for a second test on campus during orientation
days just before the semester starts. Here, we use University of Wisconsin's
placement tests (German, French, Spanish, Latin).
Hope that helps,
Marcel
Dr. Marcel Rotter
Assistant Professor of German
Department of Modern Foreign Languages
University of Mary Washington
219 Combs Hall
1301 College Ave.
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
Telephone: 540.654.1996
Fax: 540.654.1088
Email: [log in to unmask]
http://people.umw.edu/~mrotter/MySite/
Office Hours: MTWF 11-12
and by appointment
(11) from [log in to unmask]
Some responses from the University of Kansas:
> 1. What placement test do you use?
WebCAPE for French, German and Spanish.
> 2. Is credit awarded for classes that they place out of? If so, how
> does that
> work in your institution?
The exam is for placement purposes only. We have a four semester
language requirement, however, and if you can place into and pass a
course at fourth-semester level or above, your language requirement is
fulfilled.
> 3. Are students required to take the exam in-person even though the
> exam is
> online? If not, how have you addressed the potential for academic
> dishonesty?
Students take the exam on-line before coming to campus orientation
over the summer. Once on campus they meet with placement advisors,
who conduct brief oral interviews in the foreign language before
suggesting placement. As the exam is only for placement, the issue of
academic dishonesty is moot ... if a student gets outside help on the
exam, (s)he will only succeed in qualifying for a course that is too
difficult.
Jon
************************************************
Jonathan Perkins, Director
Ermal Garinger Academic Resource Center
University of Kansas
4070 Wescoe Hall
1445 Jayhawk Boulevard
Lawrence KS 66045-7590
Phone: (785) 864-4782
Fax: (785) 864-1256
http://egarc.ku.edu
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