Project Proposals (Assessment Class)

Hi everyone,

I know many of you are very anxious about the research proposal that is due this week (or maybe some of you probably don't even remember) for our assessment class. Before I provide the guidelines for your research proposals and projects, let me put your mind at ease and tell you that I have extended the deadline for your project proposals to July 24, so now you have three more weeks to work on it.

Ok, having said this, let's get to work.

The objective of this project is to have you apply all the concepts and ideas that we will learn throughout the semester in a real life task that you may be responsible for during your professional life. Here's the options:

1. Consultancy work: Observe a real classroom and describe, analyze and provide professional advice for the improvement of assessment practices. If you choose this option you will be required to observe an English class for fourteen hours. You will obviously need to get permission from the teacher. Options include any language institute, our own language school (consult with me first if you choose this option), the place you work at, a public or private or school, etc. Of course, your professional advice will be based on the concepts discussed in class and the language you use will have to display that. However, you will not be required to actually give your document to the teacher you observe, unless that person requests it. It will only be used for the purposes of our class and your learning.

2. Annotated Test Design: Your task is to design a test that covers the fours skills. However, you need to include annotations as to why you selected the tasks in your test. In short, you need to design the test and write a text explaining the process.

The research proposal (Due July 24): This should be a simple 1-to-3-page document where you tell me the option you select and a justification for you choice. This justification should discuss the way this project fits your personal and professional interests and your experience as a student and/or teacher.

Proposal Specific Guidelines:

1. Consultancy work: If you choose this option your proposal should include: a) An introduction: in this section you should discuss what you will be observing specifically. Some people will decide to do a comprehensive observation the classroom but some other may like to focus on formative/summative/formal/informal/any of the skills, etc. Your selection must be discussed thoroughly. b) Setting: In this section you should describe the classroom you will be observing. c) Any data collection instrument you will use (observation sheets, questionnaires, etc). d) List of references

Please, use strict terminology and explain clearly what you expect to observe.

2. Test Design: If you choose this option you should include: a) an introduction explaining the kind of test you will be creating, the context that the test will be designed for the target audience (course, type of students), b)  you should consider that you need to pilot the test - than means, applying it with some students, spotting weaknesses and editing test items. Therefore, you need to include a timetable that considers all these, c) list of references.

Details on what's expected of the first draft will be announced later in the semester.

Finally, I'm always open to different project proposals. If you have an idea for a project that is awesome and different to the options I've presented, please contact me with details and we'll sure find an alternative.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. If you do, you can post them here in the blog as comments. Even though you can also send me an email, I prefer you to comment because other students may have the same question. Questions can also be answered in class, of course.

Ok, enough for now. Please enjoy the rest of your week.

Raúl