Date of Award

5-2020

Document Type

Campus Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Linguistics, Applied

First Advisor

Kimberly Urbanski

Second Advisor

Jaran Shin

Third Advisor

Panayota Gounari

Abstract

The aim of this research project was to develop a computerized dynamic assessment program (Computerized Dynamic Assessment for Grammar, or CDAG) that approximated an interactionist approach to dynamic assessment and which could serve to help students develop their understanding of grammatical features in second language learning and also as a diagnosis and assessment tool. Within the scope of the project was an analysis to determine if the use of CDA aided in the development of students’ ability to conjugate Spanish verbs in the future tense in a Spanish-as-a-foreign-language classroom. Development was defined as microgenetic and macrogenetic growth. Microgenetic growth was determined by decreased reliance on prompts of students in the CDA group as the assessment progresses within each CDA session (test and posttest). Macrogenetic growth was evaluated by comparing score gains between sessions (pretest, test, posttest, and delayed posttest) as well as decreased reliance on prompts of the CDA group between each CDA session (test and posttest). The effectiveness of the CDA program in comparison to static assessment was evaluated by comparing control and CDA groups in terms of mediated and unmediated individual and group mean scores; responsiveness to mediation was quantified by calculating students’ learning potential score. Maintained gains were determined via delayed posttest. A teacher interview was conducted to investigate the usefulness of the program in terms of identifying specific problem areas to address in subsequent lessons. Students in the CDA group achieved greater macrogenetic growth than those in the control group. CDA was more effective than the static assessments as evidenced by the statistically significant higher scores obtained by the CDA group on the delayed posttest. Students in the CDA group exhibited a higher likelihood of future progress than the control group, indicated by their higher LPS scores. The program was deemed useful as a diagnosis and assessment tool.

Comments

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