Online tests and outcomes assessments in Russian (and Slavic)

[Richard Robin]

PLACEMENT. At the George Washington University, we place about 30 students
each summer into courses. We have a two-stage procedure.

Stage 1. Our university's placement page directs the student to contact us
by e-mail. We then arrange for a phone OPI with each student. In about half
the cases, just from a 5-minute OPI, we say "first year," and that's that.
(it's usually when they answer Хорошо, спасибо to the question Как ваша
фамилия?)

Stage 2. For the remainder who might place into something other than
first-year, first day, we send them to our online Quia-based test: 60
multiple choice items. We tell them up front that the test is for placement
purposes only (not waivers). So if they decide to have their friend Kirill
take the test for them, or if they do the test open-book, they'll just place
themselves into a class which they will promptly fail. So far after three
years of testing, everyone has been reasonably honest - perhaps because of
the initial OPI.

About half of the 15 or so remaining students are heritage speakers. Of
those seven we need the online test only for 3-4 because the other heritage
spweakers say readily that they can't read or write. The online test just
shows us whether they are grammatically/lexically aware. Those who are are
advised to take lit in Russian (or in some cases the second half of Russian
for Russians).

That leaves about 6-8 "Americans." The online test always allows us to place
borderline students. We usually follow up the online test with an e-mail or
a phone call to advise the student of our recommendation.

OUTCOMES. We're maniacal about this, at least in terms of oral
proficiency All students in Russian language courses at GW are mini-OPI'd
about every 10-12 class days in the first four semesters of Russian. There
is a "real" (albeit not official) OPI at the end of every semester up
through graduation after 4th year. Certain benchmarks are required at the
end of each semester after semester no. 3. Students who want to take Russian
but who just can't meet the oral proficiency benchmarks can continue to take
the language - in the reading track (the reading equivalent of 3d year is
Readings in the Russian Press). But even there, students must satisfy
reading proficiency requirements (~ ACTFL Advanced).

We audio record every end-of-semester test and enter every score into a
database. I should add, however, no GW testers are currently certified,
although all of us are ACTFL trained.

We also follow up on every student we can to see if they continue to use
Russian professionally.

-Rich Robin




On Feb 19, 2008 4:36 PM, Svetlana Grenier <greniers at georgetown.edu> wrote:

> Dear Colleagues,
>
> Some departments at my institution (Georgetown) have switched to online
> placement tests in their (commonly taught) languages.  I was wondering
> if any of your schools have used such tests for Russia and if so, what
> your experience with them has been.
> And, of course, "outcomes assessment" is all the rage these days.  Do
> you use any kind of exit exams or portfolios in your Russian programs?
> Many thanks in advance!
>
> Svetlana
> --
>
> Svetlana S. Grenier
>
> Associate Professor
> Department of Slavic Languages
> Box 571050
> Georgetown University
> Washington, DC 20057-1050
> 202-687-6108
> greniers at georgetown.edu
>
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-- 
Richard M. Robin, Ph.D.
Director Russian Language Program
Technical Advisor, GW Language Сenter
The George Washington University
Washington, DC 20008
202-994-7081
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Russkiy tekst v UTF-8