Browsing by Author "Koh, Kim"
Now showing 1 - 20 of 20
Results Per Page
Sort Options
Item Open Access Assessment for Learning Knowledge, Skills, and Practices of Mathematics Teachers in Ethiopian Primary Schools(2022-06) Yeworiew, Lake Bedilu; Koh, Kim; Chua, Catherine; Field, JamesThe purpose of this research was to examine second cycle primary school mathematics teachers’ AfL knowledge, skills, and practices, as well as the contextual factors that facilitate and hinder their AfL practices in the Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia. A mixed methods research design, in which qualitative and quantitative data were collected concurrently, analyzed separately, and then combined and interpreted to produce different but complementary data on the same topic, was used. Pragmatism was used as a philosophical paradigm to guide this study and combine quantitative and qualitative data in the investigation. A total of 176 mathematics teachers were recruited using a multistage sampling technique from 53 schools spread across nine districts and three administrative zones. Quantitative data were collected from these teachers using questionnaires: the AfL knowledge and skills inventory (AfLKSi) and the AfL measurement inventory (AfLMi) to assess teachers’ overall AfL knowledge and skills, and their AfL practices, respectively. Furthermore, qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 18 teachers from 18 schools in nine districts, as well as classroom observations of eight teachers from eight schools in five districts. The quantitative data were analyzed using IBM SPSS V. 27.0, Mplus 8.6, and Microsoft Excel 2016. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics methods such as frequency counts, percentages, means, and standard deviations, as well as inferential statistics methods such as one-sample and independent-samples t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and confirmatory factor analysis. The qualitative data, on the other hand, were manually analyzed using a combination of descriptive and process coding and analysis methodologies. The quantitative and qualitative data analysis results were interpreted, combined, and discussed to gain a broader and deeper understanding of the problem than the quantitative or qualitative results alone could provide. The findings revealed that second cycle primary school mathematics teachers in the study area had working knowledge and skills in AfL but were still emerging in their AfL practices. This is understandable given the study’s findings of a wide range of factors preventing teachers from using AfL effectively. The findings have implications for both preservice teacher preparation and inservice teacher professional development programs.Item Open Access Building Teachers' Capacity in Authentic Assessment and Assessment for Learning(University of Calgary, 2015-06) Koh, Kim; Hadden, Judi; Parks, Colleen; Sanden, Lindsay; Monaghan, Leith; Gallant, Allan; LaFrance, Marjorie; Werklund School of EducationThis paper reports on an ongoing research project that aims to build teachers’ capacity in authentic assessment and assessment for learning. Using a critical inquiry approach, five Grade 6 teachers from a charter school are engaged in reflecting on their conceptions of assessment. They are also involved in authentic assessment task design during bi-weekly professional learning community meetings. The data sources include focus group, analysis of assessment tasks and associated student work samples, teacher and student interviews. The mathematics authentic assessment co-designed by the teachers and its implications on their conceptions of assessment and on student learning will be discussed.Item Open Access Clinical Simulation-Based Assessment in Respiratory Therapy Education(2017) West, Andrew; Parchoma, Gale; Koh, Kim; Kim, Beaumie; Sharma, NishanThe manuscripts that comprise this dissertation collectively investigate clinical simulation-based assessment in respiratory therapy education. Clinical simulation, characterized by debriefing that engages learners in self- and collaborative peer-assessment in addition to formative instructor assessment, is a well-established set of practices in respiratory therapy education. Contextual factors within the profession of respiratory therapy in Canada, in particular its regulatory environment, are prompting a move from using formative debriefing sessions that support learning in simulation, to employing high-stakes testing intended to assess entry-to-practice competencies. There exists a need for the profession to consider how environmental factors, including externally derived requirements, may ultimately impact the effectiveness of simulation-based learning environments. It is proposed that several important social elements of the clinical simulation-based learning environment, including trust, ontological security, and fidelity, may be at risk in the face of the evolving assessment practices in health professions education. As an at once undertheorized yet highly technologically enhanced and connected approach to learning, a shift towards socio-cultural perspectives on clinical simulation assessment, research, and practice is needed to better understand the social phenomena inherent in clinical simulation. This shift can benefit from the adoption of networked learning theory to encourage deeper understanding of the interrelationships that exist among sociomaterial dimensions of clinical simulation. The findings of a qualitative case study are presented, examining the experiences of respiratory therapy students in clinical simulation learning environments where comparable instructional designs are characterized by differences between two important assessment approaches used in the field: formative debriefing for learning and summative debriefing for high-stakes testing. The findings indicate that social aspects of participants’ experiences in clinical simulation are characterized by: their comfort levels, their senses of ontological security, and their degrees of immersion in the simulation. Each of these experiential dimensions were impacted in some manner by the assessment design, a phenomenon that was further modulated by individuals’ self-reflexive capacity. These phenomena appear to coalesce to impact learners’ perceptions of their own performance in the clinical simulation context, which was also related to the approach to assessment built into in the instructional design.Item Open Access Designing A Professional Development Program in English Language Assessments(2019-05-01) Abidi, Ali; Koh, Kim; Chapman, OliveThis interactive session discusses the development of a professional development program in which student teachers collaboratively reflect and design authentic language assessments (ALA). ALAs promote ELLs’ academic language by connecting classroom activities with engaging real-world activities essential for success in English classroom. Participants will engage in reviewing our newly-developed ALAs.Item Open Access Developing Preservice Teachers' Assessment Literacy: A Problem-Based Learning Approach(University of Calgary, 2014-05) Koh, Kim; Werklund School of EducationThe changes in the provincial achievement assessments reflect the government’s initiatives to provide every child with the opportunity to master core subject areas and contemporary competencies. The success of these initiatives requires Alberta teachers to be competent in using authentic assessment and assessment for learning (AfL) strategies. Assessment curriculum in preservice teacher education plays a pivotal role to prepare student teachers to become assessment literate. Using Lee Shulman’s signature pedagogies, this paper aims to discuss the rationale for and the benefits and challenges of adopting a Problem-based Learning (PBL) approach in an assessment course taught at the University of Calgary.Item Open Access Enhancing Undergraduate Student Uptake of Feedback Across Disciplines: Instructor and Student Perspectives(2021-12) Paris, Britney Michele; Koh, Kim; Jacobsen, Michele; Roy, SylvieThis dissertation is comprised of three manuscripts that investigate effective feedback processes in higher education. Each manuscript explores a different research question using a design-based research methodology through the lens of a social constructivist framework. The research questions are: 1) What barriers do instructors experience in providing effective feedback? 2) What barriers do undergraduate students experience when attempting to use feedback effectively to improve their written work? 3) Which feedback processes enable learners to use feedback to improve the quality of their written work? and 4) How do instructors design effective feedback processes? Five instructors were engaged from four different disciplines at a large, research-intensive university in a series of focus groups during the Winter 2020 semester. Students were recruited from one of each of the instructors’ courses to participate in a pre-survey at the beginning of the semester reflecting on their experiences with feedback in the previous semester, a post-survey at the end of the semester reflecting on their experiences with feedback in the Winter 2020 semester, and three focus groups throughout the semester. The goal of this research was to develop set of design principles to inform the planning and implementation of effective feedback processes. These principles are based on a conceptual framework in which both students and instructors are active participants and suggests that effective feedback processes must be built upon high quality feedback, must consider contextual constraints on resources, and include an active student role as part of the process. These principles are an important contribution to the field of feedback literacy as they both build upon and simplify previous attempts at principles and models for instructors to implement.Item Embargo Evaluating the Quality of ELA Performance Assessments for Developing Students’ Academic Language Proficiency(2024-04-11) Abidi, Ali Ahmad; Koh, Kim; Chapman, Olive; Chu, Man-WaiAccording to Wiggins (1989), authentic assessment can help foster students’ deep understanding, higher-order thinking, and complex problem solving through the performance of exemplary tasks. In academic language, authentic assessment consisting of rich and open-ended tasks is deemed to provide students with the opportunity to apply their language skills in real-world contexts. In the context of English language teaching and learning, it is important to ensure that performance assessments replicate the real-world challenges and performance standards as outlined in the intended curriculum to promote students’ learning and mastery of academic language. The authenticity of performance assessments can be determined by well-established criteria. This quantitative study investigated the quality of English Language Arts (ELA) performance assessments, assembled by an external assessment agency to develop elementary (Grades 1–6) students’ academic language proficiency (ALP) with a particular focus on: the authentic intellectual quality of the performance assessments and the alignment between the performance assessments and the learning outcomes as stipulated in the ELA programs of study (i.e., the ELA curriculum). My quantitative analyses included descriptive statistics of 27 ELA performance assessments assembled by an external assessment agency in the Canadian province. The quality of the performance assessments was analyzed using the Koh Authentic Intellectual Quality (AIQ) criteria (2011a). The criteria provided a basis to determine the authenticity and intellectual demands of the ELA performance assessments for engaging student learning and development of ALP. Results indicated that although there was a close alignment between the performance assessments and the intended curriculum in most grade levels, the AIQ of all performance assessments was low. These findings underscore the importance of designing high quality ELA performance assessments for elementary ELA students. High quality performance assessments should place greater emphasis on the intellectual or cognitive demands of the tasks in addition to the authenticity of the tasks. Recommendations are offered on future lines of research that would pave way for a better understanding of the design and use of ELA performance assessments that promote elementary school students’ ALP.Item Open Access Evaluation of Best Practice Guidelines Implementation in an Undergraduate Nursing Curriculum(2024-11-28) Zohra, Hasnani-Samnani; Koh, Kim; Lock, Jennifer; Spring, ErinThis mixed methods study sought to understand the implementation of Registered Nurses Association of Ontario’s (RNAO) Best Practice Guidelines (BPGs) in the undergraduate nursing program in the State of Qatar. The RNAO has disseminated over 50 BPGs on clinical topics and on healthy work environment topics (Melnyk, 2015). All BPGs whether clinical or related to a healthy work environment, are developed to improve patient care and provide easy access to evidence-based research to students, instructors, and practicing nurses (Edwards et al., 2005). For this research, Yrjö Engeström’s (1987) Cultural Historic Activity Theory (CHAT) was selected due to its explanation of the interactions among various participants and factors within the activity system (or environment) towards the achievement of a common goal (Greig et al., 2012). The implementation and evaluation of the RNAO BPGs in the undergraduate nursing program in Qatar required an understanding of interactions and relationships among the various participants. CHAT enabled the researcher to examine these complex relationships. The participants’ experiences with the teaching and learning of RNAO BPGs were explored using a mixed methods approach. Quantitative methods included questionnaires, while qualitative methods consisted of interviews and document analyses. Both methods enabled the triangulation of the findings to gain an in-depth understanding of the RNAO BPGs implementation process. The findings showed that the integration of RNAO BPGs into the undergraduate nursing program successfully strengthened the curriculum through the intentional incorporation of evidence-based guidelines, though there were areas for improvement. Students and instructors were aware of the BPGs but needed more education to incorporate them efficiently and effectively. Moreover, the use of BPGs in courses as evidence-based tools was evident but lacked depth. The guidelines were perceived as lengthy, somewhat outdated, and not inclusive of all topics. However, there was also a lack of awareness among students and instructors regarding the status of updates to the guidelines. There was a perception of bias, with a focus on RNAO guidelines over other evidence-based guidelines and resources. Additionally, there were reports of actual and perceived cultural barriers due to the Western-based examples in some of the guidelines. On the other hand, the review of the guidelines revealed that it was explicitly mentioned to “use the guidelines if culturally appropriate”. The statements by students and some of the experiences shared by the instructors about cultural appropriateness could be interpreted as a sense of being “othered” and the need for the guidelines to be “read” as culturally appropriate. Due to time constraints, an evaluation of the impact of the BPGs on students’ application of guidelines in clinical practice could not be conducted. It is proposed to include an evidence- based practice (EBP) course and a scaffolded approach to integrate EBP teaching, learning, and assessment strategies. This approach is recommended to improve the integration, monitoring, and application of EBP in clinical practice courses using outcome indicators. While the findings are limited to students who participated in the research study, the recommendations will help the participating academic institution refine its strategies as it continues to monitor the implementation process. The findings may also benefit other academic institutions aiming to incorporate RNAO BPGs into their nursing curricula.Item Open Access Exploring the Role of a Learner-Centered Assessment Approach in Developing Undergraduate Business Students’ Entrepreneurial Knowledge, Skills, and Mindset(2022-01) Khan, Sharaz; Koh, Kim; Chu, Man-Wai; Lock, Jennifer; Simmons, Marlon; Kelly, Robert; Li, QingUnlike the traditional teacher/instructor-centered approach, Learner-Centered Assessment (LCA) promotes students’ active learning that occurs according to the needs of the 21st-century society. The process of creating LCA is not a ready-made solution, making it possible to develop a unique, inclusive model that could be implemented with the same success in different education settings. Research has shown that LCA makes student learning more meaningful by being applied through discovery, creative, and inductive approaches. It enables independent work of learners to be more apparent and better represented and focused on individualization and individual gains. Using LCA, students in undergraduate business programs are expected to develop the following entrepreneurial skills: dynamic strategies, research, creativity, and an entrepreneurial mindset (e.g., the ability to recognize an entrepreneurial culture and effectively manage a team). The characteristics of LCA have been recognized to go above the definition and conceptual delimitation of standardized testing and rote learning. Using LCA, a balanced approach to teaching and learning the necessary 21st-century entrepreneurial skills and recognizing the responsibility of being the mediator of the LCA approach can be manifested through innovative instructional strategies involving the use of technology. In my study of the role of LCA in the development of undergraduate students’ entrepreneurship through the redesign of learning tasks in a course, the mixed methods research design guided my data collection using pre- and post-LCA questionnaires, one-on-on interviews, and observations. The data enabled me to answer research questions pertaining to undergraduate business students’ perceptions of the value of LCA on developing their entrepreneurial knowledge, skills, and mindset, as well as their learning experiences of LCA in the course and the affordances and challenges of incorporating the use of technology into LCA.Item Embargo Phonological Vocabulary Size and Depth in Chinese Listening Comprehension(2024-04-23) Li, Qiuchen; Cai, Wei; Dressler, Roswita; O'Brien, Mary; Koh, Kim; Zhang, JieNumerous studies have examined the relationship among orthographic (written) vocabulary size, depth and listening comprehension. However, there is a notable gap in research regarding how phonological (aural) vocabulary size and depth are related to listening comprehension and how this relationship changes over time. This gap in research may be due to the lack of valid and reliable tests for measuring phonological vocabulary size and depth. To address this, two vocabulary tests were developed to measure phonological vocabulary size and depth and investigate their correlation with listening comprehension. The study further explored developmental trajectories of phonological vocabulary size and depth and their dynamic correlations with listening comprehension over a semester. Sixty-three Chinese learners at beginning, intermediate and advanced proficiency levels participated in the cross-sectional phase of the formal study. Participants completed the listening part of a Chinese proficiency test and two vocabulary tests specifically designed for the study and validated based on the Rasch model. Moreover, in the longitudinal phase of the formal study, nine additional participants finished these three tests and a subsequent interview four times during the semester. The results showed that there were significant positive correlations among phonological vocabulary size, depth and listening comprehension. However, it was observed that only vocabulary depth significantly contributed to listening comprehension accuracy. The study identified more varied patterns in the developmental trajectories of phonological vocabulary size compared with depth, including continuous decline, progress and off-and-on progress. The dynamic correlations between them and listening comprehension also revealed diverse patterns, including connected and competitive growers, and competition-support as well as support-competition shift. These patterns indicate the changing distribution of internal and external resources, such as time spent on learning Chinese, motivation, and interaction with teachers in class. The study not only provides two valid and reliable instruments for measuring Chinese learners’ phonological vocabulary size and depth but also enriches theoretical understanding of their roles in listening processes. Additionally, it sheds light on the developmental trajectories of phonological vocabulary size and depth, revealing not only progress but also attrition, and the evolving nature of their relationships with listening comprehension.Item Open Access Problem-based learning: Mathematical knowledge, assessment and competencies(2018-05) Koh, Kim; Chapman, Olive; Abidi, Ali; Zulay, DiazIn this session, the presenters will discuss and demonstrate how problem-based learning, an innovative learner-centered pedagogical approach, can be used to maximize authentic learning opportunities for undergraduate students to develop disciplinary knowledge (e.g., mathematical knowledge) and competencies.Item Open Access The role of authentic assessment tasks in problem-based learning(2018-05) Koh, Kim; Delanoy, Nadia; Thomas, Christy; Bene, Rose; Hone, Gabrielle; Chapman, Olive; Abidi, Ali; Diaz, ZulayA group of instructors will share their perspectives on using authentic assessment tasks to engage students in assessment for and as learning in a problem-based learning (PBL) oriented course. Discipline-specific dialogues on PBL and authentic assessment will take place at the end.Item Open Access Student Engagement in Online English Language Courses for Vocational Education in Colombia(2023-01) Diaz Caceres, Zulay; Koh, Kim; Lock, Jennifer; Spencer, Brenda; Simmons, Marlon; Watt, BonnieThe purpose of this study was to examine student engagement in online English language courses in a vocational education institution (i.e., National Service of Learning, SENA) in Colombia to understand the extent to which the current curriculum and assessment and instructor teaching presence and pedagogical strategies contribute to student engagement in learning. In addition, it aimed to identify the factors beyond the curriculum, assessment, and pedagogy employed in the institution’s online English courses, which might have facilitated or hindered student engagement. Using an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, the SENA online English language curriculum and assessment tasks were analyzed. In addition, online surveys were administered to students enrolled in the online English language courses and their instructors. The online survey data were also supplemented with one-on-one, in-depth student and instructor interviews. The design features of the SENA English language curriculum were found to be limited in terms of the provision of opportunities for students to collaborate and engage in active learning. Student and instructor participants’ self-reported data indicated a high level of instructor teaching presence in online English language courses. However, student participants held less favorable perceptions of instructors’ use of the following strategies: Promoting Active Learning and for strategies of Collaboration and Interactivity. The interview data highlighted the need for giving more agency to the instructors even at the stage of course design and for finding effective ways to engage students in collaboration. Instructors may also need continuing professional development in the design and facilitation of online learning activities and authentic English language assessments. Both student and instructor participants reported that the top three contributing factors of student engagement in online English language courses were: students’ self-discipline, students’ attitude toward the English language, and students’ study habits. As a result of the study, recommendations were proposed for SENA to improve the quality of the English language curriculum and assessment for instructors and students. In sum, the study findings shed light on future directions of the SENA online English language courses and may inform policy makers who are interested in developing or adapting online English language programs for their citizens, especially for those who are in trades.Item Open Access Teacher Leader Perspectives of Implementing a High School Redesign Model(2021-06-30) Shirley, Jessie Lynn; Chapman, Olive; Koh, Kim; Kowch, Eugene; Mombourquette, Carmen; Potvin, BernardTeachers’ involvement in the implementation of school reforms could vary widely and this impacts the extent to which they embrace change in their practice; the extent to which they take on leadership roles; and the extent to which the change is understood. This single case study investigated lead teachers’ perspectives of the Alberta High School Redesign Model [AHSRM], their process of implementing the AHSRM and the impact of the AHSRM on their teaching and professional thinking. The participants were eight teachers from a single high school in Alberta. As lead teachers, they had full responsibility for interpreting and implementing the AHSRM in their school. Data sources included individual and focus-group interviews, as well as classroom observations. Findings revealed that teachers were able to interpret most of the foundational principles, the purpose of the AHSRM, and the importance of the AHSRM, which supported the implementation process of the redesigned pedagogical structure in their school. Their level of success in the implementation depended not only on the AHSRM foundational principles, but also on the pod structure and their teamwork. The implementation process enabled them to make significant changes to their teaching that included creative instruction and assessment practices, as well as other approaches that provided a more positive educational experience for both students and teachers. Overall conclusions find that although high school reform is a complex and demanding undertaking, the AHSRM can provide a basis for teachers to make important, meaningful changes to their practice and professional thinking. In addition, when the redesign focus is on pedagogical structure, teachers are key to the implementation process. Finally, the pod structure is an important and potentially effective way to implement a high school redesign model. This study has implications for school administrators, teachers, and researchers who are involved in, or considering teachers’ participation in implementing the AHRSM or similar redesign models. Key Terms: Alberta high school redesign model, pedagogical structure, student-centred learning, lead teacher, self-directed learningItem Open Access The Effectiveness of a Learning Community in Bringing About Changes to Instructional Practices in the Area of Assessment for Learning(2016) Cameron, Derrick; Friesen, Sharon; Jacobsen, Michele; Scott, Shelleyann; Koh, Kim; Steeves, LarryProfessional learning communities and assessment for learning have been proven to have significant impact on student learning. However, what still remains unclear is why these practices are not resulting in improved student learning the way research has indicated. The intent of this descriptive case study was to determine what schools and school divisions were doing to aide teachers in embracing these two practices. This study examined the following question, In what ways does a professional learning community support and enable teachers to implement assessment for learning within their daily practice?, within the context of the two sites that were being studied. Four educators from two different schools in the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan took part in the research. From this study seven findings were revealed. The findings include: • time was not provided to collaboratively discuss student learning; • discussions about students focused on student behavior as opposed to student learning and teacher actions; • support and follow through was minimal at best; • participants could not identify the essential work of a PLC or key elements of assessment for learning. The research utilized triangulation of data through participant observations, in-depth interviews and physical artefacts. The following conclusions were attained using a Findings, Interpretations and Conclusions Matrix: • teachers were not able to change their philosophical beliefs because the PLC framework was not present; • collaborative time must be protected like instructional time; • teachers must be held accountable for their discussions and actions around student learning; • participants were not utilizing observations, conversations and products to gain a more accurate account of student learning; and • leadership is critical if the PLC framework and assessment for learning is to have any impact on teacher practices.Item Open Access The Impact of Principal Leadership and Teacher Formative Assessment Practices on Student Intellectual Engagement(2016-01-27) Rice, James; Friesen, Sharon; Spencer, Brenda; Koh, KimThe purpose of this design-based research study was to explore with a few principals the impact that focused student-centered principal leadership would have on working with teachers that would employ particular formative assessment practices that could more deeply engage students intellectually in their school work. The rationale for this study originated from my desire to see more students intellectually engaged in their school work than presently. It was my assumption that student intellectual engagement could be strategically improved by leveraging the combined impact of principal leadership and teacher formative assessment practices. The purposeful sample included four principals from schools with varying grade configurations from the same district. The primary data collection was from two in-depth interviews of the principals. Secondary data sources were from teacher and student self-report surveys. The interview data were transcribed, shared with principal participants to determine accuracy, coded, organized by themes and questions, compared again to the original transcript, and then linked to the conceptual framework to arrive at the findings. The study has shown that student-centered principal leadership is at the heart of building principal capacity. Principal leadership was found to have positive effects on teacher formative assessment practices. Student intellectual engagement measures revealed a negative relationship in intellectual engagement perhaps due to the timing of the student data collection, or student push-back resulting from changes in teacher classroom practice, or established teacher competency. Recommendations are offered for principal leadership development, teacher formative assessment practices, and student intellectual engagement.Item Open Access The Influence of Co-teaching on Marginalized Elementary Students’ Mathematics Performance(2024-01-12) Papoff, L R Ruth; Koh, Kim; Friesen, Sharon L.; Brown, BarbaraThis single case study explores the influence of co-teaching on marginalized elementary student performance in mathematics. Marginalized communities historically perform poorly on standardized tests. There is a need for an intervention model that responds to the diverse needs of marginalized populated classrooms. Co-teaching is a model of teaching that supports a greater ability to personalize learning and support complex diverse classrooms. Whilst co-teaching has been shown to be effective, there is little research on how co-teaching influences students’ learning. When assessing students, authentic assessment has been shown to support the learning and sensemaking process for learners, as opposed to a standardized test. Thus, it is important that this study integrated understanding student success within a co-taught classroom by incorporating authentic assessment compared to a standardized test. The study explored the instructional processes that linked co-teaching to students’ mathematics performance using qualitative and quantitative data. To gain an in-depth understanding of the complex dynamics of a co-taught classroom, the Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) was utilized to guide data analyses. The CHAT framework encapsulates a sociocultural constructivist understanding which corresponds to the diverse marginalized population within the co-taught classroom. The analysis established from these methods offered a comprehensive insight of co-teaching mathematics processes that directly influenced students’ mathematics learning and performance. The findings from this exploratory case study highlight three major themes. The first thematic finding was that co-teaching allowed for flexible group work to personalize learning. The second thematic finding was that time and space were shared between co-teaching and assessment, allowing for more formative assessment that was in real-time and ongoing. This led to the co-teachers’ perceived professional learning in assessment practices. The final thematic finding was that although there were low expectations from the co-teachers, student participants achieved a higher level of mathematics performance. The higher level of mathematics performance amongst marginalized students compared to the low expectations of their teachers may attribute to the co-taught environment that enabled flexible group work and formative assessment.Item Open Access Undergraduate Medical Students’ Collaboration in a Mobile Technology-Enhanced Problem-Based Learning Course: A Case Study(2022-12-07) El Shennawy, Nehal; Koh, Kim; Chapman PreciadoBabb Dyjur Zhang, Olive ArmandoPaulino Batti BaoHuiAbstract This case study research examined the influence of using mobile devices on undergraduate medical students’ collaborative learning experiences and collaboration in a problem-based learning (PBL) medical course. PBL is a student-centered collaborative pedagogy, originated in the medical field and has long been adopted by many medical schools all over the world. Collaboration is a core skill intended by PBL pedagogy and is highly acclaimed in today’s educational and professional arena as a necessary skill for graduate students in general and it is one of the essential competencies for future physicians in particular. In the medical field, collaboration or teamwork is deemed an essential professional competence for future physicians (Janssen et al., 2020). Mobile technology has advanced in quantity and quality; its rapid progress has changed users’ behaviors and expectations, reshaping industries, businesses, and education. Similarly, educational technology is growing in use, diversity, and prevalence, recognizing potential requirements of 21st century learners. Using a qualitative case study methodology, I addressed the gap that previous studies have overlooked, particularly within my research context—that is, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), a country in the Middle East region—through the perspective of student participants. Based on the limited understanding of the issue, this study explored the following case: in a private medical institution, in KSA, PBL was chosen for first-year medical students so they could develop the skills intended by the pedagogy, such as critical thinking, problem solving and collaboration—as a focus in this study. Shortly after, mobile technology was integrated into PBL sessions as it grew into being a popular tool that most institutions in the region, as well as our affiliated European medical institute, decided to adopt into all medical courses. Since the institution/college has decided to adopt PBL, a collaborative learning pedagogy emphasizing students’ collaboration in class, there is a need to explore the influence of any technology integration on this particular learning outcome. Drawing on the demographic survey and one-on-one interviews of an important group of stakeholders, that is, undergraduate medical students, this qualitative case study was conducted to explore their perspectives on how the integration of mobile devices into the PBL medical course influenced their learning experiences and collaboration within PBL sessions in class. The findings from this research revealed that without proper planning and evaluation, an abrupt introduction of mobile devices into the undergraduate medical students’ PBL environment disrupted both their learning experiences and their development of skills for collaboration—an important foundation and outcome in PBL pedagogy, as well as an essential professional competence for future physicians. Other affordances and challenges of using mobile devices in the mobile technology-enhanced PBL environment were also investigated and reported in the dissertation. Keywords: collaborative learning experiences, collaboration, mobile technology-enhanced problem-based learning, mobile devices, medical course, undergraduate students, Middle East, affordances, challengesItem Open Access The Use of Blogs and Face-to-Face Interactions to Develop Intercultural Competence(University of Calgary, 2015-06) Amery, Erica; Koh, Kim; Werklund School of EducationIn today’s global world, the acquisition of intercultural competence (ICC) is essential for effective communication and interaction. Study Abroad Programs provides students the opportunity to immerse themselves in a new culture, learn a new language and increase ICC; however, ICC attributes are necessarily acquired through formal education. This paper is an in-depth literature review and analysis of empirical studies that looks at face-to-face (FtF) interactions and blogs to foster ICC in second language adult learners who are enrolled in study abroad programs.Item Open Access Vocabulary Use in Academic-Track High-School English Literature Diploma Exam Essay Writing and its Relationship to Academic Achievement(2017) Pinchbeck, Geoffrey George; Ricento, Thomas; Koh, Kim; Naqvi, Rahat; O'Brien, Mary G.; Harklau, LindaThis dissertation will examine the relationship between written vocabulary use and academic achievement in academic-track Canadian high-school students. With a shift away from labour based sectors and rapid demographic shifts in large urban centres, there has been a call for academic language to be further operationalized and be given a more prominent role in mainstream public educational planning across the curricula in Canada and the U.S. Although this call for research was inspired initially from studies on language-minority children, it is clear that the register of academic English is difficult for all students: monolingual English speakers, bilinguals, and multilinguals alike. A >1,000,000-word corpus and associated student data (n=1508) from a representative sample of government-administered academic-track grade 12 English Language Arts (ELA) final exam essays were used to examine the relationships between lexical sophistication (LS) and several indices of diversity (LD: MTLD, HD-D, Maas, tokens, types, families) with three types of academic achievement: 1) Essay Score, 2) ELA and Social Studies mean score, and 3) Math Score. Academic achievement was regressed on 1) LS, 2) LD, and 3) ESL funding history status. LS explained 30% of both ELA-Social Studies Score and Essay Score, whereas LD indices were associated with Essay Score only. Early-arriving immigrant ESL status was not a significant factor in any model. Mid-frequency word families were significantly more frequent in a high-achieving student sub-corpus as compared to a sub-corpus of low-achieving students. High-achieving student writing was also significantly more similar to academic written register corpora than spoken register corpora as compared to that of low-achieving students. I present how this research might be used to further operationalize academic language, to develop tools to monitor English academic literacy development for diagnostic purposes, and to inform a strategic mastery learning K-12 academic language pedagogy that includes lexical syllabus design for content classes.