Nahla Nola Bacha

Writing evaluation: what can analytic versus holistic essay scoring tell us?

Two important issues in essay evaluation are choice ofan appropriate rating scale and setting up criteria based on the purpose ofthe evaluation. Research has shown that reliable and valid information gained from both analytic and holistic scoring instruments can tell teachers much about their students’ proficiency levels. However, it is claimed that the purpose ofthe essay task, whether for diagnosis, development or promotion, is significant in deciding which scale is chosen. Revisiting the value ofthese scales is necessary f teachers to continue to be aware oftheir relevance. This article reports a study carried out on a sample offinal exam essays written by L1 Arabic non-native students ofEnglish attending the Freshman English I course in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) program at the Lebanese American University. Specifically, it aims to find out what analytic and holistic scoring using one evaluation instrument, the English as a Second Language (ESL) Composition Profile (Jacobs et al., 1981. Testing ESL Composition: A Practical Approach. Newbury House, Rowley, MA), can tell teachers about their students’ essay proficiency on which to base promotional decisions. Findings indicate that the EFL program would benefit from more analytic measures. # 2001 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

CALL in Lebanese elementary ESL writing classrooms

This article discusses the effectiveness of using computer assisted language learning (CALL) in motivating fourth-grade English as a second language (ESL) students to develop better writing skills. It also seeks to explore the perceptions of ESL teachers and students regarding the use of CALL in the ESL classroom. The study involved 48 fourth graders and their four teachers. Data were gathered during a three-month period using questionnaires, interviews, and observations. Findings revealed that teachers as well as students shared similar perceptions toward the use of CALL in the writing classroom and identified the same motivational factors that would encourage students to produce well-developed written work. Additional work on the productive integration of computer technology in the writing classroom and its effects on motivating students to produce work of high quality is recommended.

Researching cultures of learning

Lebanon is a mosaic of cultures and thus a mosaic of different ways of living intertwined with political, ethnic, religious diversity and social subcultures which affect the learning and teaching situation. Most Lebanese students are first language (L1) speakers of Arabic, but a large proportion have been educated in the country’s French-medium or English-medium secondary schools and thus have considerable bilingual or multilingual experience. Additionally, many students are from Lebanese families which have lived abroad for extended periods, giving them wider knowledge of other languages and cultures. Arguably, Lebanon is thus distinctive in the region for its multicultural, or internationalized, population. An additional subculture of vital importance, recently studied in many parts of the world, is the academic culture of learning in higher education, which has been found to influence students’ learning and subsequent achievement levels. As English increasingly becomes the language of choice for students as a medium in which to pursue higher education, many learners from different cultures of learning find it difficult to adapt to institutions that follow the North American model. This study concerns students in an American university in Lebanon. It analyses data from over 150 university students plus comments given by 20 students in focus groups. The research surveys L1 Arabic university students’ cultures of learning, specifically regarding their learning of writing conventions for academic purposes, of test-taking behaviour, and interpersonal relationships.

Code-Switching in Higher Education in a Multilingual Environment: A Lebanese Exploratory Study.

Research has shown that code-switching (CS) between languages in spoken discourse is prevalent in multilingual contexts and is used for many purposes. More recently, it has become the subject of much concern in academic contexts in negatively affecting students’ language use and learning. However, while the concern has been increasing, no rigorous studies have been done in L1 Arabic academic contexts. In this paper, the researchers explore university faculty and students’ views on CS in higher education classes in an American-style institution in Lebanon. Data were collected through unstructured interviews, non-participant observations and questionnaires. Main findings show that faculties are unaware that they code-switch contrary to what non-participant observations showed. The surveys revealed that students code-switch to learn better and that their faculty code-switch in class. Recommendations to raise awareness of this phenomenon in bi/multilingual academic contexts are made.

High schoolers’ views on academic integrity

The issue of academic integrity in cheating on exams and plagiarising in writing is not a new one. All schools need to address this problem and some more than others. In the L2 context, the issues become more complex as non‐native students need to adhere to the ‘culture of learning’ of a Western model of academic integrity if they are to be accepted and succeed in higher education Western communities. Unfortunately, no research has been carried out in the Lebanese contexts as to the scope of the problem and how these issues are being dealt with at the pre‐university level. This exploratory study surveys 3986 high school students attending Grades 10–12 on their views of the extent of student cheating and plagiarism. It also examines any significant differences among the student grade levels. Recommendations are made for activities to raise students’ awareness of academic integrity according to Western practices and for future needed research.

Perceptions on the effectiveness of active learning strategies

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine students’ and instructors’ perceptions regarding the effectiveness of implementing active learning strategies in higher education courses conducted at a tertiary institution in Lebanon. Design/methodology/approach – Pre-service education students completed a questionnaire, professors were interviewed, and class sessions were observed. Findings – Main findings indicate that the majority of the learners as well as the instructors favoured active learning and are strong proponents of putting into effect this approach in all their courses. These findings indicate the positive perceptions towards active learning strategies and the possible impact that these perceptions have on students’ performance and learning. Research limitations/implications – Three major limitations have influenced the efficiency of this study. The number of participants is rather small. Only 37 education students were involved in this study. Furthermore, an additional limitation is that...