Comparison of Item Difficulty Analyses of Exams Used in Teaching Turkish as a Foreign Language with Instructors’ Perceptions of Item Difficulty

In numerous studies focusing on assessment and evaluation of teaching Turkish as a foreign language, researchers have frequently identified issues related to the standardization and low validity and reliability of exams. Addressing these issues and investigating the underlying causes is paramount. G...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Seçil Alaca, Funda Keskin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sakarya University 2024-12-01
Series:Sakarya University Journal of Education
Subjects:
Online Access:https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/3772138
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1841556398415020032
author Seçil Alaca
Funda Keskin
author_facet Seçil Alaca
Funda Keskin
author_sort Seçil Alaca
collection DOAJ
description In numerous studies focusing on assessment and evaluation of teaching Turkish as a foreign language, researchers have frequently identified issues related to the standardization and low validity and reliability of exams. Addressing these issues and investigating the underlying causes is paramount. Given the development of assessment tools by Turkish language teaching centers are typically the responsibility of instructors, it is essential to understand their perspectives regarding these tools. This study aimed to evaluate the perceptions of instructors concerning item difficulty in the context of teaching Turkish as a foreign language. Initially, item analyses were conducted on reading tests included in assessment tools designed by a Turkish language teaching center for B1, B2, and C1 proficiency levels. Instructors from various Turkish language teaching centers were asked to evaluate item difficulty through a prepared questionnaire. Data regarding instructors educational backgrounds, experiences, and involvement in exam creation were collected. Various analytical methods were employed to examine and interpret the obtained data. Item analysis results of examined tests were compared with instructors' perceptions of difficulty using fit analysis. Accuracy of instructors' item difficulty estimates was calculated for each instructor using Error Matrix, and success rates determined. To identify the effects of instructors' characteristics on item difficulty estimation, t-test and ANOVA analyses were performed. These analyses results were interpreted alongside item analyses, and recommendations provided to enhance the assessment and evaluation literacy of instructors teaching Turkish as a foreign language.
format Article
id doaj-art-07ab9761dc6143e584a2c43de64f7ee4
institution Kabale University
issn 2146-7455
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Sakarya University
record_format Article
series Sakarya University Journal of Education
spelling doaj-art-07ab9761dc6143e584a2c43de64f7ee42025-01-07T08:59:44ZengSakarya UniversitySakarya University Journal of Education2146-74552024-12-0114347349510.19126/suje.144702828Comparison of Item Difficulty Analyses of Exams Used in Teaching Turkish as a Foreign Language with Instructors’ Perceptions of Item DifficultySeçil Alaca0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8731-4197Funda Keskin1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2824-7075İSTANBUL ÜNİVERSİTESİ, DİL MERKEZİSAKARYA ÜNİVERSİTESİ, EĞİTİM BİLİMLERİ ENSTİTÜSÜIn numerous studies focusing on assessment and evaluation of teaching Turkish as a foreign language, researchers have frequently identified issues related to the standardization and low validity and reliability of exams. Addressing these issues and investigating the underlying causes is paramount. Given the development of assessment tools by Turkish language teaching centers are typically the responsibility of instructors, it is essential to understand their perspectives regarding these tools. This study aimed to evaluate the perceptions of instructors concerning item difficulty in the context of teaching Turkish as a foreign language. Initially, item analyses were conducted on reading tests included in assessment tools designed by a Turkish language teaching center for B1, B2, and C1 proficiency levels. Instructors from various Turkish language teaching centers were asked to evaluate item difficulty through a prepared questionnaire. Data regarding instructors educational backgrounds, experiences, and involvement in exam creation were collected. Various analytical methods were employed to examine and interpret the obtained data. Item analysis results of examined tests were compared with instructors' perceptions of difficulty using fit analysis. Accuracy of instructors' item difficulty estimates was calculated for each instructor using Error Matrix, and success rates determined. To identify the effects of instructors' characteristics on item difficulty estimation, t-test and ANOVA analyses were performed. These analyses results were interpreted alongside item analyses, and recommendations provided to enhance the assessment and evaluation literacy of instructors teaching Turkish as a foreign language.https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/3772138turkish as a foreign languageitem analysisitem diffuculty perceptionassesment in teaching turkish as a foreign language
spellingShingle Seçil Alaca
Funda Keskin
Comparison of Item Difficulty Analyses of Exams Used in Teaching Turkish as a Foreign Language with Instructors’ Perceptions of Item Difficulty
Sakarya University Journal of Education
turkish as a foreign language
item analysis
item diffuculty perception
assesment in teaching turkish as a foreign language
title Comparison of Item Difficulty Analyses of Exams Used in Teaching Turkish as a Foreign Language with Instructors’ Perceptions of Item Difficulty
title_full Comparison of Item Difficulty Analyses of Exams Used in Teaching Turkish as a Foreign Language with Instructors’ Perceptions of Item Difficulty
title_fullStr Comparison of Item Difficulty Analyses of Exams Used in Teaching Turkish as a Foreign Language with Instructors’ Perceptions of Item Difficulty
title_full_unstemmed Comparison of Item Difficulty Analyses of Exams Used in Teaching Turkish as a Foreign Language with Instructors’ Perceptions of Item Difficulty
title_short Comparison of Item Difficulty Analyses of Exams Used in Teaching Turkish as a Foreign Language with Instructors’ Perceptions of Item Difficulty
title_sort comparison of item difficulty analyses of exams used in teaching turkish as a foreign language with instructors perceptions of item difficulty
topic turkish as a foreign language
item analysis
item diffuculty perception
assesment in teaching turkish as a foreign language
url https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/3772138
work_keys_str_mv AT secilalaca comparisonofitemdifficultyanalysesofexamsusedinteachingturkishasaforeignlanguagewithinstructorsperceptionsofitemdifficulty
AT fundakeskin comparisonofitemdifficultyanalysesofexamsusedinteachingturkishasaforeignlanguagewithinstructorsperceptionsofitemdifficulty