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English language proficiency is a foundational element of university teaching and learning in Australia, represented in the Higher Education Standards Framework (2015). Curtin’s English Language and Learning Policy recognises the importance of English language proficiency in developing skills to choose and use the most appropriate written and oral communication skills relevant to the discipline, situation and audience and reflects best-practice reported through various OLT projects. The policy as implemented has several limitations which limit scalability: particularly accessibility across student groups and locations, variation in instruments to diagnose/assess language capability and high administrative burden.
Curtin has implemented an online, standardised, post-entry language task (PELT) for all students (undergraduate, postgraduate and HDR), on all campuses. The PELT comprises timed text completion tasks and speed reading tasks and a 300 word written task (Elder & Knoch, 2009). Academic integrity issues are mitigated through use of a combination of regularly updated parallel tasks and remote invigilation. Grading of written text will be conducted using AI enhanced processes (Ifenthaler, 2018). The PELT is accessed by students through the learning management system and raw data passed back to the student management system where grading occurs. Final results are allocated broad grades (satisfactory, borderline and limited) that align with different levels of recommended or required language support. Each faculty may elect to conduct additional discipline-specific written language assessment and support services.
Our automated delivery, assessment and grading process allows high value staff resources to be re-directed from administration to direct language support for students. In addition, this approach now affords opportunities for comparisons of EL proficiency across disciplines and campuses and academic progress, repeat testing throughout the student lifecycle and will assist to evaluate the effectiveness of support services and inform decision making regarding EL entry requirements.