چکیده:
Student Question Generation (SQG) is one of the learner-centered constructive learning techniques which might be a helpful too for engaging students in the learning and assessment processes and increase their interest in the learning materials. This study attempted to investigate the effect of this technique on ESP learners’ achievement in an English course and to study the learners' views on the efficacy of using this technique in teaching English. To reach the said aims, a mixed-method research design was employed to answer the questions. The research was conducted at Islamic Azad University in Hidaj with 60 participants (male and female) who were majoring at accounting and civil engineering and were divided into experimental and control groups. Data were collected through an achievement test which was administered at the end of the course and a focus-group interview held in experimental group class. Independent samples t-test was used to analyze the quantitative data, while the learners' responses were analyzed through content analysis. The results revealed that using SQG helped the students in learning the course materials significantly. The analysis of the qualitative data revealed seven themes related to the effectiveness of using SGQ, of which the most important ones were usefulness of the technique, creating a relaxed and cooperative atmosphere, and increased motivation. They further reported that their interest in the course increased, and the quality of their learning increased. Based on the results, some instructional implications are provided for the teachers, syllabus designers and researchers.
خلاصه ماشینی:
With the immense development regarding the online connection, learners, teachers, and experts can experience easier ways of promoting different areas of language teaching, particularly benefiting from question generation or test construction (Chin & Osborne, 2008; Offerdahl & Montplaisir, 2014; Yu, 2012).
Question generation or sometimes referred to as test construction by learners usually forces them to engage in different cognitive activities, which in turn lead them to better monitor their own learning and to deeply understand the materials (Gulikerset, Bastiaens, & Kirschner, 2004; Papinczak, Peterson, & Babri, 2012; Yu, 2005).
Given the benefits of test construction for students and educational programs, this research seeks to focus on the possible benefits of question generation by ESP learners in their learning the course materials.
SQG is defined by education experts (Lam, 2014; Yu & Wu, 2013) as the process of constructing questions by learners on the course materials or their related areas of instructional importance and relevance as a helping tool for encouraging student participation, aimed at promoting learning, assessment, motivation, and interest of the said learners.
On the account of the discussed dissatisfaction of the dominant traditional assessment and the scarcity of research conducted on the topic of study especially in Iran (Shakurnia, Aslami, & Bijanzadeh, 2018), and considering the proliferation of online teaching due to the spread of Corona virus which involves much more involvement on the part of language learners, the researchers decided to study the effects of test construction on Iranian ESP students’ learning and their attitudes toward this technique.