Farah Bahrouni | Sultan Qaboos University (original) (raw)

Papers by Farah Bahrouni

Research paper thumbnail of Using Multi-Facet Rasch Model (MFRM) in Rater-Mediated Assessment

Journal of Teaching English for Specific and Academic Purposes, 2016

This paper is an introduction to the MFRM. It is intentionally meant to be simple with an attempt... more This paper is an introduction to the MFRM. It is intentionally meant to be simple with an attempt to avoid the sophisticated mathematical equations on which the calibration of the involved facets is based, wherever possible, so that little mathematical background does not obstruct the understanding. This paper aims at introducing the lay reader, who is involved in language performance assessment with no expertise, yet striving for objective assessment, to the Multi-Facet Rasch Model (MRFM) approach (Linacre, 1989). The reader will learn about the MFRM, its conceptual foundations and development, its powerful features, its implementation in rater-mediated assessment contexts, and the interpretation of its main statistical indices pertaining to the facets under investigation. The data used to illustrate FACETS analysis throughout the paper are part of a larger data set collected in the study (Medvedev & Bahrouni, 2013) funded by Sultan Qaboos University.

Research paper thumbnail of Investigating teachers and students’ perceptions of written corrective feedback in the context of tertiary education in Oman

Language Testing in Focus: An International Journal

This paper focuses on written corrective feedback in the testing context of the English language ... more This paper focuses on written corrective feedback in the testing context of the English language foundation program at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman. In more detail, in response to the encountered testing problem that involves variability in written corrective feedback and, as a consequence, inconsistent evidence of student position in relation to their improvement in writing and ways to achieve it, the authors discuss the ways teachers respond to students’ writing, the type of feedback they deliver, and the strategies they adopt to provide their feedback. The reported study uses mixed methods research methodology, and is grounded on the understanding of giving feedback to students as a social action that is implemented in specific cultural, institutional, and interpersonal contexts with a purpose to accomplish educational and social goals. The participants of the study are foundation program students and English language teachers representing the multicultural teaching community...

Research paper thumbnail of Writing Assessment

Methodologies for Effective Writing Instruction in EFL and ESL Classrooms, 2015

This chapter reports on the findings of a contextual mixed-method study investigating the factors... more This chapter reports on the findings of a contextual mixed-method study investigating the factors that influence how teachers at the Language Center (LC) of Sultan Qaboos University, Oman (SQU), assess students' academic writing and the features on which they focus. Results from the quantitative data analysis indicate that the influence of raters' first language (L1) is statistically significant, while the impact of their experience of teaching a particular course is effectively insignificant. Findings from the qualitative data analysis, however, reveal other influential factors, notably teaching experience in general terms, learning experience, educational background, culture, and personality. As for the features teachers focus on while assessing writing, both quantitative and qualitative data analyses show different patterns for the L1 groups involved. Findings from this study could be useful for informing decision makers on the various ways teachers from different L1 and experiential backgrounds assess writing and the constructs they follow.

Research paper thumbnail of Using Multi-Facet Rasch Model (MFRM) in Rater-Mediated Assessment

Journal of Teaching English for Specific and Academic Purposes, 2016

This paper is an introduction to the MFRM. It is intentionally meant to be simple with an attempt... more This paper is an introduction to the MFRM. It is intentionally meant to be simple with an attempt to avoid the sophisticated mathematical equations on which the calibration of the involved facets is based, wherever possible, so that little mathematical background does not obstruct the understanding. This paper aims at introducing the lay reader, who is involved in language performance assessment with no expertise, yet striving for objective assessment, to the Multi-Facet Rasch Model (MRFM) approach (Linacre, 1989). The reader will learn about the MFRM, its conceptual foundations and development, its powerful features, its implementation in rater-mediated assessment contexts, and the interpretation of its main statistical indices pertaining to the facets under investigation. The data used to illustrate FACETS analysis throughout the paper are part of a larger data set collected in the study (Medvedev & Bahrouni, 2013) funded by Sultan Qaboos University.

Research paper thumbnail of Investigating teachers and students’ perceptions of written corrective feedback in the context of tertiary education in Oman

Language Testing in Focus: An International Journal

This paper focuses on written corrective feedback in the testing context of the English language ... more This paper focuses on written corrective feedback in the testing context of the English language foundation program at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman. In more detail, in response to the encountered testing problem that involves variability in written corrective feedback and, as a consequence, inconsistent evidence of student position in relation to their improvement in writing and ways to achieve it, the authors discuss the ways teachers respond to students’ writing, the type of feedback they deliver, and the strategies they adopt to provide their feedback. The reported study uses mixed methods research methodology, and is grounded on the understanding of giving feedback to students as a social action that is implemented in specific cultural, institutional, and interpersonal contexts with a purpose to accomplish educational and social goals. The participants of the study are foundation program students and English language teachers representing the multicultural teaching community...

Research paper thumbnail of Writing Assessment

Methodologies for Effective Writing Instruction in EFL and ESL Classrooms, 2015

This chapter reports on the findings of a contextual mixed-method study investigating the factors... more This chapter reports on the findings of a contextual mixed-method study investigating the factors that influence how teachers at the Language Center (LC) of Sultan Qaboos University, Oman (SQU), assess students' academic writing and the features on which they focus. Results from the quantitative data analysis indicate that the influence of raters' first language (L1) is statistically significant, while the impact of their experience of teaching a particular course is effectively insignificant. Findings from the qualitative data analysis, however, reveal other influential factors, notably teaching experience in general terms, learning experience, educational background, culture, and personality. As for the features teachers focus on while assessing writing, both quantitative and qualitative data analyses show different patterns for the L1 groups involved. Findings from this study could be useful for informing decision makers on the various ways teachers from different L1 and experiential backgrounds assess writing and the constructs they follow.