Globish Communications Test of the Globish Foundation

Test Construction Process 2008 – 2013 -- by David Hon

There were several phases of the the Globish Communications Test, beginning in 2008 continuing through 2012. During that time the Globish Foundation came into being, and from that time on much of the concept work was assisted by Working Groups from the new Affilates, especially Japan, Russia, and Hungary, and non-Affiliate contributions from China and Poland. These were the stages in development of the Globish Communications Test:

1. 1.The Globish in Globish Precursor

1. 2.The Variable Items Development

1. 3.Protocol for Reconfigurable Globish Test Design – Working Group

1. 4.Software Specifications for Flextests Reconfigurable Test with GSI

1. 5.Design and Creation of Question Sets – Working Group

1. 6.Programming of Flextests software with Reconfigurable Sets from GNG

1. 7.Flextests SW for American Baking Institute (Non-Globish Implementation)

1. 8.Alpha Tests of Globish Communications Test

1. 9.Beta Tests of the Globish Communications Test

1. 10.Current Status

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1. 1. Globish In Globish (GNG) Precursor2008-2009

During 2008 when David Hon was designing and constructing Globish In Globish -- the first online course in Globish -- the pretest, midway and final tests for that course required a balance of questions in areas such as vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, prepositions, and 5 other categories. The layout of those categories was accomplished with dedicated hard work and vision from Krisztina Dlugosz, and considerable input from Christian Jud, Linda Jud, and of course, Jean-Paul Nerriere.

The goal was merely to provide “benchmarks” for students taking GNG to get some idea of how they were progressing. The design of GNG emphasized that students could enter at any level they could handle, as long as they could read Globish-English at that level. It was also designed that if they exit the course before completing it, their Globish-English would have improved to the level they exited. Thus though GNG did have a fixed reading requirement of enough Globish words to read at that level, there was not a fixed progression that every student had to follow, depending instead on what that student had know before to place himself or herself at a “level” of vocabulary and grammar that was manageable. Obviously, teacher/coaches could assist with this process of deciding where the right level to start was. Usually it meant that a student moved rapidly through things he or she knew, and slowed down naturally when the material seemed more demanding.

Because the course was flexible in this way, it became obvious that a testing process was necessarily based on certain fixed standards of Globish-English. In this way Testing would become the complement to the online learning modules. Eventually those internal GNG tests would evolve toward a separated Globish Communications Test – with GNG representing merely one approach to passing this test. Our thanks to those who saw this clearly, and review various attempts at GNG tests, because their dedication gave a platform to build a reconfigurable test upon later.

1. 2.Interactive Exercise Development 2008-2010

In addition to the pretest, midway test, and final tests in GNG, the interactive online GNG course featured several exercises which in fact tested the student’s abilities in certain areas of grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary. Various models were brought from other interactive design work by Hon, and others were suggested by Ms. Dlugosz and many were then tested on her English students. Many of these “exercises” were turned into the Test questions that make the Globish Communications Test unique.

Also included in GNG was extensive work in essential pronunciation for Globish-English and extensive listening to stories which incorporated increasing numbers of the 1500 Globish words. Some of these exercises contributed to the Globish Communications Test as well.

3. Protocol for Reconfigurable Globish Test Design – Working Group – 2010

In 1983, David Hon was Director of Advanced Technology for the American Heart Association and designed a reconfigurable computerized test for emergency room personnel in Advanced Cardiac Life Support. The essence of that design was a database that held 5 times the questions that would ever be presented, written for precisely weighted categories, so that every time the test was taken there would be a different test for every student. It was a clear demonstration of a classically reliable and valid test that was also immediately reconfigurable. On that model a working group of four people from various Affiliates studied and improved the model shown.

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                        Confidential                           Certification Test Protocol   (2010-08-23)

Test Design Principles:

1. Reconfigurable: The test will be reconfigurable so that no student will ever take the same test twice.   Random configuration -- but within weighted subject parameters -- will assure valid testing even if test is taken several times. There could be 2500 possible tests.

2. Database - Each question may have 5 alternative questions. (Possible 100 x 5 x 5)

3. Cross-Platform on all Computers - Whatever programming runs the test will make it accessible worldwide on every computer.

3. Scoring: 100 points

- Seeing -               6 questions

- Interactivity   5 questions

- Answering - 33 multiple choice questions worth 2 points each            

- Listening - 2 passages - 6 questions , 2 points each                                    

4. Design theory -

     - Reading the test is the underlying de facto examination. If they can't read Globish they           will always score poorly on the test.

     - 39 Multiple choice questions will test their Globish understanding.

     - 4 Active (listening and interacting) segments will test performance.  

5.   If 80 is set as a passing grade, they must be able to read everything in Globish, scorel               well on most of multiple choice questions and some of the performance questions.

6. Pronouncing and Listening are complementary skills. Thus 22% of the of the test involves either demonstrating knowledge of pronunciation or actively listening.

The above questions and test weights will be presented in 4 parts:

Seeing - Interacting - Answering - Listening

This is the concept of the test which could be 100 questions as well and have a data base of 500 possible questions. Weights can be changed, categories added, and of course, the questions themselves can be written in many ways. The aim with this design is to project the beginning environment for a test that is not only the Valid and Reliable measure that classic testing requires, but remains Valid and Reliable when also highly Reconfigurable.

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4. Software Specifications for Flextests - GSI Reconfigurable Test   2011

Software was needed to create the actual test based on the protocol. A company named Flextests funded development of that software, the first trial of which would be the Globish Communications Test. Flextests licensed its software to the Globish Foundation for the Globish Communications Test.

The development was commissioned by Flextests to Globish Solutions International, which had been carrying Globish products and knew the environment for which this Globish test would be developed.

These were initial specs that Flextests provided to GSI, along with funding to accomplish the task of creating a generic software that could achieve the reconfigurable Globish Communications Test.

5. Programming of Flextests SW w/ Reconfigurable Sets from GNG – 2011

The first questions used within the protocol and format of the Globish Communications Test were taken directly from the GNG tests and exercises. When the software worked well enough to author those questions for a prototype test, the development process was ready within the larger segments of Seeing, Interacting, Answering, and Listening for creation of weighted question set categories such as vocabulary questions, pronunciation questions, and so forth.

6. Design and Creation of Question Sets – Working Group 2011

This phase occasioned a step back from the GNG model and its questions, in order to develop specific types of questions that would be most understandable across the international Globish community. For that reason representatives of five countries with 5 different language groups approached the potential large database of questions from the point of view of understandability in every case.

7. Flextests SW for American Baking Institute (Non-Globish Implementation) -- 2012

To demonstrate the independence of Flextests SW from the Globish Communications Test, Flextests developed a demonstration reconfigurable test about baking science, with formulas and terms distant from Globish, and listening tests concerned with the sound of mixing dough.

Through such widened testing experiences, Flextests will be able to provide more options over time to the Globish Communications Test as the result of experience with other client organizations.

8. Alpha Tests of Globish Communications Test-- 2012

Flextests circulated early versions of the Globish Communciations Test to Affiliates, and several significant issues arose. Type face and pictures were deemed too small, and were enlarged 100% . Certain associates tried Google Translate to make the test simpler, but without exception scores achieved in this manner were lower than tests taken without using Google Translate. Thus there is a standing warning. Your scores will be lower if you try to use Google Translate. The reason, of course, is that Google Translate cannot interpret the intent of the question in Globish, nor the correct answers as they would appear in Globish. Certain Affiliates wondered how students taking the test at home24/7 could be monitored for honesty. The answer is that any business or school using the Globish Communications Test can provide its own monitoring situation, but will do so on its own decision, and not as a requirement.

9. Beta Tests of the Globish Communications Test -- 2012

Beta tests ran 6 months and involved over 100 subjects, who reported ratings on the Test and suggestions for improvement. It was suggested that Affiliates might provide translated pages of instructions for test takers, but none have chosen this route although they were shown an example. The option remains open to each individual Affiliate.

Key in this Beta test was the HTML5 webpage technology that allows a number of the features of the Test. It was discovered, for instance that Micrososft's Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) is still a default language in many computers worldwide, and IE8 does not attempt to handle HTML5 methods. Thus each time the Test is taken, the software has to "test" to see if IE8 is in use, and offer Google Chrome or other compatible browsers if IE 9 is not available. This is accomplish through a short but mandatory Preview Test of a few minutes, wherein the test-taker also gets to see each type of question and the manner in which the test taker will provide an answer. This Preview Test can avoid most of the confusion that might come from seeing a new form of online testing for the first time. That Preview Test may be taken on the main page of this site.

10 - Current Status - 2013

The Globish Communications Test will be ready for use when Affiliates individually have decided how to link to it, how to pay for it with Pay Pal or credit card, and use it in their activities. Interested parties should see the Preview Test offered free on the Main Page of www.globishfoundaton.org and then contact the Globish Foundation to arrange for its use.

(International Payment Trials - Sample from Japanese Affiliate -- 50 done internationally)

The test is now ready to use, and can be bought from the Globish.com site for 15 Euros. It is recommended that a true certification would require the average of 3 tests. However. this determination will be made by schools or businesses which are using the Globish Communication Test for a certification.