• Title/Summary/Keyword: Proficiency testing

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Examining Generalizability of Kang's (1999) Model of Structural Relationships between ESL Learning Strategy Use and Language Proficiency

  • Kang, Sung-Woo
    • English Language & Literature Teaching
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    • v.7 no.2
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    • pp.55-75
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    • 2002
  • The present study examined whether Kang's (1999) model of the relationships among language learning strategy use and language proficiency for the Asian students could be applied to a more heterogeneous group. In Kang's study, he collected information of language learning strategies of 957 foreign students learning English as a second language in American colleges through a questionnaire. He also measured the subjects' language proficiency with the Institutional Testing Program TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). This study analyzed the same data without the limitation of cultural identity. Structural equation modeling was used to model the relationships among strategy use and language proficiency. Then, the model of the present study was descriptively compared with Kang's (1999) model for the Asian students. The overall flow of the relationship paths appeared to vary very little across the two models, which would have indicated that the generalizability of Kang's (1999) model could be extended more than originally examined. (156)

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The Diversity in an English Oral Proficiency Test (영어 능력평가를 위한 구술시험의 다양성)

  • Park, Chung-Yeol
    • Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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    • v.12 no.1
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    • pp.195-199
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    • 2011
  • There are many causes for the variation of the result in oral proficiency test such as the examiner, the task, the theme of the interview, and the gender of the participants. Previous literature documents that the rater is an important variable influencing test scores of second language oral proficiency. Although much research in language testing has been conducted concerning rater effect on test scores, there has been little attention paid to the effect of potential rater variables in language testing on their rating process. There are noticeably different contents of the rating scales across different speaking tests developed in different context. Therefore, it would not be appropriate to apply the same rating criteria for various tasks. In conclusion, we need more subject protocol analyses and more thoughtful studies on rating processes. In other words, the oral proficiency test needs a more realistic and valid tool for the assessment of second language proficiency.

Proficiency Test of Water Flow Rate for Measurement Equivalence Among KOLAS Accredited Laboratories (KOLAS 교정기관의 측정동등성 확립을 위한 물유량 숙련도 시험)

  • Chun, Sejong;Yoon, Byung-Ro;Kim, Soo-Jin
    • Transactions of the KSME C: Technology and Education
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    • v.5 no.2
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    • pp.105-113
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    • 2017
  • KOLAS (KOrea Laboratory Accreditation Scheme) belongs to APLAC (Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation). KOLAS manages the accreditation scheme for measurement traceability to SI units. As per June 2016, there are 22 KOLAS laboratories for liquid flow metering. Among them, 12 laboratories participated in the proficiency test (PM2015-08) for water flow metering, organized by KASTO (Korea Association of Standards and Testing Organizations). This proficiency test was performed with three kinds of flow ranges ($3.6m^3/h{\sim}12m^3/h$, $40m^3/h{\sim}80m^3/h$, $40m^3/h{\sim}200m^3/h$) considering the CMC (calibration and measurement capability) of the participating laboratories. The purpose of the proficiency test was to find out measurement equivalence of the CMC's between each participating laboratory and the reference testing laboratory (KRISS). The measurement equivalence was tested by the number of equivalence ($E_n$). If ${\mid}E_n{\mid}$ < 1, the measurement equivalence was established. All the participating laboratories passed this proficiency test.

Determination of PFOS in LDPE and the Result for Proficiency Testing (LDPE 중 PFOS의 분석법 개발과 비교숙련도 결과)

  • Jung, Jae Hak;Lee, Young Kyu;Myung, Seung Woon;Cheong, Nam Yong
    • Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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    • v.57 no.1
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    • pp.40-51
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    • 2013
  • In order to develop a quantitation method for Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid(PFOS) contained in plastics that are mainly used in electric and electronic equipment, this study consisted of conducting method validations with LDPE samples using soxhlet solvent extraction and LC/MS. As a result, the limits of detection and quantitation (LOD, LOQ) were $2.58{\mu}g/L$ and $7.82{\mu}g/L$, respectively. Additionally, the recovery was 96-102%. For the correlation coefficient of LC/MS, the $r^2$ value was 0.9992 in the concentration range of $7.82-100{\mu}g/L$, which confirmed its linearity. Furthermore, for the standardization of the analysis method for PFOS in electric and electronic equipment to correspond to EU environmental regulations, we conducted a proficiency test with a number of domestic and international testing laboratories. Three of the ten testing laboratories that participated in the proficiency test submitted outliers. Accordingly, we examined the cause of the outliers using the $^{19}F$ NMR, finding that the main cause was an error in the processing of the results for isomers in PFOS that existed in standard solutions and samples.

Development of the KOSHA Proficiency Testing Scheme on Asbestos Analysis in Korea

  • Kwon, Jiwoon;Jang, Konghwa;Hwang, Eunsong;Kim, Ki-Woong
    • Safety and Health at Work
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    • v.8 no.3
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    • pp.318-321
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    • 2017
  • This commentary presents the regulatory backgrounds and development of the national proficiency testing (PT) scheme on asbestos analysis in the Republic of Korea. Since 2009, under the amended Occupational Safety and Health Act, the survey of asbestos in buildings and clearance test of asbestos removal works have been mandated to be carried out by the laboratories designated by the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) in the Republic of Korea. To assess the performance of asbestos laboratories, a PT scheme on asbestos analysis was launched by the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA) on behalf of the MOEL in 2007. Participating laboratories are evaluated once a year for fiber counting and bulk asbestos analysis by phase contrast microscopy and polarized light microscopy, respectively. Currently, the number of laboratory enrollments is > 200, and the percentage of passed laboratories is > 90. The current status and several significant changes in operation, sample preparations, and statistics of assigning the reference values of the KOSHA PT scheme on asbestos analysis are presented. Critical retrospect based on the experiences of operating the KOSHA PT scheme suggests considerations for developing a new national PT scheme for asbestos analysis.

Proficiency testing of cadmium and lead in polypropylene resin (폴리프로필렌 수지 중 카드뮴과 납 측정 숙련도시험)

  • Cho, K.H.;Lim, M.C.;Min, H.S.;Han, M.S.;Song, H.J.;Park, C.J.
    • Analytical Science and Technology
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    • v.20 no.3
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    • pp.183-192
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    • 2007
  • The various environmental regulation directives such as RoHS (restriction of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic products) and WEEE (waste from electrical and electronic equipments) are practically used as the technical barrier in international trade (TBT) of vehicles and electrical and electronic products recently. Regarding such an environmental regulation, Korea Research Institute of Standards Science (KRISS) organized a proficiency testing scheme to establish the reliability of measurement results produced by the relevant research institutes and test laboratories in Korea. Participants were 31 laboratories related to production of the electrical and electronic equipments and mobile vehicles. Two polypropylene samples of pellet type were employed as the proficiency testing materials (PTMs). Cadmium and lead were the analytes chosen among six components regulated in European Union (EU) RoHS directive. The PTMs were sent to the participants by post on September $1^{st}$ 2006, and deadline for results submission were October $10^{th}$ 2006. The results of each laboratory were evaluated in comparison with KRISS reference values using Robustic Z-score and Youden plot methods. The results of the various sample digestion methods were also compared. Most of participants reported good agreement within 10 % range of reference values. However, results from several laboratories showed significant biases from reference values. These laboratories should establish the quality assurance system for improvement of the measurement reliability.

Development of a Proficiency Test Specimen for Enumerating Escherichia coli in Molluscan Bivalve Shellfish

  • Kwon, Ji-Young;Song, Ki-Cheol;Son, Kwang-Tae;Yu, Hong-Sik;Kim, Poong-Ho;Shin, Soon-Bum;Mok, Jong-Soo;Lee, Ka-Jeong;Oh, Eun-Gyoung;Yoon, Ho-Dong;Lim, Keun-Sick;Kim, Young-Mog
    • Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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    • v.14 no.3
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    • pp.226-229
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    • 2011
  • This study was conducted to develop a proficiency test (PT) specimen for the enumeration of Escherichia coli, a sanitary indicative bacterium, in molluscan bivalve shellfish. The common mussel Mytilus edulis was chosen as a matrix for the PT specimen. Mussels were artificially bioaccumulated for approximately 3 h with E. coli culture. After determining the homogeneity of samples, samples were distributed to 17 participants involved in the proficiency testing program. The enumeration of E. coli was performed by the most probable number method of the American Public Health Association. Statistical evaluations of the results obtained from inter- and intra-laboratory variation indicated no significant differences in the accuracy of these techniques between participants, indicating z-scores of ${\leq}{\pm}2$ and suggesting that preparation of the PT specimen for enumerating E coli in shellfish was successful.