The Computer Adaptive Language Testing Working Meeting in Gdynia

In accordance with NATO DEEP Program (Defence Education Enhancement Program), the representatives of the National Defence University of Ukraine named after Ivan Cherniakhovskyi participated in the third working group concerning the Computer Adaptive Language Testing (CALT) development according to NATO STANAG 6001 from February 14-18, 2020 at the Polish Naval Academy of the Heroes of Westerplatte in Gdynia.

Senior Research Fellow of the ADL Center Lt. Col. Oleksandr Shapran, Senior Research Fellow of the Foreign Languages Educational and Research Center Maj. Viktoriia Krykun, NATO DEEP representatives Mr Piotr Gawliczek and Mr Marcin Jozwiak, Chair of Partnership for Peace Consortium Advanced Distributed Learning Working Group Ms Greta Keremidchieva, Head of Testing Team at Rakovski National Defense College Ms Anna Dimitrova Guncheva and representatives of the Polish Naval Academy of the Heroes of Westerplatte participated in the event.

From the Ukrainian side, the purpose of the event was to report the results of the CALT piloting, which was held in December 2019-January 2020 at NDUU as well as to obtain the experience from the Bulgarian testing team, which conducted the second piloting session of CALT, using their own algorithm.

First, according to the agenda the representatives from the NDUU reported about the achievements and results in CALT Software development.

The second issue was to report and discuss the CALT algorithm, which was developed in accordance with the national specifications and taking into consideration the previous experience of the Bulgarian team. The results of piloting show that 71% of the CALT results coincide with the pen-and-paper results in Listening and 62% in Reading. Such results show the efficiency of the algorithm.

It was decided to continue improving the CALT program development with implementing the Bulgarian experience and upgrading the program to have the possibility to get the analytical information, statistical data and other useful information concerning the test items, actions of the test-takers and testers.

The future cooperation includes creation the adaptive tests in writing and speaking according to NATO STANAG 6001, creation the adaptive tests procedure in writing and speaking in order to conduct the norming sessions for the testers from different countries, sharing the experience in CALT methodology and algorithm development among other countries which are interested in the foreign language testing process according NATO STANAG 6001 with using ADL technologies.