Instrument construct is one of the most important issues in conducting research. Without proper consideration in tackling the issue, it is difficult for the instrument to be considered as valid and reliable. If construct validity is accurate, then it will provide a clearer and more precise descriptive analysis on the concepts being investigated. The most important criteria that need to be considered in answering the construct validity are reliability and validity. In traditional measurement model, the understanding of reliability and validity is totally different from the one offered by Rasch model. Regardless of the difference, an internal consistency is still widely being used as the primary method to measure the item sampling. Using this model, local dependence and item fit are most considered in getting valid, reliable, and consistent, hence its significance. Finally the study applies goodness of measure purposely to answer issues related to validity and reliability tests. Principal components analysis was carried out to test the construct of questionnaires used in the study.
With the advancement of technology, writing in English is no longer confined to the classroom as nowadays students are exposed to various forms of writing on the Internet. Specifically with Generation Y in mind, online writing is a new method that needs to be implemented to enhance Malaysian students' writing skills. This article aims at identifying what motivates English as a Second Language students to write in English on Facebook. Ten Chinese-speaking students from a private urban school were selected for this study. These students had just started secondary education after being educated in Chinese-vernacular elementary schools for six years. The students were required to participate in an ongoing discussion on their Facebook class page in order to complete a writing task. Data for this study comprised both online discussions and interviews. The findings suggest that peer influence and school surroundings motivated the students to write better in English on Facebook. The findings also imply that the use of technology in writing tasks made students write better in English owing to the exchanges of feedback and ideas that took place through this social networking site.
The emerging trend of the use of innovative technologies to support teachers' teaching and learning is indicative of the increasing dominance of technology in educational environments. One aspect of the use of technology is the developing online technologies where teachers are in an online interactive platform to share knowledge on their teaching practice. Blog is one of the online interactive platforms, commonly used by teachers to interact with their peers which not only makes them cognizant of the usefulness of technology but also helps them to learn how to integrate the technology to support teaching. Utilizing the theory of community of practice and through observing blog activities of teachers, this paper attempts to present some preliminary findings to show that teachers' sharing of their practices within the communities facilitates collaboration and sharing of knowledge that benefits both the teachers and their students. It is based on a study involving 7 Iranian EFL teachers who shared their experiences and knowledge within the community through blogging for one semester. The initial findings suggest that blogging has a positive effect on teacher learning within a community of practice.
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