Funded Research Programme (Round 11): Call for Proposals

The call for proposals for Round 11 of the Funded Research Programme is now open. We look forward to receiving your proposals for research projects relating to Cambridge English examinations or teaching qualifications.

Please see the research topics below and also the FAQs, the Schedule, Important notes for applicants (which is new since the previous round) and the Application form.

Successful proposals will receive funding of up to GBP 15,000, including institutional overheads. Projects will follow the schedule and the duration of each project will be approximately twelve months.

The deadline is 1 October 2020.

Research topics

The high-priority topics for Round 11 are listed below. Proposals related to these will receive priority weighting in the review process. The highest-priority topics are listed first.

1. Criterion-related validity of Linguaskill (General or Business)

Research relating to this topic should focus on the relationships of Linguaskill test scores with external criteria. Possible topics include:

• The relationship of the test scores to academic performance.
• The relationship of the test scores to work performance.
• The relationship of the test scores to other measures of the same construct(s).
• The relationship between membership of different groups (e.g. students in pre-sessional courses, undergraduate students, postgraduate students) and levels of proficiency according to the test.
• Convergent and discriminant validation using the multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) matrix.
• Generalisability of the relationship between test scores and external criteria across countries and regions.

Note: Please read the Linguaskill webpages thoroughly and make sure you understand how the test works—for example, whether a component is adaptive or not, whether it is marked by an automarker or a human examiner, and how and where the test can be taken.

2. Online testing, remote testing, and at-home testing

Possible topics in this category include:   

• Studies comparing standard and online/remote delivery of Cambridge English tests.
• Studies investigating the use and implications of remote proctoring.
• Investigations of test users’ attitudes towards online, remote, or at-home testing.

3. Learning Oriented Assessment

Research in this category should focus on how Cambridge English tests or other Cambridge English products and services can be used to provide feedback and recommendations for learning.

4. Impact of A2 Key, B1 Preliminary, B2 First, or C1 Advanced

• on learning and learner progression
• on teaching practices in the classroom
• on integrating Cambridge English Qualifications into the school curriculum

This group includes seven tests:

• A2 Key / Key for Schools
• B1 Preliminary / Preliminary for Schools
• B2 First / First for Schools
• C1 Advanced

5. For Schools exams

Proposals relating to the A2 Key for Schools, B1 Preliminary for Schools, and B2 First for Schools, in particular their appropriacy and relevance for target candidates, and their suitability for digital formats. See also topic 2 above.

6. Inclusivity

Proposals related to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in our tests. Topics in this category may include validity and reliability of special-requirements versions of our tests, or context validity of our products in light of the diversity of our global users.

7. “English plus”

Proposals in this category could look at how preparing for Cambridge English tests and other products has an impact that goes beyond the learning of English as a language. This could include:

• the impact of preparing for taking Admissions Testing products on English language learning;
• the impact of preparing for Cambridge English language tests on learning in CLIL contexts (content and language integrated learning);
• the impact of preparing for Cambridge English language tests on developing life competencies, sometimes known as 21st century skills;
• the impact of preparing for Cambridge English language tests on learning other languages or developing plurilingual competence.

Contact

If you have a question about the application process that is not answered in the FAQs, contact frp@cambridgeenglish.org.