Assessment for Learning in a Chinese University Context: a Mixed Methods Case
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Assessment for Learning in a Chinese University Context: A Mixed Methods Case Study on English as a Foreign Language Speaking Ability by Yang Song Department of Integrated Studies in Education McGill University, Montreal 2011 A thesis submitted to McGill University in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master © Yang Song, 2011 i Abstract This study investigates the effectiveness of Assessment for Learning (AFL) in improving oral English skills and explores students‘ and teachers‘ perceptions of AFL. The study took place at a university in China and involved both students and teachers of English at the institution. Chinese university level students were reported to be facing difficulties in their oral skills learning and were not satisfied with the oral English instruction they were receiving because it is related too much to large-scale tests administered in China (He, 1999; Liao & Qin, 2000; Wen, 2001). Classroom-based assessment, known as the alternative assessment approach, has attracted increased interest from researchers since the end of the last century (Genesee & Upshur, 1996; Gipps 1999; Shepard, 2000; Turner, in press). One approach to classroom-based assessment, Assessment for Learning (AFL), has proved a significant influence on language performance by encouraging learners‘ participation, identifying learners‘ weaknesses, providing instructors with useful feedback for learners‘ further development, and turning learners into autonomous learners (Black & Wiliam, 1998ab; Black, Harrison, Lee, Marshall, & Wiliam, 2003; Winne & Butler, 1994; Topping, 2009). In this study, a mixed methods design incorporating both quantitative and qualitative methods (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2009) is used to examine the effectiveness of AFL and to explore teachers‘ (n = 9) and students‘ (n = 74) perceptions of AFL. There are three phases in this study: the preparation phase, and Phases One and Two. In the preparation phase, second year students‘ and their ii teachers‘ classroom interactions were observed to aid in the selection of participants for this study. In Phase One, teacher questionnaires, pre- and post-study student questionnaires, and three AFL tasks were employed and data were collected and analyzed quantitatively by using descriptive statistical analysis to determine the effectiveness of AFL. In Phase Two, teachers and students were interviewed to express their opinions about AFL. The interviews were translated from Chinese to English, transcribed and then analyzed using content analysis. The results from the three phases were integrated to interpret the findings of the research. The results indicate that AFL can effectively improve the oral English language learning skills of intermediate and high level students. Additionally, results of the study demonstrate that both teachers and students showed positive attitudes towards AFL. iii Résumé Cette étude a pour but d'évaluer l'efficacité de ―l'évaluation des apprentissages‖ (AFL) à améliorer les habiletés en anglais oral ainsi que la perception qu'ont les étudiants et les professeurs de l'AFL. Cette étude prend place dans une université de Chine et concerne des étudiants et des professeurs d'anglais dans cet institution. Les étudiants dans les universités chinoises ont été reporté ayant des difficultés dans leur capacités d'apprentissage orale et n'étaient pas satisfaits de l'enseignement qu'ils recevaient puisqu'il était trop orienté vers les tests à grande échelle administrés en Chine (He, 1999; Liao & Qin, 2000; Wen, 2001). Classroom-based assessment, connu comme étant l'approche alternative, a, depuis la fin du siècle dernier, de plus en plus attiré l'intérêt des chercheurs (Genesee & Upshur, 1996; Gipps 1999; Shepard, 2000; Turner, in press). Une approche du classroom-based assessment, l'évaluation des apprentissages (AFL), a été prouvé ayant une influence sur la performance linguistique en augmentant la participation de l'étudiant, en identifiant leurs faiblesses, en fournissant à l'instructeur de l'information utile pour le développement future de l'étudiant et en changeant la perception de l'étudiant pour en faire un étudiant autonome (Black & Wiliam, 1998ab; Black, Harrison, Lee, Marshall, & Wiliam, 2003; Winne & Butler, 1994; Topping, 2009). Dans cet étude, une méthode mixte incorporant des méthodes quantitatives et qualitatives (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2009) est utilisé pour étudier l'efficacité de l'AFL et explorer la perception des enseignants (n=9) et des étudiants (n=74) de l'AFL. Il y a trois phases dans cet étude : la phase de iv préparation et la phase un et deux. Dans la phase de préparation, les étudiants de deuxième année ainsi que l'interaction des enseignants avec leur classe pour aider à la sélection des participants à l'étude. Dans la phase un, les questionnaires des enseignants, les questionnaires des étudiants ex-ante et ex-post et trois tâches de l'AFL ont été employés et leur données ont été collectés et analysé quantitativement en utilisant une analyse statistique descriptive de façon à déterminer l'efficacité de l'AFL. Dans la phase deux, les enseignants et les étudiants ont été interviewés de façon à collecter leurs opinions sur l'AFL. Les interviews ont été traduits du chinois à l'anglais, ils ont été transcrits et leur contenu à par la suite été analysé. Les résultats des trois phases ont été intégrés de façon à pouvoir interpréter les résultats de l'étude. Les résultats indiquent que l'AFL peut en effet augmenter la capacité d'apprentissage de l'anglais oral des élèves de niveau intermédiaire et élevé. De plus, les résultats montrent que les enseignants et les étudiants réagissent positivement à l'ALF. v Acknowledgements Foremost, I thank my supervisor, Professor Carolyn E. Turner. Working under her has been a most enriching experience during the course of the Master program. All chapters of my thesis have benefited from her suggestions. I thank her for her advice, patience, encouragement and, most of all, for putting her faith in my ability to undertake the challenges. I am also particularly grateful to Professor Mela Sakar and Professor Caroline Riches who read my thesis as the second reader and the external reader. Their perspectives on my topic significantly improved my thesis on numerous occasions. I would like to express my gratitude as well to Beverley Baker, Linda Hacket, Heike Neumann and May Tan, who provided me valuable feedback on my thesis drafts. Their suggestions enriched my understanding and brought me to a deeper level concerning this topic. Ultimately, I couldn‘t have done this, any of this, without my family and close friends. Thank you for being by my side for the last two years. I would like to especially thank Norie Moriyoshi, Rika Tsushima and Swan Kennedy for being such steadfast companions and study partners. Thank you also to Nicolas St-Amand for his generous work on the French translation of the abstract. Lastly, I would like to thank my parents in China who supported my study financially and emotionally. For each of you, I am eternally grateful—you made it all worthwhile. vi Table of Contents Abstract ....................................................................................................................................... i Résumé ..................................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................... v Table of Contents ...................................................................................................................... vi List of Tables and Figures ........................................................................................................ xii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 1 Background ................................................................................................................................ 1 The Study ................................................................................................................................... 2 The Organization of the Thesis .................................................................................................. 3 CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE .............................................................. 5 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 5 University Level English Language Education in China ........................................................... 5 Background Information .................................................................................................. 5 Large-Scale Testing of English at Chinese Universities .................................................. 6 College English Test (CET). ................................................................................... 6 Test for English Majors (TEM). .............................................................................. 8 General Introduction to Large-Scale Testing ............................................................................. 9 Strengths of Large-Scale Testing .................................................................................... 10 Issues Related to Large-Scale Testing ............................................................................ 11 For Non-English Majors.