A Study Of Formative Assessment For Learning In EFL Education At Tertiary Level In China

Educational assessment can be an umbrella term covering activities in the traditional areas of testing, measurement and evaluation in education. Assessment is commonly divided as summative assessment and formative assessment in terms of time and function. Further distinction can be made in formative assessment between formative assessment for accountability purpose or for purpose of learning. This dissertation focuses on formative assessment for learning, a recent development in educational assessment.Modern psychometric educational tests have its origin in Chinese selection examination. Since the birth of psychometric test in early 20th century, psychometric educational tests have been used as important tools to hold teaching and learning accountable. There is evidence that excessive use of tests as policy tools to monitor education and raise education standard in the USA, UK and other parts of the world.EFL education in China has been influenced by psychometric educational tests since mid-1980s, when a psychometric educational test movement in the assessment of language teaching began to get impetus. Standardized tests were adopted in the assessment of EFL education in order to bring EFL education under closer observation and to ensure better teaching quality. However, the good wish of the policy makers to have tests guide teaching and learning can be an illusion. The cost of having so many tests may not be rewarded. The overuse of tests brings about many unintended consequences in learning. Too much emphasis on learning outcome than process leaves the process of learning little monitored and supported.In seeking solution to the assessment problems of current EFL education, the study attempts to disseminate concepts and new techniques of formative assessment for learning (trialed in the pilot study) among the teachers who in turn carry out the enhanced formative assessment in their teaching during 12-week time in the main study in order that teaching can be better informed and learning be promoted. The questions concerned are: 1) What effect can the enhanced formative assessment for learning can exert on the learning outcomes in terms of gains in English proficiency,...