The Washback Effect Of An Interpretation Accreditation Test On Students’ Out-of-class Learning

Any test will exert effects on different aspects of the educational system,such as teaching,learning,and curriculum designing.These effects are called washback.Washback studies have focused on tests’ effect on teaching.Only a few researchers have investigated washback on students’ learning.Based on previous literature,the current study chooses MTI(Master of Translation and Interpretation)students as the main subjects to investigate the washback of an interpreting accreditation test.The study adopts both quantitative and qualitative methods,using questionnaire and interview to conduct research on 42 English MTI students in different grades from several universities in China.Quantitative data are used to probe into the actual washback effect of CATTI(China Accreditation Test for Translators and Interpreters)and qualitative data are used to analyze the moderating factors behind these washback effects.The study found that CATTI has generated washback of different facets and degrees on students’ out-of-class learning.First of all,CATTI exerted positive washback effects on MTI students’ learning during test preparation period,but the negative ones were less obvious.CATTI set a clear goal for most participants in a short period of time,boosting their willingness and motivation to learn.Students’out-of-class learning time had been slightly raised.Nevertheless,such kind of washback was not durable and intense.After the test,many students chose to decrease their practicing time.Next,CATTI failed to realize all its intended washback.Students were unfamiliar with CATTI’s syllabus and marking criterion.They generally neglected to practice for the knowledge competence required by the test’s syllabus.Finally,through qualitative data,the study discovered that learning motivation,school policy,and test report were the mediating factors for the nature,intensity,and durability of CATTI’s washback.