Research Into The Effect Of Different Score Reports Of Formative Web-Based Test On EFL Students’ Self-Regulated Learning

In terms of the teaching concept of formative assessment, language learners shouldbe able to obtain relatively accurate and instructive feedback, in order to understand thestate of their own particular stage of learning. In line with this concept, ChongqingUniversity has adopted the Web-based English testing system as one of the means offormative assessment for the candidates. But the current system can only provide thecandidates with the overall score without any feedback information, which virtually haslittle instructional significance for the improvement of their English self-regulatedlearning.Out of consideration for solution of the problem, this research designs anddevelops a new form of score report, which delivers not only the overall scores to eachcandidate, but also the scores on sub-scales, and their percentile position among thecandidates, as well as corresponding feedback on self-regulation strategies. Eventually,with the help of the computer processing, the hypothesis that the new form of scorereport can better promote students’ English self-regulated learning has been supportedthrough the experimental data.The research lasted for one year, with the subjects being200non-English majorundergraduates from Chongqing University, during which two Web-based English testsand two questionnaire surveys on meta-cognitive strategy use were carried out. The firstquestionnaire survey was conducted as the pre-test prior to the first Web-based test.After the basic reliability and validity of the questionnaire and the test were confirmed,all the subjects were divided into two parallel groups without significantly differentmeta-cognitive strategy use, i.e. the experimental group and the control group.Meanwhile, the new form of score report was developed according to the test scores andthe questionnaire data. After the second Web-based test, the old score report and thenew one were respectively delivered to the control group and the experimental group;the second questionnaire survey and a one-to-one interview were carried out8weekslater to analyze whether the new score report could better promote candidates’ Englishself-regulated learning compared to the traditional overall-score form of report.Structural equation modeling was adopted in designing and developing the new scorereport to analyze and confirm the relationship between the scores on sub-scales and thecandidates’ meta-cognitive strategy use. The results of the experimental data and the individual interviews indicate that thenew score report is more efficient to students’ self-regulated learning than the traditionalone.