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Implementing assessment change in Hong Kong: issues and strategies

Implementing assessment change in Hong Kong: issues and strategies. David Carless. Overview. Perspectives on reform and some recent ELT innovations Positive potential of SBA Synergy between formative and summative assessment Factors impacting on the implementation of SBA

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Implementing assessment change in Hong Kong: issues and strategies

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  1. Implementing assessment change in Hong Kong: issues and strategies David Carless

  2. Overview • Perspectives on reform and some recent ELT innovations • Positive potential of SBA • Synergy between formative and summative assessment • Factors impacting on the implementation of SBA • Strategies in implementing SBA

  3. Common characteristics of reforms • Some unrealistic expectations • Destructive political climate (Morris & Scott, 2005) • Adoption vs implementation • Lack of coherence in reforms • Lack of continuity in reforms • Frequent ‘failure’ leading to cynicism • Pace of reform usually too fast

  4. NET schemes • NETs not a solution to raising standards of English but a contribution • Neither NETs/non-NETs superior to each other, simply different • Mixed results (of course!) • NETs provide a genuine reason to communicate through English • PNET scheme has particular potential (Carless, 2006, forthcoming)

  5. TOC • Branded as a failure • But current reforms recycle TOC principles • Teachers were positive when students benefitted • Centrality of teachers’ beliefs and understandings • Formative assessment difficult to implement (Morris et al., 2000)

  6. Implications for SBA reform • SBA is likely to be heavily criticised in the coming months • Just as NET, TOC and other reforms have been criticised • The reality is that most reforms have a variety of positive, negative, nil-impact and unintended consequences

  7. Positive potential of SBA • Students will benefit • “Students dislike selection and high-stakes tests, show high levels of test anxiety and prefer other forms of assessment” (Harlen, 2005)

  8. SBA meets a problem • Students study English for around 2,500 hours between P1 and S5 (Education convergence, 2001) • Yet many face difficulties in expressing themselves in English • A need to change the teaching and learning culture

  9. SBA + teaching & learning culture • Positive washback • More interactive teaching methods • More production by students • Wider reading • Wider variety of texts

  10. SBA + assessment culture • Potential for students to be more active participants in the assessment process • Opportunity for peer- and self-assessment processes • Synergies between formative and summative assessment but … • … danger of summative crowding out formative • The more purposes a single assessment aims to serve, the more each purpose will be compromised (Pellegrino et al., 2001)

  11. SBA + current reform agenda • Assessment for learning • Diversifying modes of assessment • Reducing examination pressure • Learning to learn • Generic skills: communication, study & self-management skills

  12. Possible by-products of SBA • Potential for raising assessment literacy • More discussion of the learning potential of assessment processes • Other unanticipated benefits … • Greater recognition of shortcomings of existing external exams • More focus on the role of feedback

  13. Reform characteristics and SBA • Expectations of SBA • Destructive climate • Implementation (rather than adoption) • Coherence (reading to learn; diversifying assessment ) • Continuity (TAS in science) • Cynicism about reforms • Pace (the first time, the most challenging)

  14. G. Reform Climate F. Societal teaching, learning & assessment culture C. Internal school support H. Impact of governmental or quasi-governmental agencies A. Teachers’ understandings of principles and practice B. Congruence with teachers’ beliefs and values E. External school-based support I. The curriculum MACRO LEVEL CHANGE ENVIRONMENT LEVEL 3 MICRO LEVEL CHANGE ENVIRONMENT LEVEL 2 PERSONAL DOMAIN LEVEL 1 The Innovation SBA D. Views of parents

  15. Problems are our friends (Fullan, 1993) • We cannot develop effective responses unless we actively seek and confront real problems • Paradoxically, challenges should be welcomed, faced and debated: “conflict is essential” • Only by facing problems can creative solutions emerge • Lee (2005) critique • The issue of reliability

  16. Support for teachers • Reductions in workload in some areas e.g. unproductive marking • Reduction in S4 school tests e.g. oral • Identification and sharing of good practices • In-school support • Staff development, development of assessment literacy

  17. Summary and conclusions • SBA has potential to impact positively on T, L & A • Needs time, support and nurturing • An obstacle may be teachers’ understandings and beliefs • Not an easy time to be a reformer • Needs a balanced appraisal without too much media sensationalism • Always easier to critique than to innovate • “My students have benefitted a lot from SBA” (teacher)

  18. For further exploration • Synergies or conflicts between formative and summative functions of assessment • The student role in the assessment process: decoding criteria; self-evaluating; and improving

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