Does Perceived Test Fairness Affect Test Preparation? -- A Case Study of Duolingo English Test

Abstract

Drawing upon [1]’s examination of perceived fairness in the Duolingo English Test (hereafter DET) and the crucial role of test preparation, the current study delves into the influence of perceived DET fairness on test preparation strategies. Guided by [2]’s Test Fairness Framework, a conceptual model encompassing two dimensions, i.e., perceived test fairness and test preparation practices, was formulated. Utilizing a validated DET Fairness and Preparation Questionnaire, data were gathered from 1,012 Chinese test takers. Statistical analyses using SPSS v.26.0 revealed descriptive insights, indicating that test takers employed a diverse array of strategies for test preparation. Furthermore, EFA illuminated that eight factors of test preparation strategies were extracted (i.e., information searching, mass practice, training test-taking skills, social strategies, self-evaluation, test-related settings, affective strategies, and memory strategies). Subsequent CFA and SEM performed in AMOS v.26.0 further elucidated the causal relationships, underscoring the direct and significant impact of test takers’ fairness perceptions on their test preparation strategies. This research offers a nuanced understanding of how perceived test fairness shapes test preparation strategies, thereby contributing to the field of language testing and language teaching and learning theoretically and practically.