Oral Reflection Tasks: Advanced Spanish L2 Learner Insights on Emergency Remote Teaching Assessment Practices in a Higher Education Context

Ana Maria Ducasse

doi:10.3390/languages7010026

Abstract

This paper reports on a small-scale study that is the first to explore Advanced Spanish L2 learners’ personal awareness of their language and culture learning through e-assessment tasks in an Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) context, mediated by five task-specific, individual spoken reflections. The value of reflection in education, particularly for L2 writing and distance learning, has been explored in different modalities, e.g., individual spoken reflection and group spoken reflection. Building on previous research, this study explores a group of advanced Spanish L2 learners (n = 25) reflecting on five multi-modal e-assessments through individually assessed oral audio-recorded post-assessment reflection tasks (n = 125). A thematic content analysis applied to transcriptions yields findings from a pedagogical perspective on language learning, completing assessments and personal affective responses. The learners’ candid and explicit orientations towards various types of multimodal language-learning e-assessment tasks offer instructors information on learners’ awareness of classroom-based assessment tasks being enablers for individual learning goals.

Highlights

Language testing and assessment contexts are characterized by assessment practices compatible with the social and pedagogical values and beliefs of the local learning community
One such context comprised the implementation of unplanned “Emergency Remote Teaching” (ERT) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (Hodges et al 2020) which subsequently affected all stakeholders from local to global contexts in the migration to e-learning
The study was conceived because there was no research investigating how students oriented towards L2 language MDCA assessments during the ERT brought on by the pandemic crisis

Summary

Introduction

Language testing and assessment contexts are characterized by assessment practices compatible with the social and pedagogical values and beliefs of the local learning community One such context comprised the implementation of unplanned “Emergency Remote Teaching” (ERT) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (Hodges et al 2020) which subsequently affected all stakeholders from local to global contexts in the migration to e-learning. Practitioners rationalized content and adapted assessments and marking criteria to meet revised learning outcomes. This extraordinary context affords an opportunity to explore the practices, perceptions, and knowledge about learning and assessment (Scarino 2013) that emanated from the changed conditions due to the pandemic. The focus on multimedia-based student-centered learning with new e-assessments had been looming, it had met resistance and was long overdue

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Conclusion