The Impact of Collaborative Testing On Iranian EFL Learners’ Course Achievement

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to compare the effect of collaborative versus individual testing on Iranian EFL learners' course achievement. In addition, this study sought to find the perceptions of EFL learners towards the use of collaborative testing. To achieve this goal, a sample of 60 intermediate EFL learners was selected based on their performance on Oxford Placement Test. They were randomly assigned to two equal groups of collaborative and individual testing. The participants of each group took 8 exams during the study. The learners of the collaborative group completed the tests in groups whereas individual group members completed the same tests individually. The results of independent sample t-test showed that there is a significant statistical difference between the performance of the collaborative and individual groups in the course achievement in such a way that the collaborative group outperformed the individual one. The results of the present study suggest EFL teachers avoid using the traditional testing format and apply interactive test-taking strategies in order to enhance learners' course achievement.