The Influence of Computer-Based Reading Assessment on Chinese EFL Learners’ Use of Reading Strategies and Their Reading Performance

Abstract

Computer-based assessment has been increasingly adopted in second language testing with the development of computer technology. Previous studies have been devoted to comparing computer-based assessment with paper-based assessment in terms of test results, but little is known about how the test process may be changed by the new format. With a focus on the assessment of reading, this study aimed to investigate the influence of computer-based format on the use of strategies during the reading process together with the final reading performance. It adopted case study as the methodology, recruiting twenty Chinese EFL learners at the university level as the participants. Two reading tasks were taken from College English Test Band 6 (CET6), respectively held in a paper-based format and a computer-based format. Questionnaires on use of reading strategies were adapted from previous studies to measure students’ strategy use during reading. Selected participants were interviewed after the reading tasks and the questionnaire to supplement quantitative data. It was found that students tended to perform better in a computer-based setting than a paper-based one, and that reading strategies can influence the final performance and may be used differently in the two settings. The possible reasons and pedagogical implications were then discussed and explored.