The Practice of Formative Assessment by Indonesian Vocational School’s English Teachers during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

This study aimed to describe how Indonesian vocational school’s English teachers implemented formative assessment methods amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The research employed a qualitative approach with a case study design. Data was gathered through interviews. Two English teachers from one of public vocational school in Rokan Hulu Regency, Indonesia participated in the study. The data analysis followed the Miles and Huberman three-step process, which included data condensation or reduction, data display, and drawing and verifying conclusions. The findings revealed that vocational school’s English teachers utilized both online and offline formative assessment strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Online formative assessment was implemented by using Google Classroom and Google Forms, while offline methods included quizzes, questioning and group discussions, short-answer tasks, listening cloze, role play, reading aloud, mind mapping, and dialogue writing. The teachers encountered various challenges in implementing these assessments, such as a lack of human resources, limited internet connectivity in students' homes, and some students lacking access to mobile devices. Additionally, student engagement and motivation were identified as concerns. Nevertheless, the teachers devised solutions to overcome these obstacles, including providing Wi-Fi in designated areas, encouraging students to use their parents' or friends' devices, and actively engaging with less interested students.