The Process-oriented Assessment Model of Business English Translation Course in a Flipped Learning Context

Lijun Deng

doi:10.5539/hes.v10n4p1

Abstract

Based on the preliminary research findings in the project-based flipped learning model in Business English Translation course, this study designed a process-oriented assessment model for this course and tested its efficacy by an empirical study on 181 third-year English major students divided into three experimental class and three control class under a flipped learning context. The process-oriented assessment model in Business English Translation course is both synchronic and diachronic, by incorporating multiple assessment subjects including both the teacher and the students and the complete learning activities before, during and after class. This study conducted a pre-test and an after-test to examine the students’ command of key translation knowledge and skills, and meanwhile, to evaluate the improvement of students’ translation competence after the implementation of the process-oriented assessment mode. Questionnaires and surveys were also employed in this study so as to collected students’ response to the new assessment model. The data and results collected from the above-mentioned research methods indicate that the process-oriented assessment model can significantly enhance students’ motivation and performance in Business English Translation course.

Highlights

In the past decades, China’s education evaluation system has undergone the transfer from test culture to assessment culture
Based on the preliminary research findings in the project-based flipped learning model in Business English Translation course, this study designed a process-oriented assessment model for this course and tested its efficacy by an empirical study on 181 third-year English major students divided into three experimental class and three control class under a flipped learning context
It can be safely concluded that the process-oriented assessment model combined with the project-based flipped learning model in the preliminary research has virtually enhanced the students’ translation competence

Summary

Introduction

China’s education evaluation system has undergone the transfer from test culture to assessment culture. The process-oriented assessment emphasizes the students’ learning process and includes multiple evaluation subjects and immeasurable factors into the evaluation system so as to judge the learning process, motivation and effect and products. With the purpose of sustainable development for learners, the process-oriented assessment highly promotes students’ motivation in learning and reflection (Gao, 2004). The process-oriented assessment model in business translation courses, emphasizing students’ learning motivation, process and products, is in line with the above-mentioned nature of translation process and can provide the most direct evaluation method (Zhong, 2005). From the perspective of the psychological characteristics of translation activities, the process-oriented assessment provides insight into the psychological processing of translation language (speech acceptance and speech production), and reflects the psychological strategies adopted by translators, it can explain the emergence of translated text as a psychological process. What’s more, from the perspective of evaluation method, the use of procedural analysis in the empirical study of translation performance describes the process of translation formation and psychological developments in the translator’s mind (Chang, 2002)

Methods

Results

Conclusion