Classroom-based Assessment Research Articles

Unveiling Critical Thinking Pedagogy: Classroom-Based Assessment Strategies in Higher Education

Promoting critical thinking (CT) skills has largely attracted the concern of numerous relevant stakeholders, including teachers, students, and policymakers, with the assumption that CT is a vitally learned skill needed by graduates. This study explores the extent of classroom-based assessment strategies used to promote the CT ability of undergraduate students in Vietnam. Qualitative research approaches were employed through in-depth interviews, classroom observations, and assignment analysis with a curriculum review of the Global Citizens Program at Swinburne Vietnam Alliance Program with FPT Education. The findings show that teachers have widely applied a couple of assessment techniques to increase the CT capability of students, including peer review, reflective writing, case study analysis and evaluation, teamwork projects, research-type assessments, and problem-solving. Furthermore, lecturers who are more aware of the importance of CT and those who are more flexible and skilled in testing self-developing techniques have more strategies for incorporating CT into their assessments. The study reveals that if CT is explicitly stated in the program learning outcomes and incorporated into the course outlines, it is more likely to be implemented.

Unveiling Classroom Assessment Literacy: Does Teachers’ Self-Directed Development Play Out?

Ideally, teachers’ classroom assessment literacy can be developed through in-service teacher education or assessment training from institutions. Yet in reality, teachers may not gain sufficient assessment training on the job or from institutionalised training programmes. This contextual disadvantage cannot explain teacher inertia in advancing their professional knowledge and their skills in classroom-based assessment. Instead, teachers are encouraged to proactively rely on themselves to enhance their CAL amid their tried-and-tested assessment practices. The current qualitative case study explores how a university English teacher directed herself to develop CAL in her assessment practices over time. Data were collected through narrative frames, interviews with the teacher and her students, classroom observations, and documents. This study shows that self-directed CAL development may be buttressed by the teacher’s prior assessment experiences. The teacher’s self-agency and reflections further empowered her to acquire the assessment knowledge, skills, and experience in improving assessment effectiveness. The implications for enhancing self-directed professional development in assessment are also discussed.

Implementation of Classroom-Based Assessment Feedback Strategies on Enhance Subsequent Lesson Plan Preparation at Secondary Schools in Rombo District, Tanzania

Implementation of Classroom-Based Assessment Feedback Strategies on Enhance Subsequent Lesson Plan Preparation at Secondary Schools in Rombo District, Tanzania

Challenges, strengths, and relevance of integrating classroombased assessment in technical and vocational education training

Challenges, strengths, and relevance of integrating classroombased assessment in technical and vocational education training

The Impact of Classroom-Based Assessment (CBA) Implementation on the Performance of B40 Pre-School and Primary School Students

Classroom-Based Assessment (PBD) is applied in the education system in Malaysia. It substitutes the public examination system at the primary school level and gives prominence to summative and formative assessment holistically. This case study was conducted to identify the effectiveness and challenges of PBD implementation on the development of students, specifically the B40 group of pre-school and primary school students. To obtain research data, an in-depth interview instrument was conducted on 13 study participants from a quota sample. Interview findings were analyzed to form themes and were confirmed by experts through the Cohen Kappa index of 0.803. Findings regarding the effectiveness of PBD showed that PBD is a holistic assessment for B40 students, especially students who are weak in learning, as it encompasses a comprehensive learning and continuous assessment. PBD is also beneficial for B40 students as they are given the opportunity to achieve the desired mastery level; thus, the gap between B40 students and non-B40 students can be minimized. In addition, this study also highlighted the achievement of B40 students through their mastery of subjects at school. Challenges in the implementation of PBD for B40 preschool and primary school students encompass three aspects, namely challenges in knowledge, achievement and implementation. In terms challenges in knowledge, parents are seen to be oblivious regarding PBD. Challenges in achievement exist when students do not sufficiently master the subjects and unmindful of PBD implementation of. Finally, challenges in implementation, which refers to strenuous individual assessment due to the large number of students. Furthermore, attendance of B40 students is a major challenge in the implementation of PBD. In addition, another challenge in implementation is the need and financial, and parental support. This study explores towards critical discussion and understanding to improve the learning system and further realize the benefits in the implementation of PBD, especially for B40 preschool and primary school students.

The effect of classroom-based assessment (CBA) on Chinese EFL learners’ speaking performance, engagement, and willingness to communicate: Undergraduate students' perceptions

CBA has emerged as a prominent pedagogical approach aimed at intertwining assessment within the instructional process, effectively fostering student learning. In English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education, CBA has garnered considerable attention, given its potential to enhance language learners' engagement, speaking proficiency, and willingness to communicate. This mixed-method research study delves into the impact of Classroom-Based Assessment (CBA) on the speaking performance, engagement, and willingness to communicate of undergraduate Chinese EFL learners. The study involved 90 Chinese EFL learners in the quantitative phase and 25 in the qualitative phase. Data collection comprised three questionnaires and an interview checklist. The data analysis employed inferential statistics (t-tests) for the quantitative data and thematic analysis for the qualitative insights. The findings of this study reveal that CBA exerts a significant influence on language learners' engagement, speaking abilities, and willingness to communicate. The quantitative results, as indicated by t-tests, indicate noteworthy improvements in these key aspects when CBA is integrated into the classroom environment. Moreover, the qualitative phase of the study, employing thematic analysis, uncovered five distinct ways through which CBA impacts the main variables under investigation. This research elucidates the multifaceted influence of CBA on undergraduate Chinese EFL learners. It not only demonstrates the quantitative impact on engagement, speaking skills, and willingness to communicate but also offers valuable qualitative insights into the diverse ways through which CBA enhances the language learning experience. These findings underscore the significance of integrating CBA into EFL classrooms as a potent tool for optimizing learner outcomes.

Classroom-based assessment in TEFL as a form of formative assessment: Enquiries into theory and practice

Closely related to the concept of formative assessment, classroom-based assessment (CBA) has received increasing attention from education researchers and policy makers worldwide. Despite being hailed as an innovative departure from traditional standardized testing, CBA has often been criticized for the lack of research-based evidence to support its purported benefits. This raises concerns about the reliability, validity, and practicality of this approach in mainstream education. By reviewing recent literature on CBA and its application in TEFL classrooms, this article seeks to understand how CBA theory translates into practice and identify potential discrepancies between its claimed advantages and measured efficiency. The discrepancies observed are primarily attributed to teacher assessment identity. Consequently, I propose a CBA literacy model which improves teachers and students’ assessment capability in classroom contexts.

Exploring Perceived Classroom Based Assessment Knowledge and Practices

One of the major roles of a teacher is assessing student performance in classrooms. Assessment is an essential aspect of teaching and learning that has led to significant time allocation for assessment activities. In Malaysia, classroom-based assessment (CBA) has been implemented formally since 2016. CBA is a process of assessing students continuously during teaching and learning. CBA is a multifaceted approach to assessment that can be adjusted according to students and learning outcomes. CBA is aimed at supporting and improving student learning. CBA can be directly included in the teaching and learning process; and can also be adapted to various educational objectives and contexts. This paper explores the perceptions of English language teachers towards CBA. This study also explores perceptions of CBA and the relationship with teachers’ assessment practices. This study employed a questionnaire to gather data. The study involved 164 secondary English language teachers in one school district in the northern region of Malaysia. The study found that the perceptions towards CBA and assessment practices of teachers are positively related, suggesting that when teachers' attitudes towards assessment changed, so did their practices. This study provides insights into how CBA can be integrated into language classrooms to enhance assessment practices. It is hoped that these findings of this study will provide valuable insights to policymakers and stakeholders to make well-informed decisions. It is hoped that this study can help illuminate the potential of CBA in refining assessment practices in Malaysia.

Teachers’ Professional Judgment in Malaysia Classroom-Based Assessment: The Iconic Runaway in Education?

Teachers’ Professional Judgment in Malaysia Classroom-Based Assessment: The Iconic Runaway in Education?

PENGEMBANGAN PERANGKAT PEMBELAJARAN BIOLOGI BERORIENTASI KONSTRUKTIVISME BERNUANSA KARAKTER PADA MATERI SISTEM SIRKULASI

Successfull learning can be achieved by learning equipment that involve students actively construct knowledge through meaningful experiences, social interaction, and the real fact. One of the learning equipments to help students build a relationship between the knowledge and its application in real life is learning equipment by constructivist oriented and integrated by nation’s cultural character values. But in reality, in SMAN 1 Sawahlunto, SMAN 8 Padang, and SMA dr. M. Natsir in Solok Regency, learning equipment do not encourage independence in structured thinking and do not integrate character values. The aim of this study was to develop Biology learning equipment by constructivist oriented and character nuanced, consist of the syllabus, lesson plans, handouts, students’ worksheets, and classroom-based assessment on blood circulation system materials for high school grade XI that were valid, practical, and effective. This research using 3-D models. The data collected through validating by five experts and two practitioners then it was tried out in eleventh grade of natural science at SMAN 1 Sawahlunto. The result research results, it was known that Biology learning equipment by constructivist oriented and character nuanced on blood circulation system material for senior high schools grade XI was categorized valid, practical, and effective.

Malaysian ESL Teachers’ Language Assessment Literacy Issues in Implementing CEFR-Aligned Classroom-Based Assessment: How to Deal with Them?

Malaysian ESL Teachers’ Language Assessment Literacy Issues in Implementing CEFR-Aligned Classroom-Based Assessment: How to Deal with Them?

How do we know what they know? A case study of classroom-based assessment with multilingual learners

ABSTRACT We employed qualitative research methods to examine student learning in context during a teacher’s unit on 1920s-Great Depression in an 11th grade United States & Virginia History class in a standards-based setting with a high-stakes end-of-course test. We focused on four focal students (all of whom were classified as English learners at some point during their education) and collected extensive data to investigate whether these students learned and how they experienced and described their learning from regular classroom instruction. Despite receiving the same instruction, student learning, as measured by the summative assessment, differed greatly, and it was unclear if students learned the historical content. Teaching to the test (e.g., lecture-focused, didactic, narrow fact-focused instruction) did not yield improved results on the multiple-choice test. These findings problematize the use of multiple-choice testing, emphasize the need for explicit academic vocabulary scaffolds for multilingual learners, and highlight the importance of formative assessment. We argue that the conception of teacher as curricular-instructional gate-keeper needs to be expanded to curricular-instructional-assessment gate-keeper.

L2 Reading Assessment from a Sociocultural Theory Perspective: The Contributions of Dynamic Assessment

Our understanding of assessing L2 reading has significantly expanded in recent years, including both theoretical and practical aspects. There is a growing consensus that reading comprehension involves multiple skills and subskills. Classroom-based assessment practices reflecting such conceptualizations have also become widely utilized. This article explores the Vygotskyan sociocultural theory (SCT) and its implications for L2 reading assessment, with a specific focus on dynamic assessment as an effective classroom-based approach for L2 reading and literacy instruction. We will review the research that has applied DA principles to the assessment and teaching of L2 reading. We conclude by outlining potential avenues for future DA research and L2 reading instruction.

Re-envisioning pre-service teachers’ beliefs and feelings about assessment: the important space of authentic assignments

ABSTRACT In early 2020, Initial Teacher Education providers were forced to reimagine many long-established practices due to pandemic restrictions. One post-primary concurrent Initial Teacher Education programme in the Republic of Ireland responded by conceptualising and developing an initiative to engage pre-service teachers in an authentic assessment task through the preparation of a classroom-based assessment from the perspective of the pupil. They then engaged in peer review and peer feedback on these classroom-based assessments and partook in a Subject Learning and Assessment Review meeting. This required the professional development of assessment literacies on the part of pre-service teachers, as well as disturbing their personal assessment beliefs at a cognitive and affective level. This paper finds that the collaborative assignment experience challenged pre-service teachers’ previous conceptions about the purposes of assessment while providing them with insight and preparation for formative assessment processes in use throughout Irish post-primary schools.

The Framework of Classroom-Based Assessment Based on the CIPP Model

The Framework of Classroom-Based Assessment Based on the CIPP Model

Exploring language assessment literacy and needs of English teachers at senior high school level

ABSTRACT This study explored the language assessment literacy (LAL) level and language testing and assessment (LTA) needs of 57 English teachers at senior high school level in Taiwan. An LAL test, three quantitative questionnaires and a qualitative survey were administered, conveying the overall LAL level and LTA needs of the participants. The qualitative survey then elicited their perceptions of and perspectives on classroom-based assessments and national high-stakes tests with regard to a newly implemented national curriculum (i.e., 108-Curriculum). The results show that the teachers lack adequate LAL to varying degrees, depending on their demographic background. Additionally, the participants identified some assessment topics, from large standardized testing to applying test results. They also reported their greatest training needs: providing feedback, finding teaching content, and assessing integrated skills. The teachers’ qualitative accounts generated five themes, from education in testing and assessment as a useful tool to the gap between classroom-based assessments and the national tests. The results not only refine assessment modules in the teacher education programme but suggest a direction for the assessment training of English teachers. The study concludes by suggesting future LAL investigations in the English-teaching context of Taiwan or wider international communities.

A DISCOVERY ON MALAYSIAN ESL TEACHERS’ ADHERENCE TO POLICY MANDATES IN CLASSROOMBASED ASSESSMENT PRACTICES

Purpose – Although there exists a substantial body of research discussing the efficient implementation of classroom-based assessment (CBA), there is a dearth of knowledge regarding its application within the context of English as a Second Language (ESL)education in Malaysia. The current study aimed to investigate the ESL teachers’ practices in implementing CBA, with a specific emphasis on the alignment of their assessment procedures with the policy requirements. Methodology – Hence, this research utilizes a qualitative approach, employing data triangulation through semi-structured interviews,classroom observations, and document analysis. Four ESL teachers from two public secondary schools in the northeast district of theMalaysian city of Pulau Pinang were selected to participate in the study. The four ESL teachers taught the same grade (Form 2) at thesecondary level. The data collected were analyzed through thematic analysis procedures. Findings – This research discovered that teachers demonstrate commendable practices in planning the CBA. They exhibited discernment by formulating instructional objectives in line with the curriculum document. However, a misalignment was observedin teachers’ practices during the implementation phase. Despite employing various assessment methods, teachers predominantlyleaned towards formal assessments, with less emphasis on studentcentred approaches. Challenges surfaced when explicit learningobjectives were not effectively communicated, and the use of standardized rubrics, was not tailored to students’ diverse capabilities.At the reporting phase, concerns were raised about an excessive focus on administrative data recording. This study brought to light that teachers relied on the accumulation of students’ grades and marks to determine the mastery levels, thus corroborating with the examoriented practices. Significance – This study holds significant value for the field of ESL education in Malaysia by shedding light on the actual implementation of CBA and its alignment with policy directives. By providing information on how policies are implemented at the local level, contributes to the improvement of assessment policies that can be tailored to classroom realities.

Teacher agency and ICT affordances in classroom-based language assessment: The return to face-to-face classes after online teaching

Recent research on classroom-based assessment (CBA) during the COVID-19 pandemic has examined language teachers’ strategic responses to challenges in online teaching. However, there is still a paucity of empirical research on their CBA practices supported by information and communication technology (ICT) during the return to face-to-face (f2f) classes. Moreover, most studies on CBA during and after the pandemic have focused on secondary or higher education, leaving young learner contexts underexplored. Thus, this study investigated how two primary school English teachers in South Korea exercised their agency to implement ICT-afforded CBA to address challenges in returning to f2f classes, grounded in an ecological perspective. It further explored mediating factors that influenced their agency in both temporal and relational aspects. Observations, interviews, and reflection papers revealed four main themes regarding their agency enactment in identifying ICT affordances for CBA, which were linked to individual factors in their agency enactment, including their pedagogical beliefs, ICT use experiences, identity, and professional development. The cultural (e.g., national curriculum), structural (e.g., student wellness and parental voices), and material dimensions (e.g., institutional support of teacher training) also influenced their agency enactment. This study provides both theoretical and practical implications for ICT-afforded CBA in the post-pandemic era.

Classroom-Based Assessment System to Improve the Quality of Learning in Malaysia and Indonesia

Malaysia and Indonesia have introduced their educational systems and are developing human resources using learning evaluation systems. Based on the issues raised, this study aims to portray the learning assessment in primary schools in Indonesia and Malaysia in accordance with the educational program utilized in both countries and the impediments experienced in carrying out classroom-based evaluation in schools. This studyused the research literature survey technique to gather information on a research topic fromnews, official government documents, etc. The analysis was conducted using a compilation of data from several references related to the assessment of primary school learning in Merdeka curricula, or other documents relevant to this study. The results of this study revelead that the assessment used in primaryschools in Indonesia refers to Minister of Education and Culture Regulation No. 21 of 2022, namely formative assessment and summative assessment. The Merdeka curriculum aimsat create a positive, high-quality learning atmosphere in Indonesia. Education system in Malaysia implements the concept of school-based assessment (SBA) in line with the implementation of Lower School Standard Curriculum, known as Primary School Curriculum. The ability to develop classroom-based assessments, the creativity of teachers in designing assessments, and knowledge literacy issues are all barriers to implementing classroom-based assessments in both countries.

Evaluating teachers' pedagogical content knowledge in implementing classroom-based assessment: A case study among esl secondary school teachers in Selangor, Malaysia.

The Malaysian Education Blueprint (PPPM) 2013-2025 has spurred significant reforms in the Primary School Standard Curriculum (KSSR) and Secondary School Standard Curriculum (KSSM), particularly concerning classroom-based assessment (CBA). CBA evaluates students' understanding and progress, informs instruction, and enhances the learning outcomes. Teachers with robust pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) are better equipped to design and implement effective CBA strategies that accurately assess students' comprehension and growth, provide personalised feedback, and guide instruction. This study aims to investigate the relationship between PCK and CBA among English as a Second Language (ESL) secondary school teachers in Selangor, Malaysia. A 5-point Likert-scale questionnaire was administered to 338 teachers across 27 regional secondary schools in Selangor. The Covariance-based structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to analyse the data. The findings revealed that the secondary school teachers demonstrated a high level of PCK, with content knowledge (CK) obtaining the highest mean, followed by pedagogical knowledge (PK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). The CBA practices among these teachers were also found to be high. SEM analysis showed a positive association between PK and CBA practices and between PCK and CBA. However, no positive association was observed between CK and CBA practices. In order to enhance teachers' PCK and ensure the effective implementation of CBA, which is crucial for student learning outcomes in Malaysian ESL secondary schools, it is recommended that continuous professional development opportunities be provided, specifically focusing on PCK and CBA.