Download pdf
Enhancing Formative Assessment Practices in Chinese Classrooms: Opportunities and Limitations
- 1 Guangzhou Xinhua College
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This study examines the implementation of formative assessment in Chinese classrooms and the challenges faced by teachers in adopting this approach. The research focuses on four key aspects: teachers' understanding and conceptualization of formative assessment, their beliefs and attitudes towards it, the practices and strategies employed, and the obstacles encountered during implementation. The findings indicate that Chinese teachers generally have a good grasp of formative assessment and hold positive beliefs and attitudes towards it. However, challenges such as tight curriculum schedules, an exam-oriented education culture, limited teacher training and resources, and a lack of effective assessment tools and technology hinder the implementation of formative assessment practices. Reforms and innovations are necessary across various dimensions, including educational philosophy, policy systems, teacher training, and educational technology. Adequate training and support should be provided to enhance teachers' assessment literacy and improve their formative assessment practices. Policymakers and educational institutions should prioritize strengthening formative assessment practices and provide resources, support, and conducive environments for its effective implementation. Recent efforts, such as the release of new curriculum standards aimed at enhancing education quality and innovation in China, are promising steps in the right direction. By addressing these challenges and fostering a comprehensive understanding and application of formative assessment, teachers can effectively support student learning and development in Chinese classrooms.
Keywords
formative assessment, Chinese education, teacher practices
[1]. Chang, L., Xu, S., & Li, L. (2010). Teacher's Functions in Formative Assessment in College English Listening. Journal of Shenyang Jianzhu University (Social Science), 12(1), 117-121.
[2]. Chen, Q., Kettle, M., Klenowski, V., & May, L. (2013). Interpretations of formative assessment in the teaching of English at two Chinese universities: a sociocultural perspective. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 38(7), 831-846.
[3]. Nicol, D. J., & Macfarlane-Dick, D. (2006). Formative assessment and self-regulated learning: a model and seven principles of good feedback practice. Studies in Higher Education, 31(2), 199-218.
[4]. Chen, Q., May, L., Klenowski, V., & Kettle, M. (2013). The enactment of formative assessment in English language classrooms in two Chinese universities: teacher and student responses. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 20(3), 343-359.
[5]. Xiao, Y. (2017). Formative Assessment in a Test-Dominated Context: How Test Practice Can Become More Productive. Language Assessment Quarterly, 14(3), 263-280.
[6]. Yorke, M. (2005). Formative Assessment in Higher Education: Its Significance for Employability, and Steps Towards Its Enhancement. Tertiary Education and Management, 11(3), 219-238.
[7]. Reddy, L. A., Dudek, C. M., & Lekwa, A. (2016). Classroom Strategies Coaching Model: Integration of Formative Assessment and Instructional Coaching. Theory Into Practice, 55(2), 102-109.
[8]. Yan, Z., Li, Z., Panadero, E., Yang, M., Yang, L., & Lao, H. (2021). A systematic review on factors influencing teachers' intentions and implementations regarding formative assessment. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 28(2), 149-168.
[9]. Poole, A., & Adamson, B. (2016). 'Complex teaching realities' and 'deep rooted cultural traditions': Barriers to the implementation and internalisation of formative assessment in China. Cogent Education, 3(1), 1183945.
[10]. Qiang, G. (2021). Teacher Assessment Literacy in University EFL Writing Instruction: From Conception to Practice. Hunan University.
[11]. Xie, Q., & Cui, Y. (2021). Preservice teachers' implementation of formative assessment in English writing class: Mentoring matters. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 70, 101019.
Cite this article
Wu,L. (2023). Enhancing Formative Assessment Practices in Chinese Classrooms: Opportunities and Limitations. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,17,304-312.
Data availability
The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.
Disclaimer/Publisher's Note
The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of EWA Publishing and/or the editor(s). EWA Publishing and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.
About volume
Volume title: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Educational Innovation and Philosophical Inquiries
© 2024 by the author(s). Licensee EWA Publishing, Oxford, UK. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and
conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. Authors who
publish this series agree to the following terms:
1. Authors retain copyright and grant the series right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this
series.
2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the series's published
version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial
publication in this series.
3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and
during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See
Open access policy for details).