2006 CALL

1. 2006 CALL

2. CALL Evaluation An Exploration of the Networked Assessment in the DNFLLT

3. “Assessment is a complex topic, the technical or political dimensions of which used to put teachers off”. ---Freeman(2003)

4. The NDFLLT model requires active participation in the assessment of teachers and students. • consumers of NA (networked assessment) Systems • informed evaluators • to apply the ready-made network resources • to produce new ones in the dynamic process of ELT

5. A sampled survey • of 287 subjects, (270 Ss and 17 Ts) • a questionnaire • structured interviews, • Concerning : • the popularity of the NA system with the participants • its effectiveness in evaluating online ELT

6. “Formative Assessment features Computer-based teaching” 1. A Formative Assessment Promoter? • actualizing the notion of formative assessment • Possibilities to Engage Ts in constant and continual assessment of their Ss by * Keeping a record of students' online performance; * Keeping files on students' academic achievements; *zhang de sheng (1).doc *shi xiao kang (2).doc

7. * Checking Ss’ fulfillment of the online assignments as to where and for how long Ss are accessing our course site *individual online time.doc * Getting the statistic data concerning their performance • Keeping students' learning process under observation, evaluation and supervision. *class a V-L-S.doc

8. Past practice Composing tests: a tiring burden Resorting to marketed papers more for EPT than for EAT poor relevance hardly for diagnosis or consolidation misleading Ss into despising course book learning. The NA system helping save Ts time and labor in designing and composing tests grading the papers analyzing the results combined with the record of students’ other-time performance, a more objective and comprehensive assessment of Ss learning. 2. A Summative Assessment Reliever ?

9. Offering benchmarks * for global self-assessment (in CEP--- Cf. CECR Appendix II) for assessing specific items * vocabulary exercise, * cloze work * Reading and listening comprehension, etc quick feedback mirroring progress and weak points The NA system: a poor assessor in written work like: * the short answer * Compound dictation * Translation * Essay writing In Ss own progress concerning * attitude, * strategies, * interest, etc. 3. A mirror for Ss’ self-assessment?

10. Positive answer from 67% respondents feedback shown on the Internet made them realize the gap between them and their peers thus driving them to greater efforts to catch up 15% remained neutral 18% disagreed Publicizing their poor performance on-line: embarrassing Discouraging them from taking further risk 4. A spur for greater efforts?

11. Problems discussion: The conveniences and facilitation of the NA system could not be truly enjoyed without full accessibility Accessibility • Affected by scant on-line hours: • Resulting in limited online assessment • Adjusting assignments accordingly to take advantage of the NA system. • Deciding on the priority

12. An envisaged spur Helping the shy students overcome their anxiety in public speech Improving speaking in form and content after full preparation Facilitating class speaking activities With samples, rich topics and materials A moonshine hardly any private space for the residential Ss hard for computer to recognize some Ss pronunciation unconventional practice not so urgent to the test-sensitive students 1). Human-computer conversation---a spur to oral English?

13. Functioning well in helping Ts grading comprehension exercises, analyzing the results obtaining individual’s score and statistics Examining Ss academic improvement. But having to remain idle 86% of students prefer printed reading given the limited on-line learning hours, physical discomfort in on-line reading inconvenience in * note taking, * marking, * margin reflection, etc. assign printed reading tasks as off-line work Resulting in the idleness of the NA system 2). On-line reading assessment?

14. E-mail writing * More for communication than for LL E-mail exchange discontinues if * Ts assessing Ss’ e-mail in its language elements like *structure, *appropriateness in expression * or spelling. Paragraph writing in each unit test ? * 40% choosing to ignore * Accounting for little * Ts preferring reading and grading Ss’ paper job Helping in pre-and post- writing ativities * the delivery of writing lectures. * the organization of pre-writing activities * Reviewing on students written job After all, seeing promotes understanding 3). A spur to writing improvement ?

15. 93% gave a positive response. Ts: holding it as a great helper * facilitating listening-test composing, * assignment grading, *result analyzing, etc. Ss: embracing it for their freedom in * pacing, * self-assessing * controlling the learning process to suit his / her own need. Some room for improvement. Its intolerance of synonyms or similar expressions Unit 6 Book II++4.doc * Listening resource enrichment, * Gradual dictation design *Content relevance, etc. 4. Facilitation to listening assessment?

16. Conclusion • The NA system is gaining its popularity. • The existing problems: 1) hardware construction, * to be solved when schools put in sufficient e-construction funds * or when most Ss can afford a PC; 2) improvement of the NA-system itself * It needs the co-efforts from the course-ware and soft-ware developers’; 3) Non-silicon dimension * It claims Ts’ caring heart, observant eyes and creative minds as well as Ts’ knowledge of assessment theories and techniques.

17. The NA system: a necessary supplement and helper • To give Ss an all-round assessment, Ts have the non-shifting responsibility to combine: * the conventional assessment approaches * the on-line resources * alternative devices like portfolio or performance assessment (Bailey,208-216)

18. Thank you!