IS ESP STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENT FEASIBLE?

Jolita Sliogeriene

DOI Number
https://doi.org/10.22190/JTESAP1803525S
First page
525
Last page
534

Abstract


This paper provides an overview of assessment practice as it relates to English for Specific Purposes (ESP), and which is used in a variety of higher education settings. The notion of benchmarking in ESP standardized assessment is discussed, and assessment standards leading to quality assurance are described. The challenge for educators is to agree on a common assessment framework in view of the ongoing debate on ESP benchmarking and unified assessment criteria (nationally or internationally), which is also compared to CEFR. The author uses case study analysis to focus on student assessment policy and practice in Alberta, Canada, as well as other selected countries. It is significant that, today, a number of ESP assessment models are based only partially on the main foreign language assessment principles. Accordingly, this paper provides an overview of such principles, their descriptors and best practice in ESP assessment. The main aim of the research is therefore to understand current assessment practices as well as to develop a standardized benchmarking for ESP teachers. The paper proposes a model of ESP standardized assessment based on the studied reference, ESP practices used in different countries, as well as standards of assessment in general.


Keywords

ESP, standardized assessment, benchmarking, formative and summative assessment.

Full Text:

PDF

References


Alberta Education (2007). Presentation to the Programme Standards and Accountability Stakeholder Advisory Committee. November 2007, Edmonton, AB.

Boud, D. (2006). Creating a space for reflection. In D. Boud, P. Cressey, & P. Docherty (Eds.), Productive reflection at work (pp. 158–169). London and New York: Routledge.

Carless, D. (2007). Learning-oriented assessment: Conceptual bases and practical implications. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 44(1), 57–66. doi:10.1080/14703290601081332

Davidson, F. & B. K. Lynch (2002). Testcraft: A Teacher's Guide to Writing and Using Language Test Specifications.London: Yale University Press.

Docherty, P., Boud, D., & Cressey, P. (2006). Lessons and issues for practice and development. In D. Boud, P. Cressey, & P. Docherty (Eds.), Productive reflection at work (pp. 193–206). London and New York: Routledge.

H. Douglas Brown. (2007). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. Pearson Education, Inc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQWDJeaswhU

International Language Testing Association (ILTA) (2002). http://www.surrey.ac.uk/ELI/ILTA/faqs

Irja Leppisaari , Leena Vainio , Jan Herrington & Yeonwook Im (2011) International e-benchmarking: flexible peer development of authentic learning principles in higher education, Educational Media International, 48:3, 179-191, DOI: 10.1080/09523987.2011.607321

John Gardner (2012). Assessment and Learning. Quality assessment practice. Sage Publications Ltd. London. p. 103

Leuven and Louvain-la-Neuve Communiqué (2009). The Bologna Process 2020: The European Higher Education Area in the new decade. Commmuniqué of the Conference of European Ministers Responsible for Higher Education. Belgium. Retrieved on 05-04-2015 from http://www.ehea. info/Uploads/Declarations/Leuven_Louvain-la-Neuve_Communique_April_2009.pdf

Mahsood Shah & Lucy Jarzabkowski (2013) The Australian higher education quality assurance framework, Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education, 17:3, 96-106

Milroy, J., &Milroy, L. (1991). Authority in language: Investigating language prescription and standardization. London, UK: Routledge.

Piaget, J. (1970). The science of education and the psychology of the child. New York: Basic Books

Robert Wood (1993). Assessment and testing. Cambridge University Press. P.273

Sin Wang Chong (2017): Three Paradigms of Classroom Assessment: Implications for Written Feedback Research, Language Assessment Quarterly, DOI: 10.1080/15434303.2017.1405423

Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind in society. The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, M.A:Harvard University Press

Wenger, E. (2001). Supporting communities of practice. A survey of community-oriented technologies. Retrieved 2 July 2018 from http://www.ewenger.com/tech.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.22190/JTESAP1803525S

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


ISSN 2334-9182 (Print)
ISSN 2334-9212 (Online)