The concept of assessing and evaluating student performances is widely regarded as “the most powerful type of measurement in education that influences student learning” (Shepard, 2013). Not only is it seen as a highly emotional aspect of pedagogy, but also as one of the core principles of teaching and learning. On the one hand, it represents “the very character and quality of education” (Shepard, 2013), while on the other, it “evokes fear, anxiety, and stress” (Conrad & Openo, 2018) for many students.
Due to its highly significant but contradictive and complex role in education, this course will deal with various facets of assessing and evaluating student performances in the EFL classroom. Accordingly, the course will focus on several key aspects and the following learning goals:
Learning objectives:
- Learn and understand the core principles of testing, assessment, and feedback in the context of learning and teaching in the EFL classroom
- Be able to distinguish between the different approaches of assessment and evaluation
- Know how to develop and use assessment and feedback activities in the EFL classroom
- Understand the role and purpose of feedback and how to provide constructive feedback to students
- Know about the characteristics and roles of self-, peer-, and group-assessments and how to implement these approaches in the classroom
- Understand the importance of errors and mistakes in the language learning process
- Learn about the specific circumstances of evaluating student performances in digital environments
- Develop an understanding of the purposes, benefits, and/or drawbacks of grading and reporting on student performances