Implementing assessment change in Hong Kong: issues and strategies David Carless

Overview Perspectives on reform and some recent ELT innovations Positive potential of SBA Synergy between formative and summative assessment Factors impacting on the implementation of SBA Strategies in implementing SBA

Common characteristics of reforms Some unrealistic expectations Destructive political climate (Morris & Scott, 2005) Adoption vs implementation Lack of coherence in reforms Lack of continuity in reforms Frequent ‘failure’ leading to cynicism Pace of reform usually too fast

NET schemes NETs not a solution to raising standards of English but a contribution Neither NETs/non-NETs superior to each other, simply different Mixed results (of course!) NETs provide a genuine reason to communicate through English PNET scheme has particular potential (Carless, 2006, forthcoming)

TOC Branded as a failure But current reforms recycle TOC principles Teachers were positive when students benefitted Centrality of teachers’ beliefs and understandings Formative assessment difficult to implement (Morris et al., 2000)

Implications for SBA reform SBA is likely to be heavily criticised in the coming months Just as NET, TOC and other reforms have been criticised The reality is that most reforms have a variety of positive, negative, nil-impact and unintended consequences

Positive potential of SBA Students will benefit “Students dislike selection and high-stakes tests, show high levels of test anxiety and prefer other forms of assessment” (Harlen, 2005)

SBA meets a problem Students study English for around 2,500 hours between P1 and S5 (Education convergence, 2001) Yet many face difficulties in expressing themselves in English A need to change the teaching and learning culture

SBA + teaching & learning culture Positive washback More interactive teaching methods More production by students Wider reading Wider variety of texts

SBA + assessment culture Potential for students to be more active participants in the assessment process Opportunity for peer- and self-assessment processes Synergies between formative and summative assessment but … … danger of summative crowding out formative The more purposes a single assessment aims to serve, the more each purpose will be compromised (Pellegrino et al., 2001)

SBA + current reform agenda Assessment for learning Diversifying modes of assessment Reducing examination pressure Learning to learn Generic skills: communication, study & self- management skills

Possible by-products of SBA Potential for raising assessment literacy More discussion of the learning potential of assessment processes Other unanticipated benefits … Greater recognition of shortcomings of existing external exams More focus on the role of feedback

Reform characteristics and SBA Expectations of SBA Destructive climate Implementation (rather than adoption) Coherence (reading to learn; diversifying assessment ) Continuity (TAS in science) Cynicism about reforms Pace (the first time, the most challenging)

D. Views of parents MACRO LEVEL CHANGE ENVIRONMENT LEVEL 3 G. Reform Climate PERSONAL DOMAIN LEVEL 1 MICRO LEVEL CHANGE ENVIRONMENT LEVEL 2 C. Internal school support F. Societal teaching, learning & assessment culture A. Teachers’ understandings of principles and practice B. Congruence with teachers’ beliefs and values The Innovation SBA E. External school-based support H. Impact of governmental or quasi-governmental agencies I. The curriculum

Problems are our friends (Fullan, 1993) We cannot develop effective responses unless we actively seek and confront real problems Paradoxically, challenges should be welcomed, faced and debated: “conflict is essential” Only by facing problems can creative solutions emerge Lee (2005) critique The issue of reliability

Support for teachers Reductions in workload in some areas e.g. unproductive marking Reduction in S4 school tests e.g. oral Identification and sharing of good practices In-school support Staff development, development of assessment literacy

Summary and conclusions SBA has potential to impact positively on T, L & A Needs time, support and nurturing An obstacle may be teachers’ understandings and beliefs Not an easy time to be a reformer Needs a balanced appraisal without too much media sensationalism Always easier to critique than to innovate “My students have benefitted a lot from SBA” (teacher)

For further exploration Synergies or conflicts between formative and summative functions of assessment The student role in the assessment process: decoding criteria; self-evaluating; and improving