Ying Zhan

Washback Effects from a High-Stakes Examination on Out-of-Class English Learning: Insights from Possible Self Theories.

There is still limited understanding of the impact of high-stakes examinations on students’ out-of-class learning. The current study attempts to fill this research gap by addressing this issue in the context of tertiary education in Mainland China. The study examines how far the revised College English Test Band 4 (CET-4) actually influenced Chinese non-English-major undergraduates’ out-of-class learning by following three cases in one university from the day when they began their college English study to the day when they sat the examination. A total of 106 diary entries and 30 post-diary interview recordings were collected in the study. The data analysis shows that, under the influence of the target test, the informants were more likely to change what they learnt than how they learnt. Furthermore, the types of washback seemed to be closely related to how individuals imagined their possible CET-4 selves.

Appreciated but constrained: reflective practice of student teachers in learning communities in a Confucian heritage culture

ABSTRACT This study aimed to understand the reflective practice of 23 Chinese student teachers in learning communities (LCs) during their practicum in a Confucian heritage culture. The reflective levels of the student teachers and the factors that mediated the effects of LCs on their reflective practice were explored using journals and post-journal interviews. The results showed that the majority of the student teachers reflected on their teaching at surface and pedagogical levels, and only a few of them critically reflected on their teaching in LCs. Although the student teachers acknowledged the positive roles of LCs in terms of collective wisdom, constructive suggestions from peers and peers’ emotional support in their reflective practice, they believed that some Confucian-based cultural factors, such as reliance on authority, giving/saving face, and maintaining harmonious social relationship, constrained their reflective practice, particularly when they had to make decisions or were confronted with conflicting views.

Test Takers’ Beliefs and Experiences of a High-stakes Computer-based English Listening and Speaking Test

Test takers’ beliefs or experiences have been overlooked in most validation studies in language education. Meanwhile, a mutual exclusion has been observed in the literature, with little or no dialogue between validation studies and studies concerning the uses and consequences of testing. To help fill these research gaps, a group of Senior III students in Guangdong Province, mainland China, were interviewed concerning their views of the high-stakes Computer-based English Listening and Speaking Test (CELST) and their experiences of preparing for and taking the test. The data analysis indicated that the students had a distinct understanding of the CELST validity and also tentatively suggested a relationship between the students’ views of the CELST design, their test preparation practice and their test taking process. These findings provided information useful for sharpening a computer-based English listening and speaking test and for generating positive washback on English learning.

Education for sustainability using a campus eco-garden as a learning environment

Purpose This paper aims to explore stakeholder perspectives of the role of a campus eco-garden in education for sustainability (EfS). It will combine the perspectives to highlight a powerful learning environment (PLE) for university students to realize the concept of EfS. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted to reveal stakeholder understandings of a campus eco-garden, as well as its associated expectations of learning activities and education outcomes. Three stakeholder groups were interviewed; designers, educators and environmental and non-environmental subject-related students. Findings All three stakeholder groups expected cognitive learning of EfS to be enhanced by the eco-garden. The use of affective learning was not strongly expected by the stakeholders. Psychomotor learning was believed to be the most difficult to realize. To fulfill the potential of the eco-garden in EfS, all stakeholders suggested learning activities and roles for both students and teachers. The combined perspectives of the stakeholders helped to visualize a PLE to aid EfS. Practical implications This study underlines the importance of effective communication of expectations between stakeholders. It underlines the importance of integrating educational activities with the eco-garden as a PLE, highlighting the roles of teachers and students. It also sheds light on the importance of introducing a cultural component to the EfS program. Originality/value This is the first study to apply the PLE theory to enhance EfS with the aid of infrastructure. Both users and designers reveal their views on the planning of the campus eco-garden, especially in its educational function. The study is possibly the first to reveal the differences in expectations between designers and other stakeholder groups (teachers and students) using Konings et al.’s (2005) combination-of-perspectives model.

Students’ beliefs and experiences of interdisciplinary learning

Abstract This study explored senior secondary students’ beliefs and experiences of learning an interdisciplinary curriculum, Liberal Studies, in Hong Kong. Through the analysis of focus-group interviews with 168 students, most of the students were found to enjoy or at least not resist interdisciplinary learning, and preferred to study real-world contemporary issues. More than half of the students, however, expressed their relative lack of confidence in interdisciplinary learning because of the difficulties they encountered in Independent Enquiry Studies and the public examination. The students were also found to have undertaken examination-oriented activities when the public examination approached. The study sheds light on the realization of interdisciplinary learning in secondary education in contexts where teacher-centred pedagogy and an accountability agenda remain influential.