Current issues of formative assessment improvement in Hong Kong international school

Abstract

The research aims at finding out the current issues and Profession dilemma which have an important influence on the Formative Assessment improvement especially in teaching Chinese as a second language in Hong Kong international schools and trying to provide some instructive suggestions to solve the problems. In order to conduct this research, several research methodologies were used to collect data and the whole progress was combined Quantitative Research and Qualitative Research together. First of all, Pilot Tests were carried out to make sure that the methodologies designed for the experiment can obtain the expected results. Second, the researcher utilized questionnaire, interview and observation to get the data from the target teachers who teach Chinese as a second language in Hong Kong international school and the target students who learn Chinese especially Mandarin as a second language. In the procedure, the researcher used the questionnaire to acquire the key points of problems, and then design interview questions which are based on them. Finally, the data collected from the questionnaire, interview and observation was analyzed by synthesis to acquire a final result. According to the findings of this study, three major issues have been identified. Firstly, the lack of professional training of how to apply formative assessment leads to common confusion to the Hong Kong international school teachers. Second, Students feel difficult to balance tests and final exams and hold less confidence in self-assessment and cooperation assessment. Different education backgrounds of the students lead to a complicated attitude to the formative assessment. Lastly, the low quality of teachers’ feedback results in ineffective information to students in the formative assessment.

本論文旨在研究於香港國際學校中，形成性評估在漢語作為第二語言教學時所遇到的現實問題和專業困境，並嘗試提出具有建設性意義的解決方案。本次研究採用質性研究和量性研究相結合的研究方法。其中具體採用的是問卷調查法、訪問調查法與觀察研究法等研究方法，並事先進行先導實驗以確保調查達到預期效果。 研究以先導試驗開始，之後會針對研究物件（香港某所國際學校的對外漢語教師及其班上的學生）進行以形成性評估為主題的問卷調查、訪問調查和觀察研究。在調查過程中，研究者會依據問卷調查的初步結論設計後面的訪談問題；最後各項結果將被加以綜合分析以得出最終結論。 本次研究主要得出以下三方面的結論: 一、教師在推行形成評估時所面臨的主要困境主要是教師在形成性評估的專業知識、技能等方面缺乏系統的培訓和學習。 二、學生在形成性評估所面臨的主要問題有主要是難以平衡平時小測和終結性評估之間的比例關係，且學生普遍對自主性評估和合作性評估的信心度不高。其中不同教育背景的學生複雜而矛盾的認知態度對於形成性評估的推行有著重要的影響。

三、教師和學生在形成性評估之中存在溝通的困境，即教師回饋滯後和回饋品質不高，導致學生無法在形成性評估中及時獲得有效資訊。