The impact of language assessment literacy training on EFL university lecturers’ language assessment literacy, efficacy and practice of student self-assessment

Abstract

The literature suggested that limited assessment literacy in the use of SSA has led to insufficient use of SSA in Thai tertiary EFL classrooms. This study examined the current assessment practice, assessment literacy, and assessment efficacy in the use of SSA of the EFL lecturers who were serving at the nine Rajamangala Universities (RMUTs) and the effect of assessment literacy training on the assessment literacy, assessment efficacy, and assessment practice in the use of SSA among four EFL lecturers from one particular Rajamangala University. In this study, the researcher utilised mixed-methods research, a paradigm in which she drew on data from the questionnaire survey of 163 respondents, augmented with the data from a semi-structured interview with 48 interview informants. It was found that the lecturers at the nine RMUTs had moderate levels of assessment literacy and assessment efficacy in the use of SSA. Identification of emergent themes in the training participants’ responses provided crucial information relevant to the continuous, job-embedded assessment literacy training in the use of SSA, from which the lecturers improved and increased their levels of assessment literacy and assessment efficacy while applying assessment practice in the use of SSA in their classrooms. The training was found to be meaningful to the lecturers at the nine RMUTs, particularly with regard to the following aspects: the opportunity to share goals regarding assessment practice in the use of SSA, the provision of resources and support, implementation and hands-on experience of SSA in classrooms, and collaboration in a learning community.