Abstract:
This thesis investigates the language testing and assessment courses (LTACs) in different cultural and academic contexts (Chinese undergraduate, Chinese postgraduate and New Zealand postgraduate) with an intention to: identify similarities and differences in terms of course construction and implementation; examine how LTACs develop students’ assessment literacy in China; and provide implications in contrasting contexts for assessment literacy preparation in teacher education programmes. An exploratory mixed-method research comprising two sequential phases of data collection and three inter-connected studies was designed and conducted. Study 1 employed content analysis to 20 LTAC course syllabi and identified different foci across the three contexts: Chinese undergraduate LTACs put a heavy weighting on language testing; Chinese postgraduate LTACs incorporated the teaching of formative and classroom assessment in addition to testing; and New Zealand (NZ) postgraduate LTACs focused on assessment as an umbrella term covering testing and other forms of assessment. Study 2 applied thematic analysis to interviews collected from the 20 course instructors and revealed that: 1) Chinese and NZ instructors all adopted a practice-based approach in teaching and were all confronted with challenges from time limits and students’ limitations; 2) Chinese and NZ instructors held contrasting attitudes towards policy and curriculum guidance; and 3) instructors’ conceptions of assessment and definitions of assessment literacy varied due to external contextual factors and individual differences, causing differences and similarities in their course design. Study 3 surveyed senior pre-service teachers from the Chinese undergraduate context and statistically analysed the impact of LTACs on their conceptual model of assessment literacy which includes three components: conceptions of assessment, self-efficacy of assessment, and practices of assessment. The survey results showed that: 1) Self-efficacy functioned as a mediator between conceptions and practices of assessment; 2) only one third of participanting pre-service teachers had experienced an LTAC and LTAC experience made little difference to pre-service teachers’ conceptual model of assessment literacy. Collectively, the findings informed a model of contextual factors that influence course construction and assessment literacy preparation that are applicable to different contexts. This thesis supports previous research that assessment literacy preparation is a social process in which many agents are involved and is influenced by the external educational environment. Additionally, the thesis shows that the power of external environments is mediated by differences in instructors’ individual experiences and backgrounds. The findings, however, also showed, at least in China, the inadequacy of one single assessment preparation course for assessment literacy development. Based on these findings and discussions, theoretical and practical implications were raised around assessment preparation courses, teacher education programmes, and the implementation of educational policies.