Book Review of “Innovation in Learning-Oriented Language Assessment”
Fang Wang, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
In-depth Review
Several scholars have revisited the role of assessment in education in recent years, sharing the belief that assessment serves a dual purpose: both grading and facilitating learning (Carless, 2015). In other words, assessment is not only about measuring results related to student learning outcomes but also a process that can be used to teach students in a more effective manner. Carless coined the term “learning-oriented assessment” (LOA) to describe assessment processes in which learning elements are valued more heavily than measurement elements.
The book Innovation in Learning-Oriented Language Assessment, edited by Sin Wang Chong and Hayo Reinders, is the first comprehensive examination of learning-oriented language assessment (LOLA) for language teachers and teacher trainers, providing replicable examples. The book is clearly organized: Chapter 1, written by the two editors, introduces LOLA and reviews the seven dimensions of LOLA (based on Turner & Purpura, 2016). The chapter also proposes ten principles for implementing LOLA by synthesizing findings from the collected chapters. The remaining 17 chapters can be categorized into four clusters: learning-oriented task development (Chapters 4, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, and 18), implementation of LOLA practice (Chapters 3, 5, 6, 8, 15, and 17), assessment literacy (Chapters 10 and 16), and research synthesis (Chapters 2 and 14). The subsequent paragraphs discuss each cluster in detail.
The cluster on learning-oriented task development contains the most chapters compared to other clusters. These chapters discuss the development and use of traditional (Chapters 7 and 9) and innovative (Chapters 4, 11, 12, 13, and 18) assessment tasks. For instance, Gavin O’Neil and Katerina Petchko (Chapter 7) documented the process of developing and validating a learner-centered, high-stakes placement test of academic writing for a Japanese university. Based on their experience, they outlined several crucial steps for creating a learner-centered language test. Lilan Lin and Hayo Reinders (Chapter 18) created an e-portfolio for undergraduates at a Chinese university to self-assess their autonomous language learning behaviors. In addition to outlining key steps, Chapter 18 emphasizes the use of e-portfolios to enhance learner autonomy.
The implementation of LOLA is another major theme in this book, with dedicated chapters (Chapters 3, 5, 6, 8, 15, and 17) illuminating its application from various perspectives. Chapters 5, 8, and 17 focus on teacher feedback, while Chapters 6 and 15 explore a blend of learner and teacher assessment. For instance, in Chapter 5, Tuba Özturan, Hacer Hande Uysal, and Prithvi N. Shrestha delved into dynamic assessment by demonstrating the implementation of one-on-one interactive feedback sessions in a writing class over time. They concluded the chapter with recommendations for effectively employing dynamic assessment both within and beyond the classroom. In Chapter 6, Huahui Zhao and Beibei Zhao examined the consistency between self-assessment and instructor assessment. Their discussion aimed to help teachers and researchers understand how the same rubric can produce different results and what strategies teachers can use to maximize the positive impact of involving learners in the assessment process. In addition to chapters on teacher feedback and blended assessment, Chapter 3 explores the possibility of embedding LOLA (utilizing mentor-apprentice relationships for students, promoting learner independence, and including students in the assessment process) in a Chinese junior high school, where students prepare for the Senior High School Entrance Examination. The author, Ruijin Yang, suggested methods to infuse test preparation with a learning-oriented approach, while also addressing the inherent challenges posed by a high-stakes, standardized testing framework.
Chapters 10 and 16 focus on assessment literacy, a subject that has gained significant attention in recent years. In Chapter 16, Li Li offered comprehensive insights into pre-service teachers’ knowledge and practice of technology-enhanced assessment. Li argued that every teacher should develop assessment literacy and consider technology an essential component of language assessment. Li also advocated for the importance of teacher agency in increasing their assessment literacy. Magnus Coney in Chapter 10 addressed the topic of assessment literacy from a different angle by looking at whether LOA-related topics receive significant attention in language teacher training courses by tutors. Coney concluded with suggestions for teacher educators supporting the development of LOA in pre-service language teachers.
The book also has two chapters synthesizing current research and practices on LOLA. In Chapter 2, Tony Burner reviewed current research on formative language assessment and implications, as well as identifies areas for future research. In a similar vein, Michelle Y. Chen and You-Min Lin presented a literature review on mobile-assisted language assessment for adult EFL learners and discussed future design options for mobile-assisted language assessment in Chapter 14.
Critique Corner
This timely collection of papers on LOLA originates from an online symposium held in 2021, emphasizing the need for more formative assessment in classroom settings. The four clusters, as summarized above, guide language instructors from becoming familiar with the current literature in the field, to critically examining their knowledge about assessment, and finally to the design and implementation of LOLA-related tasks. Featuring contributions from language teachers and assessment researchers from ten different countries, this book offers content applicable to a variety of educational settings. Moreover, each chapter concludes with a “practice brief” from the contributors, offering tips for language instructors who wish to implement the assessment examples in their own classrooms or contexts.
As a faculty member in higher education, I teach education and research methods courses. I find this book invaluable for its innovative approaches to making my courses more learning-oriented, such as understanding learner perspectives on their own learning (e.g., Chapter 6) and enhancing my knowledge of learning-oriented task design (e.g., Chapter 18). Furthermore, it helps me identify both current and future topics in assessment education for pre-service teachers, allowing me to provide high-quality assessment training in teacher education courses (e.g., Chapter 10). I believe the topics covered in this book are essential for any language practitioner or researcher, as they offer practical suggestions and guide future pedagogical and research endeavors.
The book highlights the benefits of implementing LOLA in various real-life scenarios across different countries but also acknowledges areas for improvement. The chapters discuss various aspects of LOLA, yet there is a notable gap: a lack of research examining the comprehensive impact of LOLA—which combines instructor feedback, learners’ self-assessment, and peer assessment—on learners’ development. This gap is understandable, as limitations exist including training learners to be proficient assessors requires extensive training (Min, 2005). Another critical limitation, common in much educational research, is the short duration of study periods, which cannot demonstrate whether implementing LOLA has a long-term effect on learners' development, rather than just a single instance. Future research should try to address these two limitations to present a more robust picture of the impact of LOLA.
In the introductory chapter, editors Chong and Reinders introduced the seven dimensions of LOLA (based on Turner & Purpura, 2016). They indicated that each of the remaining 17 chapters addresses one or more of these dimensions. However, there is a lack of detailed explanation from the chapter contributors on how each chapter integrates these dimensions, which results in a disconnect between the introductory chapter and the subsequent chapters.
Moreover, many chapters lack crucial details, requiring readers to infer information and fill in the gaps. For example, Chapter 16, which focuses on developing language teachers' assessment literacy, describes a course for student teachers to learn technology-enhanced language assessment. However, it provides no details about the course beyond the design principles. Although a word limit is probably required for each chapter, essential details should be given for readers to better understand the study process and findings. More importantly, given the nature of this book collection, which targets language practitioners, the practice briefs in many chapters lack substance and fail to offer novel guidance.
In conclusion, Innovation in Learning-Oriented Language Assessment presents 17 practical chapters detailing innovative LOLA practices from ten countries. Language practitioners can enrich their understanding of LOLA through reviewing current scholarships, learning to design and implement LOLA practices, and reflecting on their assessment literacy. Language researchers can explore how LOLA-informed practices are applied in formative assessment settings. It is a book worth reading.
References
Carless, D. (2015). Exploring learning-oriented assessment processes. Higher Education, 69(6), 963–976. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-014-9816-z
Chong, S. W., & Reinders, H. (Eds.). (2023). Innovation in learning-oriented language assessment. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18950-0
Min, H.-T. (2005). Training students to become successful peer reviewers. System, 33(2), 293–308. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2004.11.003
Turner, C. E., & Purpura, J. E. (2016). Learning-oriented assessment in second and foreign language classrooms. In D. Tsagari & J. Banerjee (Eds.), Handbook of second language assessment (pp. 255–272). De Gruyter Mouton.
Fang Wang is a faculty associate at Arizona State University. Her research focuses on learning-oriented assessment, integrated skills assessment, and second language reading and writing.