Kim Koh

There is limited research examining how technology-enhanced assessment functions in nontraditional schools. The following research question guided our study: How are technology-enhanced formative assessment strategies perceived to support student learning in a flexible-paced high school environment? The study employed an educational design approach to co-develop and implement formative assessment strategies with teacher-participants during six professional learning sessions throughout the school year. Drawing on data from pre- and post-surveys administered to teachers (n = 36), researcher field notes with reflections during the professional learning sessions, and open-ended survey responses from students at the end of the school year (n = 43), we found: (a) a greater reported use of digital methods for formative assessment and a significant increase in the use of authentic, real world assessment criteria; (b) teacher and student perceptions that timely, constructive, and accessible digital feedback supported learning experiences; and (c) recognition that students could be more actively involved in determining assessment criteria. Students also reported benefits from receiving digital feedback, opportunities for self-assessment, and greater clarity in their learning progression. While technology can enrich feedback and efficiency, careful attention must be paid to sustaining equity and learner voice in assessment design.

Chinese teachers’ formative assessment literacy remains limited within Confucian, high-stakes examination systems. This study reports the development and validation of the Formative Assessment Literacy Inventory (FALI) for K-12 teachers in mainland China. In the pilot study (N = 96), expert panel review and Rasch analysis were conducted to refine item quality, resulting in satisfactory model fit (Infit MNSQ = 0.99; Outfit MNSQ = 1.22). After removing misfitting items, in the main study (N = 309), two rounds of Confirmatory Factor Analysis supported a Conceptual-Practical-Socio-emotional three-dimensional structure, with adequate model fit and satisfactory reliability (CFI = .908; TLI = .881; RMSEA = .067; SRMR = .090). The results indicated that teachers’ formative assessment literacy remained marginally above the 60% passing threshold, suggesting that the socio-emotional dimension may play a potential bridging role between the conceptual and practical dimensions. Overall, the validated FALI offers a reliable and culturally grounded inventory for diagnosing and enhancing teachers’ formative assessment literacy in Confucian K-12 educational contexts.

This chapter aims to consolidate and succinctly present scholarship on authentic language assessment to furnish readers with practical guidance. The authors’ pertinent objectives are as follows: (1) to underscore the importance of authentic assessment in language programs and provide some fundamental considerations for the design and administration of authentic language assessment (ALA), (2) to reify the “authenticity” feature of ALA and then elucidate the design principles along with the authentic intellectual quality (AIQ) criteria for ALA, and (3) to provide recommendations for language program administrators to consider in their continuing professional development, planning and implementation of authentic assessments in language programs, and support of language educators to develop language assessment literacy, including ALA task design and formative assessment. The chapter concludes with some suggestions for future research.

Introduction to the Summer, 2023 (Volume 15, No. 10) Special Issue of Cultural and Pedagogical Inquiry titled "All That Glitters is Not Gold: Culturally Responsive Online Assessment and Pedagogy in Uncertain Times featuring Guest Editors Kim Koh, Jennifer Lock and Cecelle DePass. This Special Issue captures poems, narratives, reflections, and studies on assessment and pedagogical practices from elementary schools to initial teacher preparation programs during the pandemic.

In this article, the author offers a brief review of the theoretical foundations, historical origins, and development of culturally responsive assessment (CRA). The concept of authentic performance assessment is discussed with its crucial role in serving as a form of CRA to support students’ learning in online learning environments. Drawing on the fields of measurement, assessment, and technology, the author highlights some key considerations in the design and implementation of culturally responsive online assessments for equity-deserving students.