Using learning-oriented online assessment to foster L2 students’ feedback literacy in L2 writing during COVID-19 pandemic

Dr Maggie Ma
Assistant Professor, Department of English
Hang Seng University of Hong Kong

Abstract:
Online learning has emerged as the “new norm” due to the COVID-19 crisis. Compared with institutions’ and teachers’ responses to online teaching, little is known about students’ perceived influence of online assessment practices. The present study explored the perceived effects of learning-oriented online assessment on L2 students’ feedback literacy and individual differences in feedback literacy development from an ecological perspective. We used multiple sources of data, including a survey on student feedback literacy, semi-structured interviews with two focal students, drafts produced by them and related teacher feedback, and supplementary data reflecting the online assessment practices in the course. Results demonstrated that the students held less favorable opinions of the online mode of learning in promoting feedback literacy. However, they perceived positively the development of feedback literacy in both cognitive and behavioral dimensions. Considerable variations were identified in the development of two focal students’ feedback literacy, especially in the affective and behavioral dimensions. The findings revealed the negative influence of misalignment between micro- and macro- factors on student feedback literacy and how such a misalignment shapes individual differences in feedback literacy when learning-oriented assessment (LOA) was implemented during COVID-19. The paper proposes a fine-grained model for developing student feedback literacy through learning-oriented online assessment. With a special focus on misalignment, the model provides insights into the interactional dynamics among learners, classroom, and larger contexts in using LOA to enhance student feedback literacy online. Relevant pedagogical implications for developing student feedback literacy within and beyond COVID-19 are discussed.

Bio:
Maggie Ma is Assistant Professor in the Department of English at the Hang Seng University of Hong Kong. Her research interests include formative assessment and L2 writing.