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LANG42515: Evaluation and Assessment

It is possible that changes to modules or programmes might need to be made during the academic year, in response to the impact of Covid-19 and/or any further changes in public health advice.

Type Tied
Level 4
Credits 15
Availability Available in 2023/24
Module Cap None.
Location Durham
Department Durham Centre for Academic Development

Prerequisites

  • None

Corequisites

  • None

Excluded Combinations of Modules

  • None

Aims

  • at the end of this module students will:
  • have a full working knowledge of principles of assessment
  • design effective assessment instruments

Content

  • the module will explore issues in assessment and evaluation in language teaching. Learners will examine the principles behind different forms of assessment and the effective design of assessments, encountering language assessment procedures, both formative and summative, in a range of contexts
  • the links between testing and assessment and the goals and objectives of language teaching will be considered

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:

  • understanding of methods of enquiry appropriate to issues in assessment, including concepts of validity and reliability in language test design
  • knowledge of key forms and formats of assessments, tests and test items and the merits and drawbacks of each
  • knowledge and understanding of factors influencing the effective implementation of assessments
  • understanding of statistical measures applied and reported in major language tests

Subject-specific Skills:

  • ability to design test items which meet the standards required of effective assessments
  • ability to implement an effective assessment tool, appropriate for a target pedagogical context

Key Skills:

  • ability to read and understand primary texts in assessment
  • ability to respond appropriately to a given pedagogical context

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • lectures will introduce principles underlying assessment. The lectures will also introduce key approaches relevant to effective language assessment. As a result, the students will have a good command of relevant theoretical background and be able to apply this knowledge to the design of assessments
  • seminar support will support learners in the development of their own language assessments and will enable further discussion of key issues in assessment

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

ActivityNumberFrequencyDurationTotalMonitored
Lectures10weekly2 hours20 
Seminars4Spaced out through the module2 hours8 
Preparation and Reading124 
Total150 

Summative Assessment

Component: Test Item design with rationaleComponent Weighting: 25%
ElementLength / DurationElement WeightingResit Opportunity
Test item design with rationale500 words plus test items100Yes
Component: Assessment Tool with RationaleComponent Weighting: 75%
ElementLength / DurationElement WeightingResit Opportunity
Assessment Tool with Rationale1500 words plus assessment tool100yes

Formative Assessment

Draft assessment tool and rationale

More information

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