The current study addressed the impact of computerized dynamic assessment (C-DA) on the TOEFL i BT listening comprehension test administered to Iranian EFL learners ( n = 185) who took part in preparation courses on the TOEFL exam in some language centres in Iran. To mediate the test-takers with hints to process the listening questions, a computer software program was developed, and it was meant to produce the following: Actual, mediated, and learning potential scores. Findings of the study indicated that the actual and mediated scores led to significant different mean scores in various listening ability levels in almost all question types. Generally, results highlighted the significant positive impact of C-DA on improving EFL test-takers’ performances in the monologue and dialogue tasks. Teachers were recommended to implement C-DA since the information gained from this sociocultural assessment mode empowers them to provide learners with more individualized and accordingly more effective teaching and assessment strategies.

This study investigated the impacts of computerized dynamic assessment (C-DA) on a TOEFL iBT reading exam among 185 upper-intermediate EFL Iranian learners. The exam included five question types: Vocabulary, detail, negative fact, purpose, and inference items whose answers yielded three types of scores: Actual, mediated, and learning potential. Results indicated statistically significant differences between actual and mediated scores with various reading ability levels in using hints in the question types. Even though C-DA improved the scores in the mediated test items and resulted in significant correlations, there was no empirical evidence that C-DA was conducive to a comprehensive diagnosis of the ability in the Zone of Actual Development (ZAD). The study had direct pedagogical and methodological implications by suggesting more individualized and, accordingly, more effective mediation to learners, such as the interactionist approach.

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