9. The Politics of Examination Reform in Central Europe

Pižorn, Karmen; Nagy, Edit

doi:10.21832/9781847691446-012

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

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“…The “sentimental role concerns values that are traditional and cultural, while the instrumental role has to do with economics and job-improved possibilities” (Davies, 2009, p. 45). In a case study of the development of a Grade 9 English exam in Slovenia, Pižorn and Nagy (2009) concluded that “politicians, especially when feeling vulnerable to public opinion at election time . .…”

Section: Review Of the Relevant Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Little and Lazenby Simpson (2009) presented a case of successful, recognized language program development in Ireland; however, this program was later closed, likely due to a lack of a consolidated relationship between the project and political leaders. Pižorn and Nagy (2009) presented two cases from Central Europe, which illustrate the problems that can arise when powerful individuals “exercised their arbitrary power in different ways” (p. 185). They went on to write that “ambitions, personal agendas, openness to change and attitudes to professionalism” (Pižorn & Nagy, 2009, p. 185) all can impact a project’s outcomes.…”

Section: Review Of the Relevant Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Pižorn and Nagy (2009) presented two cases from Central Europe, which illustrate the problems that can arise when powerful individuals “exercised their arbitrary power in different ways” (p. 185). They went on to write that “ambitions, personal agendas, openness to change and attitudes to professionalism” (Pižorn & Nagy, 2009, p. 185) all can impact a project’s outcomes.…”

Section: Review Of the Relevant Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

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Local placement test retrofit and building language assessment literacy with teacher stakeholders: A case study from Colombia

Janssen

2022

Language Testing

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This article provides a single, common-case study of a test retrofit project at one Colombian university. It reports on how the test retrofit project was carried out and describes the different areas of language assessment literacy the project afforded local teacher stakeholders. This project was successful in that it modified the test constructs and item types, while drawing stronger connections between the curriculum and the placement instrument. It also established a conceptual framework for the test and produced a more robust test form, psychometrically. The project intersected with different social forces, which impacted the project’s outcome in various ways. The project also illustrates how test retrofit provided local teachers with opportunities for language assessment literacy and with evidence-based knowledge about their students’ language proficiency. The study concludes that local assessment projects have the capacity to benefit local teachers, especially in terms of increased language assessment literacy. Intrinsic to a project’s sustainability are long-term financial commitment and institutionally established dedicated time, assigned to teacher participants. The study also concludes that project leadership requires both assessment and political skill sets, to conduct defensible research while compelling institutions to see the potential benefits of an ongoing test development or retrofit project.

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Section: Review Of the Relevant Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Review Of the Relevant Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Review Of the Relevant Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

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Local placement test retrofit and building language assessment literacy with teacher stakeholders: A case study from Colombia

Janssen

2022

Language Testing

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“…Assessment literacy problems do not always result in "passive" misconceptions, however. Pižorn and Nagy (2009) report on language exam reform projects in Slovenia and Hungary which were designed to shift language assessment in those countries to a more communicative, four-skills approach (e.g., to develop assessments based on more authentic and useful constructs of language ability). In both cases, the reforms were actively thwarted by decision-makers who lacked expertise in assessment, but who made arbitrary and, ultimately, detrimental decisions based on political rather than pedagogical goals.…”

Section: Language Assessment Literacymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An example is the instalment, withdrawal and re-instalment of subject test teams, in the course of one year, for primary school national assessment in Slovenia, according to the specific political party that was in power and ultimately leading the English team to resign due to the unfeasibility of developing a good quality exam in the remaining time. Another example is situated in the context of the abandonment of the Hungarian Examinations Reform Project: the deletion of paragraphs from a test specifications document by a Ministry official and the denial of the value of standard-setting as opposed to the simple imposition of a cut-score by this same official (Pižorn and Nagy, 2009). It is clear that further research is required into the influence of policy-makers on language assessment decisions more generally.…”

Section: Language Assessment Literacymentioning

confidence: 99%

Bridging assessment and learning: a view from second and foreign language assessment

Alderson

Brunfaut

Harding

2017

Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice

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This paper considers issues around the relationship between assessment and learning, as put forward by Baird, Andrich, Hopfenbeck and Stobart (2017), from the perspective of the field of second and foreign language assessment. In our response, we describe shared observations on the nature of research and practice in general educational assessment and in language assessment (including with respect to linking assessment with theories of learning, managing impact, and enhancing assessment literacy). At the same time, we also identify areas where language assessment seems to diverge from current research and practice in general educational assessment (for example in the areas of assessment purposes, construct definitions, and validation theory and practice). As a consequence, we believe that close monitoring of advances in both fields is likely to be mutually beneficial.

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AssessingEnglishinEurope

Lim

2013

The Companion to Language Assessment

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One of the results of integration in the European area has been the development of a unified language policy promoting “plurilingualism,” providing some measure of coherence to the learning, teaching, and assessment of language ability. In practice, English has been the primary additional language learned, and it is learned in and out of school systems from ever earlier ages by ever more people, for purposes of personal development, migration, survival, education, and employment. A long tradition of formal English language assessment exists in parts of Europe, often for high stakes purposes, though informal and formative assessments have also been promoted in such projects as DIALANG and the European Language Portfolio. In recent years, language assessment has been discussed with reference to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Examinations claim “alignment” to the CEFR, and test users ask for results in terms of the six levels into which the CEFR divides language ability. There is debate, however, as to whether using the CEFR for such alignment is possible, defensible, or even desirable. The meaning and role of the framework remains to be agreed. The direction of this debate, the language‐related policies of users, and the changing demographic of English language learning will influence future ESL assessment practice in Europe and beyond.

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9. The Politics of Examination Reform in Central Europe

Cited by 8 publications

References 0 publications

Local placement test retrofit and building language assessment literacy with teacher stakeholders: A case study from Colombia

Local placement test retrofit and building language assessment literacy with teacher stakeholders: A case study from Colombia

Bridging assessment and learning: a view from second and foreign language assessment

AssessingEnglishinEurope

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