Changes in student attributions due to the implementation of central exit exams

Abstract

The central aim of standardized exit exams is to motivate students and teachers to work harder on critical subject matters and thus increase student achievement. However, the effects of the implementation of central exams on student motivation have not been analyzed in a longitudinal section until now. In the present study, the consequences of implementing central exams in the German states Bremen and Hesse on student attributions after the exams have been analyzed. We expected an increase in attributions to effort, teaching and luck, caused by the change in examination systems in Bremen advanced courses from 2007 to 2008. Differential results were expected for students perceiving themselves successful or not successful respectively. As a control, advanced courses in Bremen were compared to those in Hesse that did not pass through a change in examination systems at this time. The results point to an increase of attributions to effort and teaching in the total group, but none of attributions to luck. Additionally, as hypothesized, the change in attributions to effort occurred only for perceived successful and a change in attribution to teaching was found mainly for perceived unsuccessful students. The outcomes are interpreted and consequences for further studies are formulated.

Consequences of test use: a case study of employers’ voice on the social impact of English certification exit requirements in Taiwan

“…A number of studies on test consequences have taken an educational perspective and focused on teachers and students in various contexts, such as the US (Alderson & Hamp-Lyons, 1996;Saif, 1999Saif, , 2006Stecher et al, 2004); Australia (Burrows, 1998(Burrows, , 2001(Burrows, , 2004; Europe (Oerke, et al, 2011;Smyth & Banks, 2012;Wall & Horak, 2006); China (Cheng, 2004(Cheng, , 2005Deng & Carless, 2010;Xie & Andrews, 2012); Japan (Watanabe, 1996(Watanabe, , 2004, and Taiwan (Chu, 2009;Pan, 2011;Pan & Newfields, 2012;Shih, 2007). A far more limited number of studies have investigated test effects at the macro level as the next section demonstrates.…”

learners’ Perspectives of factors Influencing Gains in standardized English Test Scores

“…There has been an increased level of attention devoted to the consequences of test use in recent years; however, the majority of washback studies focused on teaching (Cheng, 2008(Cheng, , 2014. For example, a number of studies on test consequences have taken an educational perspective and focused on teachers in various contexts, such as the US (Alderson & Hamp-Lyons, 1996;Stecher, Chun, & Barron, 2004); Australia (Burrows, 1998(Burrows, , 2001(Burrows, , 2004; Europe (Oerke, Merki, Holmeier, & Jager, 2011;Smyth & Banks, 2012;Wall & Horak, 2006); China (Cheng, 2004(Cheng, , 2005; Japan (Watanabe, 1996(Watanabe, , 2004, and Taiwan (Pan, 2011). In fact, a far more limited number of studies have addressed learners' perspectives to analyze possible factors that may contribute to their test results.…”