Developing the evaluation of language courses : towards student-centredness
Kovalainen, Niina (2021)
2021
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2021112221157
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2021112221157
Tiivistelmä
This Master’s thesis approaches the topic of language skills evaluation and assessment from various intersecting perspectives. These perspectives, namely virtual communication skills, intercultural communication skills, profession-related skills, and collaboration skills all offer valuable insights into language teaching and learning in today’s tertiary education. This thesis is commissioned by the School of Pedagogical Innovations and Culture at Tampere University of Applied Sciences, Tampere Universities. The thesis aims at offering language teachers a concrete toolkit for planning contemporary evaluation and assessment on language courses, regardless of the language being taught, not forgetting the external regulatory constraints on teachers’ work.
The regulatory framework and context of this thesis introduces international and national guidelines in language teaching and learning as well as a short introduction to Finnish tertiary education. The core concepts of assessment and evaluation are also examined in more detail. Based on this academic literature review as well as a preliminary survey carried out at the School of Pedagogical Innovations and Culture, this thesis proceeds to discuss language skills’ characteristics, evaluation versus assessment, virtual learning and teaching as well as language skills needed in today’s rapidly changing working environments. The background section also illustrates the need for making language skills evaluation and assessment more versatile, continuous, and quick.
It became evident that the current evaluation methods used in the School of Pedagogical Innovations and Culture are already versatile and contemporary, but their timing and form could be better planned in order to both save working hours from teachers and become even more long-term oriented for students.
This thesis fulfilled its goal by offering the personnel of in the School of Pedagogical Innovations and Culture a teachers’ toolkit of ideas they can use on all their courses. Furthermore, the thesis offers some discussion into the future development of assessment and evaluation tool selection.
The regulatory framework and context of this thesis introduces international and national guidelines in language teaching and learning as well as a short introduction to Finnish tertiary education. The core concepts of assessment and evaluation are also examined in more detail. Based on this academic literature review as well as a preliminary survey carried out at the School of Pedagogical Innovations and Culture, this thesis proceeds to discuss language skills’ characteristics, evaluation versus assessment, virtual learning and teaching as well as language skills needed in today’s rapidly changing working environments. The background section also illustrates the need for making language skills evaluation and assessment more versatile, continuous, and quick.
It became evident that the current evaluation methods used in the School of Pedagogical Innovations and Culture are already versatile and contemporary, but their timing and form could be better planned in order to both save working hours from teachers and become even more long-term oriented for students.
This thesis fulfilled its goal by offering the personnel of in the School of Pedagogical Innovations and Culture a teachers’ toolkit of ideas they can use on all their courses. Furthermore, the thesis offers some discussion into the future development of assessment and evaluation tool selection.