Diagnostic tests have been traditionally associated with the identification of students’ needs. However, in combination with CEFR self-assessment lists could be a tool for self-reflection. This presentation will report the students’ perceptions concerning the value of their own work and how these correspond to an external standardised tool.
Diagnostic tests have been traditionally used as a way for language instructors to identify students' abilities and needs. However, diagnostic tests in combination with CEFR self-assessment lists could be considered a form of formative assessment and a great tool for self-reflection. Formative assessment promotes "personal effectiveness" and thus, is a key feature of transferable and entrepreneurial skills, both current trends in Higher Education (HE). Data were collected from a compulsory English language course offered both to first year software engineering students at the University of Oulu (Finland) and to students at the Nanjing Institute of Technology (China). The sample altogether consisted of 140 Finnish and Chinese students. The hypothesis was that the combination of CEFR self-assessment lists used as a subjective tool for students to express their own opinions for their language level and the use of diagnostic tests as a standardised way to screen students' language level could reveal discrepancies between reality and self-perceptions in these two samples. The paper uses descriptive statistics in assessing students' language level and evaluating students' self-assessment lists. The similar course set-up in two different pedagogical traditions, the Finnish and the Chinese, have given interesting thoughts regarding the culturally embedded interpretation and implementation of formative assessment. For example, the students' perceptions concerning the value of their own work and how these correspond to an external standardised tool, are some of the critical observations worth sharing. Finally, this presentation will report the results between diagnostic tests and self-assessment lists for each group and present the similarities and differences among these two distinct groups.
