Factors Influencing Assessment Decision-Making of Pre-Service EFL Teachers: Insights From the Teaching Practicum Experience
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1504.31Keywords:
assessment practices, assessment decision-making, teaching practicum, pre-service EFL teachersAbstract
Effective classroom assessment is essential for quality teaching, yet pre-service English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers often face challenges in assessment decision-making during their practicum. This study explores factors influencing the assessment practices of 42 pre-service EFL teachers in senior high schools in Semarang, Indonesia. Using a qualitative research design and semi-structured interviews, thematic analysis revealed four key findings. First, pre-service teachers’ knowledge of assessment principles, such as validity, reliability, and formative strategies, supported effective design but was limited by gaps in practical application. Second, their conceptions of assessment, shaped by prior experiences and institutional norms, influenced their preferences for formative versus summative approaches, with positive beliefs fostering innovation and traditional views constraining flexibility. Third, mentor teachers played a pivotal role, with supportive guidance enhancing autonomy and confidence, while rigid oversight often perpetuated outdated practices. Finally, classroom realities, including resource constraints, class size, and time limitations, posed significant challenges to implementing ideal assessments. These findings highlight the interplay of knowledge, beliefs, mentorship, and contextual factors in shaping pre-service teachers’ assessment decision-making. The study underscores the need for teacher education programs to integrate practical training with theoretical instruction, fostering adaptability and confidence in diverse teaching contexts. Further research should examine the long-term impact of teacher training and the mentorship dynamic on enhancing assessment literacy and decision-making.
References
Akcan, S., & Tatar, S. (2010). An investigation of the nature of feedback given to pre‐service English teachers during their practice teaching experience. Teacher Development, 14(2), 153-172.
Allen, J. M., & Wright, S. E. (2014). Integrating theory and practice in the pre-service teacher education practicum. Teachers and teaching, 20(2), 136-151.
Atai-Tabar, M., Zareian, G., Amirian, S. M. R., & Adel, S. M. R. (2024). Relationships between EFL teachers' perceptions of consequential validity of formative assessment and data-driven decision-making self-efficacy and anxiety. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 16(3), 919-933.
Aspers, P., & Corte, U. (2019). What is qualitative in qualitative research. Qualitative sociology, 42, 139-160.
Fossey, E., Harvey, C., McDermott, F., & Davidson, L. (2002). Understanding and evaluating qualitative research. Australian & New Zealand journal of psychiatry, 36(6), 717-732.
Izci, K., and Caliskan, G. (2017). Development of prospective teachers’ conceptions of assessment and choices of assessment tasks. Int. J. Res. Educ. Sci. 3, 464–474.
Jusoh, Z. (2013). Teaching practicum: Student teachers’ perspectives. Research, renovation and reinforcement: Enhancing quality in language education, 886-874.
Kalsoom, T., Showunmi, V., & Ibrar, I. (2019). A systematic literature review on the role of mentoring and feedback in improvement of teaching practicum. SJESR, 20-32.
Kippers, W. B., Wolterinck, C. H., Schildkamp, K., Poortman, C. L., & Visscher, A. J. (2018). Teachers' views on the use of assessment for learning and data-based decision making in classroom practice. Teaching and teacher education, 75, 199-213.
Köksal, D. (2019). Learning while teaching: Student teachers’ reflections on their teaching practicum. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 15(3), 895-913.
Li, P. B., Sani, B. B., & Azmin, N. A. B. M. (2021). Identifying Mentor Teachers' Roles and Perceptions in Pre-Service Teachers' Teaching Practicum: The Use of a Mentoring Model. International Journal of Education and practice, 9(2), 365-378.
Liu, S. H. (2016). Teacher education programs, field-based practicums, and psychological factors of the implementation of technology by pre-service teachers. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 32(3), 65-79.
Moran, R. (2015). The implications of teacher performance assessment and the impact on teacher decision making. Language Arts, 93(2), 96-107.
Mudra, H. (2018). Pre-service EFL teachers' experiences in teaching practicum in rural schools in Indonesia. The Qualitative Report, 23(2), 319-344.
Munasih, D. S., Prastikawati, E. F., Wiyaka, W., & Adeoye, M. A. (2024). Writing Assessment Literacy: Investigating EFL Teachers' Writing Assessment Practices in A Vocational School. Educalingua, 2(1), 12-24.
Nkhata, L., Banda, A., Simpande, A., Jumbe, J., Zulu, A., & Musonda, A. (2023). Learners' Perceptions of Pre-Service Teachers' Classroom Management Practices. European Journal of Educational Management, 6(3), 153-165.
Oo, C. Z., Alonzo, D., & Davison, C. (2021, April). Pre-service teachers’ decision-making and classroom assessment practices. In Frontiers in Education (Vol. 6, p. 628100). Frontiers Media SA.
Oo, C. Z., & Alonzo, D. (2023). Developing pre-service teachers' skills in assessment for learning (AfL): Plan using design-based research. Issues in Educational Research, 33(2), 693-712.
Orongan, M. J. Q., Hinampas, R. T., Manual, A. B., Abellana, A. L., Escarlos, G. S., Caro, V. B., & Camaῆero, G. R. P. (2024, November). Academic Preparation, Self-Efficacy and Performance of Preservice Teachers in The New Educational Landscape. In 4th International Conference on Education and Technology (ICETECH 2023) (pp. 347-367). Atlantis Press.
Palmer, D. J., Stough, L. M., Burdenski, Jr, T. K., & Gonzales, M. (2005). Identifying teacher expertise: An examination of researchers' decision making. Educational Psychologist, 40(1), 13-25.
Phang, B. L., Sani, B. B., & Azmin, N. A. B. M. (2020). Investigating Mentor Teachers' Roles in Mentoring Pre-Service Teachers' Teaching Practicum: A Malaysian Study. English Language Teaching, 13(11), 1-11.
Piro, J. S., Dunlap, K., and Shutt, T. (2014). A collaborative data chat: teaching summative assessment data use in pre-service teacher education. Cogent Educ.1, 1–24. doi: 10.1080/2331186X.2014.968409
Postareff, L., Virtanen, V., Katajavuori, N., & Lindblom-Ylänne, S. (2012). Academics’ conceptions of assessment and their assessment practices. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 38(3-4), 84-92.
Prastikawati, E. F., Mujiyanto, Y., Saleh, M., & Fitriati, S. W. (2024). Teaching Practicum: Does It Impact to Pre-service EFL Teachers’ Language Assessment Literacy?. World Journal of English Language, 14(3), 242-252.
Prastikawati, E. F., Adeoye, M. A., & Ryan, J. C. (2024). Fostering effective teaching practices: Integrating formative assessment and mentorship in Indonesian preservice teacher education. Indonesian Journal on Learning and Advanced Education (IJOLAE), 6(2), 230-253.
Prenger, R., & Schildkamp, K. (2018). Data-based decision making for teacher and student learning: A psychological perspective on the role of the teacher. Educational psychology, 38(6), 734-752.
Priestley, M., Biesta, G., & Robinson, S. (2013). Teachers as agents of change: Teacher agency and emerging models of curriculum. Reinventing the curriculum: New trends in curriculum policy and practice, 20, 187-206.
Qazi, W., Rawat, K. J., & Thomas, M. (2012). The role of practicum in enhancing student teachers’ teaching skills. American Journal of Scientific Research, 44(12), 44-57.
Trent, J. (2013). Becoming a teacher educator: The multiple boundary-crossing experiences of beginning teacher educators. Journal of Teacher Education, 64(3), 262-275.
Van Orman, D. S., Gotch, C. M., & Carbonneau, K. J. (2024). Preparing Teacher Candidates to Assess for Learning: A Systematic Review. Review of Educational Research, 00346543241233015.
Widiastuti, I. A. M. S. (2021). Assessment and feedback practices in the EFL classroom. REID (Research and Evaluation in Education), 7(1), 13-22.
