Assessing Japanese junior high school students’ English achievement through computer-based testing in the classroom: a case of integrated reading-into-writing continuous task

Abstract

Introduction This paper describes the exploratory case and initial evaluation of the computer-based testing (CBT) prototype. The advantage of CBT over paper-based testing (PBT) is that it allows us to control the order of questions and provides test takers with continuous tasks capturing their thought processes. Additionally, their response process data such as response time (RT) can be obtained. Taking advantage of these, we created a CBT prototype in the classroom for Japanese junior high school students. Case description A CBT model was created to assess integrated reading and writing ability and was administered to 32 junior high school students. Their process achievement and the relation between the process response and writing quality were analyzed. Students’ RT for each screen was analyzed using hierarchical cluster analysis. Discussion and evaluation We identified not only students facing difficulties at each stage of a series of thought processes but also five clusters that include students spending too much time reading source texts or organizing their ideas. We suggest how CBT can be developed to identify students with difficulties and applied to teaching. Conclusions CBT has the possibility of detecting students who are able to complete the language performance task by controlling the order of answers, asking questions sequentially, and obtaining RT effectively.