The Washback Effect of Final Examinations at Payame Noor University on Teaching and Learning

Abstract

The notion of washback is a prominent concept in language teaching and testing. Examinations are considered to be powerful determiners of what goes on in classrooms and their results can play a significant role in setting educational standards of an institution. Moreover, awareness of the possible negative or positive consequences of certain modes of assessment can enhance teachers' as well as learners' level of self-direction in the process of language acquisition. The connection between testing, teaching and learning is addressed by a number of terms. Washback is one that refers to the influence of tests on teaching and learning. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the centralised final examinations in Payame Noor University (PNU), Iran's distance education university, have any washback effect on teaching and learning and if so what kind of washback it might take. After conducting a pilot study, data collection was done by using two questionnaires and an observation scheme. The data was analysed through descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson Correlation. The results indicated that PNU English and Foreign Languages (EFL) final examinations have washback effect on teaching and learning and this washback effect is more positive than negative. The study also investigated the factors that contribute to positive or negative effects including difficult aspects of teaching in distance education EFL and revealed that the effect of final examinations and the effect of such factors on teaching methodology is the same at this university.

Washback Effects of High-Stakes Test: Perspectives of Economics Teachers and Students

“…Besides, this finding seems to support the opinion of Zheng [78] that Chinese national matriculation tests influence what and how students learn negatively. However, this result does not seem to support the view of Moradi [77] who claims that final examinations have a positive washback effect on learning. This finding suggests that students are forced to have abandoned learning practices that will broaden their understanding of concepts and issues in economics by going in using WASSCE Economics past question and solution books instead of standard economics textbooks.…”

“…Moreover, the findings of the study indicated that the BECE/WASSCE English language test exerted a negative washback effect on students' learning practices. Again, Moradi [77] conducted a study on the washback effect of final examinations on teaching and learning. The results indicated that Payame Noor University (PNU), English and Foreign Languages (EFL) final examinations have a washback effect on learning and this washback effect is more positive than negative.…”

Proposed Model for Washback Effect of High-stakes Test in Ghanaian Senior High Schools

“…A plethora of studies (e.g., [8,[43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55]) have provided evidence for the washback effects of high-stakes test on teaching and learning. Whilst some studies discovered that high-stakes test has negative washback effects on classroom instructional practices (e.g., [51,[56][57][58]), others found that the effect was both positive and negative (e.g., [50,59]). Moreover, other studies were not able to reveal whether the washback was positive or negative (e.g., [46,60]).…”

“…Empirical findings have revealed that the washback effect of a high-stakes test can be both positive and negative [50,59]. From the model, a high-stakes test (WASSCE Economics examination) is likely to have washback effects on both Economics teachers and students.…”