Project-Based Group Assessment in the Second Language Classroom: Understanding University Students’ Perceptions

Abstract

The field of education has witnessed substantial changes owing to the paradigm shift in the philosophy of teaching and learning. The traditional teacher-centred classroom now appears to have given way to a more liberal approach, known as the student-centred approach. This paradigm shift has caused tremendous changes in the way teaching, learning and assessing are conducted. In today’s classrooms at the tertiary level, where the teacher-centred teaching approach traditionally dominated, the student-centred approach to learning has become increasingly common. Within this context, a large number of less restrictive assessment procedures have been introduced to second-language classrooms to replace traditional tests and examinations (Qian, 2010). Such assessment procedures are generally known as alternative assessments, which are often creative, nonintrusive and task-based. Therefore, they can be seen as an extension of day-to-day classroom activities tapping into higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills (Brown & Hudson, 1998; Richards & Schmidt, 2002). Alternative assessments typically emphasize both processes and products and are often transparent in scoring by pre-established assessment criteria. More importantly, most alternative assessment procedures call upon the classroom teacher to play a critical role in designing, coordinating and conducting the assessment, as well as making effective use of the feedback to help students further improve their language proficiency.