Professional Development Needs of Thai EFL University Teachers: A Focus on the Assessment Literacy and Practice of Student Self-assessment in Classrooms

Abstract

In response to the growing needs for student-centered classrooms, student self-assessment is considered as a form of formative assessment that boosts students’ effective learning. The key role for implementing effective student self-assessment in classrooms is indeed played by teachers, who should be equipped with certain knowledge, skills, and other means of support regarding the use of student self-assessment. This study investigated English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers’ levels of assessment literacy and practice of student self-assessment in undergraduate classrooms. The study also delved into the teachers’ needs for training on the use of student self-assessment and their perceived challenges to the success of the training. To collect the data, a five-point Likert scale questionnaire with opened questions was administered to Thai EFL teachers at the nine Rajamangala Universities. The analysis of the 163 returned questionnaires revealed that the teachers had a moderate level of assessment literacy regarding the use of student self-assessment. It was also found that more than 55.67% of the teachers had implemented student self-assessment in their classrooms. It is interesting to find that despite their intentions to participate in the training, the teachers were concerned about certain challenges, including student characteristics, teacher workloads, and university contexts. The findings of this study suggest possible implications for EFL teacher training, as part of continuing professional development, in order to successfully promote EFL teachers’ assessment literacy and practices regarding the use of student self-assessment in their own classroom milieus. Key words: Assessment literacy, Assessment practice, Training needs, Student self-assessment, EFL teachers