Efficacy of EFL Teachers’ Assessment Literacy and Professional Identity in Boosting Learners’ Autonomy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1203.09Keywords:
assessment literacy, autonomy, professional identityAbstract
This study was set out to investigate the effects of EFL teachers’ assessment literacy and professional identity on learners’ autonomy. Meanwhile, the relationship between teachers’ assessment literacy and professional identity was investigated. Moreover, educators’ perspectives on learner autonomy were studied. To this end, 40 EFL teachers participated in the study through completing assessment literacy scale developed by Mertler (2003) and teacher professional identity questionnaire designed by Beijaard et al. (2000). Besides, 20 EFL teachers were interviewed. Likewise, 110 upper-intermediate EFL learners answered Zhang and Li’s (2004) learner autonomy questionnaire. A mixed method design was used to answer the research questions. The findings revealed that teachers’ assessment literacy was linked to their professional identity. Moreover, assessment literacy and professional identity had fruitful effects on learner autonomy. The findings made it certain that teachers believed in learners’ abilities however they didn’t know how to cultivate autonomous learners.
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