A Study On The Intended Washback Of The Internet-based CET-4 From Teachers' Perspective

Washback is commonly known as the influence a test exerts on teaching and learning. Washback has been explored and proved by a great many empirical studies conducted home and abroad to be a complex phenomenon, influencing teaching and learning.The empirical washback studies concerning the CET are mainly devoted to the paper-based CET, few of which research the intentions of the test constructors. There have been few empirical studies regarding the IB CET-4 to date. By analyzing the characteristics of College English teaching, the present study aims at exploring whether the intentions of the test constructors are realized in teaching content, teaching methods and teaching philosophy and what factors facilitate or impede the intended washback.The major research instrument of questionnaire is employed, supplemented by interview and classroom observation. Valuable data are collected and analyzed from the questionnaires of 39 English teachers at Beijing University of Technology, the interview with 6 of them and classroom observations of 4 teachers, together with a few IB CET-related documents.The findings show that the IB CET-4 test constructors intend to develop students'ability to use English in a well-rounded way, especially in listening and speaking by designing the IB CET-4 to be highly listening-related. At the same time, the computer and internet-based teaching models on campuses are intended to be established, leading to changes in teaching philosophy and practice from a teacher-centered pattern to a student-centered pattern. In the analysis of the characteristics of classroom teaching, it is found that the intended washback of the IB CET-4 on teaching is not achieved substantially. The influence of the IB CET-4 on teaching content, teaching methods and teaching philosophy tends to be complex, superficial and limited. Listening is emphasized by teachers. The classroom teaching is, however, characterized by a teacher-centered pattern. The IB CET-4 does not impact the teaching philosophy and teaching methods substantially. Students'independent learning is not effectively or purposefully cultivated. Non-test-related factors, namely, contextual factors (school-level factors and course-level factors), coupled with test factors, affect the realization of the intended washback of the IB CET-4 to a great extent.Based on the above findings, the present author puts forwards some suggestions to the participants concerned in order to promote the intended washback of the IB CET-4. In addition, the limitations of the study are pointed out and future research recommendations are made.