Abstract Book of the 8th International Conference on Innovative Research in Education
Year: 2025
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A Decade of Formative Feedback: Evaluating Teaching Effectiveness for Chinese Language Learners in Higher Education
Zuotang Zhang
ABSTRACT:
This longitudinal study investigates the implementation and impact of a decade-long (2014– 2024) formative feedback strategy designed for three levels of Chinese language learners at a North American university. The research analyzes teaching effectiveness through two primary data sets. The first data set, gathered by course instructors, documents the processes of initiating, implementing, and refining diverse assessment tools aimed at measuring and enhancing students’ achievements. These tools include written assignments, oral presentations, and other performance-based assessments that capture learners’ progress across linguistic and cultural competencies. The second data set comprises university-administered student evaluations of instructors, which provide insights into learners’ perceptions of the quality, clarity, and effectiveness of the instruction and evaluation methods. By triangulating these data sources, the study evaluates the interplay between instructional design and learner outcomes, identifying patterns, challenges, and opportunities for refining feedback strategies. The findings contribute to the growing body of research on effective language pedagogy, offering valuable implications for curriculum developers, instructors, and administrators in higher education. This research highlights the role of continuous feedback in fostering student engagement and proficiency in second/foreign-language acquisition and underscores the importance of aligning teaching practices with student-centered evaluations to improve learning outcomes.
Keywords: formative feedback, Chinese language learners, teaching effectiveness, student evaluations, second-language acquisition