This is a self-archived version of an original article. This version may differ from the original... more This is a self-archived version of an original article. This version may differ from the original in pagination and typographic details.
The Matriculation Examination, the school-leaving exam taken towards the end of upper secondary e... more The Matriculation Examination, the school-leaving exam taken towards the end of upper secondary education, is the only high-stakes examination in the Finnish school system. As the exam may have a strong impact on the students’ further education opportunities, it evokes various feelings and thoughts in students. Yet, there is little research on these reactions. This article, based on a mixed-methods approach, sheds light on students’ expectation and experiences of the English test in the Matriculation Examination. A total of 142 secondand third-year students from one upper secondary school shared their views on the possible washback e!ect and test anxiety caused by the exam. Also, the students expressed their ideas and experiences of the validity, reliability and fairness of the test. Although the test did not seem to cause excessive washback, it caused signi"cant stress and anxiety. Furthermore, students seemed rather critical of its validity and reliability.
Assessment has a great deal of power over students. However, there is little research on how stud... more Assessment has a great deal of power over students. However, there is little research on how students experience assessment and its power in the school context. The purpose of this mixed-methods study is therefore to examine how students in one Finnish upper secondary school experienced assessment and (dis)empowerment in their EFL studies. The present study, which situates itself within the realm of teacher research, also aims to experiment with alternative assessment methods in order to investigate whether they could foster empowerment in upper secondary EFL studies. The study comprises five articles and a monograph, and is divided into two parts, each with its own research aims. Part 1 and its three articles focus on students’ experiences of assessment and (dis)empowerment and explore what factors might predict disempowerment in assessment. In addition, Part 1 focuses on feedback as well as stress and test anxiety in connection with high-stakes testing as possible predictors of di...
Finland has received very good results in international student achievement tests such as PISA an... more Finland has received very good results in international student achievement tests such as PISA and ICCS in the 21st century. Consequently, education authorities and researchers from all over the world have attempted to find reasons for Finland’s success. In this article, we are looking at Finnish education from the inside, from the perspective of Finnish teachers and schools. Our hypothesis is that Finnish teachers, who have a high-quality academic education and who work as trusted professionals, have played a key role in making such results possible. Thus, we will concentrate on Finnish teachers, their role in education as well as teacher education and training in this article
Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, Mar 30, 2022
This is a self-archived version of an original article. This version may differ from the original... more This is a self-archived version of an original article. This version may differ from the original in pagination and typographic details.
The Finnish classroom assessment culture is considered that of assessment for learning. The situa... more The Finnish classroom assessment culture is considered that of assessment for learning. The situation in upper-secondary schools is different, however. While teachers in Finland appreciate assessment supporting learning, they feel unable to merge it with assessment of learning outcomes, and favour the latter due to the Matriculation Examination (ME; e.g. Leontjev, submitted), a high-stakes exam growingly used in university admission. Learners, likewise, expect teachers to prepare them for the ME (Lakkala & Ilomäki, 2013), the results of which play a significant role in their further studies. The tension between assessment for learning and exam preparation is, therefore, often resolved in the benefit of the latter. In the present study, we illustrate how this tension can be resolved for teachers and learners in the benefit of supporting learning both in praxis—a dialectical unity of theory and practice, drawing on a detailed analysis of two interactions with learners. We will discuss...
Soveltavan kielentutkimuksen keskus, Jyväskylän yliopisto; Kielikoulutuspolitiikan verkosto, 2021
Huoli Suomen ja suomalaisten hupenevasta kielivarannosta on viime vuodet ollut kielikoulutuksen k... more Huoli Suomen ja suomalaisten hupenevasta kielivarannosta on viime vuodet ollut kielikoulutuksen kestopuheenaihe. Englannin taidon hyödyn ja välttämättömyyden ymmärtävät kaikki, mutta samalla moni ajattelee, että englanti yksin riittää. Näin ei opinnoissa eikä työelämässä kuitenkaan ole. Kielivalintojen monipuolistamiseksi on kunnissa ja kouluissa järjestetty alakoululaisille kielisuihkutuksia, -karnevaaleja, -kerhoja ja muuta toimintaa innostuksen ja motivaation herättämiseksi. Vuosia jatkunut työ tuottaa kuitenkin hyvin hitaasti hedelmää ja samalla mm. lukioissa valinnaisten kielten opiskelu on vähentynyt. Kysyimme kieltenopettajilta Webropol-kyselyllä, mitä he kokevat suurimmiksi kielivalintojen esteiksi ja miten he korjaisivat tilannetta. Tammi-helmikuussa 2021 toteutettuun kyselyyn vastasi kaikkiaan 349 vastaajaa.nonPeerReviewe
Pollari, Pirjo (Dis)empowering assessment? Assessment as experienced by students in their upper s... more Pollari, Pirjo (Dis)empowering assessment? Assessment as experienced by students in their upper secondary school EFL studies Jyväskylä: University of Jyväskylä, 2017, 144 p. (Jyväskylä Studies in Humanities ISSN 1459-4323; 329 (print) ISSN 1459-4331; 329 (PDF)) ISBN 978-951-39-7177-9 (print) ISBN 978-951-39-7178-6 (PDF) Assessment has a great deal of power over students. However, there is little research on how students experience assessment and its power in the school context. The purpose of this mixed-methods study is therefore to examine how students in one Finnish upper secondary school experienced assessment and (dis)empowerment in their EFL studies. The present study, which situates itself within the realm of teacher research, also aims to experiment with alternative assessment methods in order to investigate whether they could foster empowerment in upper secondary EFL studies. The study comprises five articles and a monograph, and is divided into two parts, each with its own ...
Although occasionally used in language classrooms, cheat-sheet tests have not been explored in fo... more Although occasionally used in language classrooms, cheat-sheet tests have not been explored in foreign or second language education research. This study experimented with cheat-sheet tests in the teaching of EFL in a Finnish upper secondary school. The participants, 101 students, could make a cheat sheet for the grammar part of their English test. A total of 92 students prepared the cheat sheet, nine did not. Students’ cheat sheets, test results and comments constituted the data for this study, analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The existence of the cheat sheet and its quality (thorough, good or limited) correlated with the grammar test results: students with a thorough cheat sheet scored slightly higher points on average than other groups. Even though the cheat sheet did not markedly improve their test results, the majority of students felt that it had improved their learning and studying. Some students also reported reduced test anxiety.
Assessment wields a great deal of power over students. Yet, there is little research on how stude... more Assessment wields a great deal of power over students. Yet, there is little research on how students, either in general or as individuals, experience assessment. Therefore, this study aimed to explore what disempowers or empowers students in EFL assessment. A total of 146 students from one Finnish upper secondary school answered a questionnaire on assessment and feedback in their EFL studies. The study utilises mixed methods: primarily, the questionnaire data was analysed quantitatively (principal component analysis, step-wise regression analysis), secondarily, qualitative data and analysis were also used. The analyses showed that students reacted to assessment in highly individual ways. While many students appreciated assessment, a significant minority found assessment disempowering. Assessment caused them considerable anxiety and they did not consider assessment methods good and versatile enough. Furthermore, feedback played a role in assessment disempowerment. Therefore, EFL asse...
Good feedback is a powerful element in learning. Ultimately, however, the impact feedback has on ... more Good feedback is a powerful element in learning. Ultimately, however, the impact feedback has on learning depends on how the learner responds to that feedback. So far, foreign or second language studies on feedback have mainly concentrated on different methods of error correction, not on students’ responses to feedback in general. This study aims to find out what students thought of the feedback they had received in their EFL studies. Furthermore, the study seeks to discover students’ different responses to that feedback. The data was gathered using a web-based questionnaire filled out by 140 students. The students, aged 17–19, were all from a single Finnish upper secondary school. The data was analysed mainly quantitatively. The results show that although students were primarily content with their feedback, they wanted more guiding feedback, i.e. more feed forward. They also wanted more personalised feedback as well as feedback that takes place during the learning process, and not ...
This qualitative case study describes a portfolio program in the teaching of English as a foreign... more This qualitative case study describes a portfolio program in the teaching of English as a foreign language in two Finnish upper secondary schools. Approximately 100 students participated in the portfolio program, whose topic area was culture. First, the purpose of this action research was to try out and develop portfolios in foreign language teaching as a pedagogical innovation. Second, the aim was to foster students' empowerment, i.e., their active and responsible role in learning. The primary research questions were twofold: How did the portfolio program proceed and progress? and Did the portfolio program foster student empowerment? Different portfolio profiles and portraits emerged from the data collected. Findings suggest that a great majority of the students both liked the portfolio approach and took charge of their learning. Thus, the portfolios seemed to offer a vehicle for student empowerment. Some students, however, disliked the portfolio course, finding the topic area uninspiring and the student-centered and self-directed approach inefficient, difficult, or unsuitable for them. (Contains 6 figures, 2 tables, an approximately 250-item bibliography, and several appendixes.)
This is a self-archived version of an original article. This version may differ from the original... more This is a self-archived version of an original article. This version may differ from the original in pagination and typographic details.
The Matriculation Examination, the school-leaving exam taken towards the end of upper secondary e... more The Matriculation Examination, the school-leaving exam taken towards the end of upper secondary education, is the only high-stakes examination in the Finnish school system. As the exam may have a strong impact on the students’ further education opportunities, it evokes various feelings and thoughts in students. Yet, there is little research on these reactions. This article, based on a mixed-methods approach, sheds light on students’ expectation and experiences of the English test in the Matriculation Examination. A total of 142 secondand third-year students from one upper secondary school shared their views on the possible washback e!ect and test anxiety caused by the exam. Also, the students expressed their ideas and experiences of the validity, reliability and fairness of the test. Although the test did not seem to cause excessive washback, it caused signi"cant stress and anxiety. Furthermore, students seemed rather critical of its validity and reliability.
Assessment has a great deal of power over students. However, there is little research on how stud... more Assessment has a great deal of power over students. However, there is little research on how students experience assessment and its power in the school context. The purpose of this mixed-methods study is therefore to examine how students in one Finnish upper secondary school experienced assessment and (dis)empowerment in their EFL studies. The present study, which situates itself within the realm of teacher research, also aims to experiment with alternative assessment methods in order to investigate whether they could foster empowerment in upper secondary EFL studies. The study comprises five articles and a monograph, and is divided into two parts, each with its own research aims. Part 1 and its three articles focus on students’ experiences of assessment and (dis)empowerment and explore what factors might predict disempowerment in assessment. In addition, Part 1 focuses on feedback as well as stress and test anxiety in connection with high-stakes testing as possible predictors of di...
Finland has received very good results in international student achievement tests such as PISA an... more Finland has received very good results in international student achievement tests such as PISA and ICCS in the 21st century. Consequently, education authorities and researchers from all over the world have attempted to find reasons for Finland’s success. In this article, we are looking at Finnish education from the inside, from the perspective of Finnish teachers and schools. Our hypothesis is that Finnish teachers, who have a high-quality academic education and who work as trusted professionals, have played a key role in making such results possible. Thus, we will concentrate on Finnish teachers, their role in education as well as teacher education and training in this article
Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, Mar 30, 2022
This is a self-archived version of an original article. This version may differ from the original... more This is a self-archived version of an original article. This version may differ from the original in pagination and typographic details.
The Finnish classroom assessment culture is considered that of assessment for learning. The situa... more The Finnish classroom assessment culture is considered that of assessment for learning. The situation in upper-secondary schools is different, however. While teachers in Finland appreciate assessment supporting learning, they feel unable to merge it with assessment of learning outcomes, and favour the latter due to the Matriculation Examination (ME; e.g. Leontjev, submitted), a high-stakes exam growingly used in university admission. Learners, likewise, expect teachers to prepare them for the ME (Lakkala & Ilomäki, 2013), the results of which play a significant role in their further studies. The tension between assessment for learning and exam preparation is, therefore, often resolved in the benefit of the latter. In the present study, we illustrate how this tension can be resolved for teachers and learners in the benefit of supporting learning both in praxis—a dialectical unity of theory and practice, drawing on a detailed analysis of two interactions with learners. We will discuss...
Soveltavan kielentutkimuksen keskus, Jyväskylän yliopisto; Kielikoulutuspolitiikan verkosto, 2021
Huoli Suomen ja suomalaisten hupenevasta kielivarannosta on viime vuodet ollut kielikoulutuksen k... more Huoli Suomen ja suomalaisten hupenevasta kielivarannosta on viime vuodet ollut kielikoulutuksen kestopuheenaihe. Englannin taidon hyödyn ja välttämättömyyden ymmärtävät kaikki, mutta samalla moni ajattelee, että englanti yksin riittää. Näin ei opinnoissa eikä työelämässä kuitenkaan ole. Kielivalintojen monipuolistamiseksi on kunnissa ja kouluissa järjestetty alakoululaisille kielisuihkutuksia, -karnevaaleja, -kerhoja ja muuta toimintaa innostuksen ja motivaation herättämiseksi. Vuosia jatkunut työ tuottaa kuitenkin hyvin hitaasti hedelmää ja samalla mm. lukioissa valinnaisten kielten opiskelu on vähentynyt. Kysyimme kieltenopettajilta Webropol-kyselyllä, mitä he kokevat suurimmiksi kielivalintojen esteiksi ja miten he korjaisivat tilannetta. Tammi-helmikuussa 2021 toteutettuun kyselyyn vastasi kaikkiaan 349 vastaajaa.nonPeerReviewe
Pollari, Pirjo (Dis)empowering assessment? Assessment as experienced by students in their upper s... more Pollari, Pirjo (Dis)empowering assessment? Assessment as experienced by students in their upper secondary school EFL studies Jyväskylä: University of Jyväskylä, 2017, 144 p. (Jyväskylä Studies in Humanities ISSN 1459-4323; 329 (print) ISSN 1459-4331; 329 (PDF)) ISBN 978-951-39-7177-9 (print) ISBN 978-951-39-7178-6 (PDF) Assessment has a great deal of power over students. However, there is little research on how students experience assessment and its power in the school context. The purpose of this mixed-methods study is therefore to examine how students in one Finnish upper secondary school experienced assessment and (dis)empowerment in their EFL studies. The present study, which situates itself within the realm of teacher research, also aims to experiment with alternative assessment methods in order to investigate whether they could foster empowerment in upper secondary EFL studies. The study comprises five articles and a monograph, and is divided into two parts, each with its own ...
Although occasionally used in language classrooms, cheat-sheet tests have not been explored in fo... more Although occasionally used in language classrooms, cheat-sheet tests have not been explored in foreign or second language education research. This study experimented with cheat-sheet tests in the teaching of EFL in a Finnish upper secondary school. The participants, 101 students, could make a cheat sheet for the grammar part of their English test. A total of 92 students prepared the cheat sheet, nine did not. Students’ cheat sheets, test results and comments constituted the data for this study, analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The existence of the cheat sheet and its quality (thorough, good or limited) correlated with the grammar test results: students with a thorough cheat sheet scored slightly higher points on average than other groups. Even though the cheat sheet did not markedly improve their test results, the majority of students felt that it had improved their learning and studying. Some students also reported reduced test anxiety.
Assessment wields a great deal of power over students. Yet, there is little research on how stude... more Assessment wields a great deal of power over students. Yet, there is little research on how students, either in general or as individuals, experience assessment. Therefore, this study aimed to explore what disempowers or empowers students in EFL assessment. A total of 146 students from one Finnish upper secondary school answered a questionnaire on assessment and feedback in their EFL studies. The study utilises mixed methods: primarily, the questionnaire data was analysed quantitatively (principal component analysis, step-wise regression analysis), secondarily, qualitative data and analysis were also used. The analyses showed that students reacted to assessment in highly individual ways. While many students appreciated assessment, a significant minority found assessment disempowering. Assessment caused them considerable anxiety and they did not consider assessment methods good and versatile enough. Furthermore, feedback played a role in assessment disempowerment. Therefore, EFL asse...
Good feedback is a powerful element in learning. Ultimately, however, the impact feedback has on ... more Good feedback is a powerful element in learning. Ultimately, however, the impact feedback has on learning depends on how the learner responds to that feedback. So far, foreign or second language studies on feedback have mainly concentrated on different methods of error correction, not on students’ responses to feedback in general. This study aims to find out what students thought of the feedback they had received in their EFL studies. Furthermore, the study seeks to discover students’ different responses to that feedback. The data was gathered using a web-based questionnaire filled out by 140 students. The students, aged 17–19, were all from a single Finnish upper secondary school. The data was analysed mainly quantitatively. The results show that although students were primarily content with their feedback, they wanted more guiding feedback, i.e. more feed forward. They also wanted more personalised feedback as well as feedback that takes place during the learning process, and not ...
This qualitative case study describes a portfolio program in the teaching of English as a foreign... more This qualitative case study describes a portfolio program in the teaching of English as a foreign language in two Finnish upper secondary schools. Approximately 100 students participated in the portfolio program, whose topic area was culture. First, the purpose of this action research was to try out and develop portfolios in foreign language teaching as a pedagogical innovation. Second, the aim was to foster students' empowerment, i.e., their active and responsible role in learning. The primary research questions were twofold: How did the portfolio program proceed and progress? and Did the portfolio program foster student empowerment? Different portfolio profiles and portraits emerged from the data collected. Findings suggest that a great majority of the students both liked the portfolio approach and took charge of their learning. Thus, the portfolios seemed to offer a vehicle for student empowerment. Some students, however, disliked the portfolio course, finding the topic area uninspiring and the student-centered and self-directed approach inefficient, difficult, or unsuitable for them. (Contains 6 figures, 2 tables, an approximately 250-item bibliography, and several appendixes.)
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