Search

Design and Effectiveness Evaluation of Classroom Evaluation Literacy Improvement Workshop for College English Teachers: A Practical Approach Based on Activity Theory

Author(s)

Na Zhao*, Ziting Niu

Affiliation(s)

Kunming University, Kunming, Yunnan, China *Corresponding Author

Abstract

To address how insufficient assessment literacy constrains teaching quality, this study developed and implemented an activity theory-based intervention program to enhance teachers’ evaluation literacy. Using Activity Theory, it examined contradictions within the evaluation system, such as between rigid administrative rules and needs for personalized feedback. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed. Firstly, a workshop intervention with modules on theory, skills, practice, and reflection was conducted. Pre-test and post-test questionnaires (N=32) quantified changes in evaluation knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Subsequently, interviews (N=15), classroom observations, and analysis of conflict logs qualitatively analyzed the resolution of systemic contradictions. Results showed: 1) The intervention significantly improved teachers’ theoretical knowledge (p<0.01) and practical skills (case design success increased by 35%); 2) Activity theory analysis identified the core contradiction as between “standardized administrative requirements” and “differential student needs.” The workshop mitigated this by guiding teachers to develop flexible rubrics and reconstruct teacher-student collaborative evaluation; 3) Teachers’ feedback shifted from unidirectional judgment to bidirectional dialogue, activating students’ Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). This study confirms that systematic intervention guided by Activity Theory can effectively address bottlenecks in teacher evaluation literacy development, offering a theoretically grounded and practical paradigm for professional development and evaluation reform in higher education.

Keywords

Evaluation Literacy; Activity Theory; Workshop; Systemic Contradiction

References

[1] Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards through Classroom Assessment. Phi Delta Kappan, 80(2), 139-148. [2] Guo X Q. (2026). Research on the Construction of a Student-Centered Classroom Teaching Quality Evaluation System for College English in Vocational Undergraduate Universities. Knowledge Window (Teacher Edition), (01): 81-83. [3] Vygotsky, L. S., & Cole, M. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 15-18. [4] Xu, Y., & Brown, G. T. L. (2016). Teacher Assessment Literacy in Practice: A Reconceptualization. Teaching and Teacher Education, 58, 149-162. [5] Popham, W. J. (2009). Assessment Literacy for Teachers: Faddish or fundamental? Theory into Practice, 48(1), 4-11. [6] Engeström, Y. (2001). Expansive Learning at Work: Toward an Activity Theoretical Reconceptualization. Journal of Education and Work, 14(1), 133-156. [7] Tong D D. (2025). Research on the Construction of an Intelligent Teaching Evaluation System for College English. Journal of Jilin Agricultural Science and Technology College, 34(05): 95-99. [8] Meng W T, & Pang X W. (2025). Research on the Construction and Application of an Intelligent Evaluation System for College English. Modern English, (19): 62-64. [9] Pan W. (2026). Research on the Reform Path of College English Teaching Evaluation Empowered by Digital Intelligence. Overseas English, No.557(01): 112-114. [10] Zhang Y X. (2025). Research on the Reconstruction of College English Blended Teaching Evaluation System in the “Intelligence Plus” Era. Modern English, (14): 26-28. [11] Chen Y. (2017). An Investigation and Study on College English Teachers’ Teaching Evaluation Literacy. Journal of Lanzhou Institute of Education, 33(10): 107-109. [12] Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using Thematic Analysis in Psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101.