While assessment for learning (AfL) has been strongly promulgated by an increasing number of education systems internationally, little research is available that investigates students' responses to such AfL innovations, particularly in a Chinese learning context. There is a need to research and evaluate the AfL practices introduced and their impact on student learning approaches. This study focused on students' perceptions of AfL practices and the relationships these have with students' learning approaches. The study investigated perceptions of AfL practices experienced by students (N = 582) at three universities in mainland China and Hong Kong. Results indicated that student AfL experience positively influenced their learning approaches. Results revealed that all dimensions of students' perceived AfL experience (i.e., engagement with subject matter, teacher support, and peer support) were found to be significantly positively correlated with students' tendency to use a deep approach to learning, suggesting that in the Chinese and Hong Kong university environment, AfL practices contribute to students adopting a meaningful approach to learning.
[Copyright of Measurement is the property of Psychology Press.]

This paper examines teachers' experiences of autonomy as they undertook Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in the form of Teacher Learning Communities (TLCs) to develop Assessment for Learning (AfL). Participant teacher interview data were used from two parallel TLC projects, one in Hong Kong and one in London, UK. Autonomy was defined in terms of taking initiatives, acting independently and making critical inquiries. Links between autonomy and effective CPD were argued and the findings indicated that some teachers in both the projects experienced limited autonomy in terms of taking initiatives and being critical, although several described a new sense of professional independence as they attended TLCs. Their limited autonomy looked likely to inhibit the long-lasting impact of the projects, although one TLC in London seemed likely to shape teachers' AfL principles and practices more profoundly because attendance was voluntary and egalitarian.
[Copyright of Teacher Development is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13664530.2012.748686]

Hong Kong is traditionally an examination-oriented culture, a legacy of its Confucian heritage. Since the 1990s, the Hong Kong government has shown its determination to make a change to this deep-rooted examination-oriented culture with assessment for learning highlighted as an important aspect in the reform agenda. Although many initiatives have been put in place, the government has not seen many changes in the assessment practices in schools. This paper discusses the difficulties faced when seeking to establish formative assessment in an examination culture.
[Copyright of Roeper Review is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0969594X.2010.527701]

With a paradigm shift from a focus on product to one on process in language assessment, assessment for learning (AfL) has been gaining currency in educational policy in different parts of the world. While AfL emphasizes the use of assessment for improving learning and teaching, assessment of learning (AoL) focuses on using assessment for administrative and reporting purposes. In L2 writing, assessment has traditionally been characterized by AoL. Although AfL strategies like process pedagogy, formative feedback, peer response, and conferences have been promoted in L2 writing, these strategies are not widely adopted outside North American educational contexts. In English as a foreign language (EFL) contexts, there is scanty research that investigates writing teachers' attempts to bring innovation to their assessment practices through a focus on AfL. Using data from four Secondary 1 (i.e. Grade 7) classrooms in a Hong Kong school, the study aimed to investigate how the teachers' determination to implement AfL in writing influenced their instructional and assessment practices and impacted on students' attitudes and beliefs regarding writing. Results show that the implementation of AfL resulted in a significant change in teachers' instructional and assessment practices, and students improved their motivation in writing. The paper concludes with a few implications for EFL writing.
[Copyright of Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2010.502232]

This article attempts to unpack the complexity of teachers' professional knowledge construction in Assessment for Learning (hereafter, AfL). It presents a qualitative study of a school-based AfL Project which took place in a secondary school in Hong Kong. Thirty lessons video-recorded in the AfL Project and nine teacher interviews conducted after the Project were analyzed. The findings enrich our understanding of professional knowledge construction in four aspects: (1) personal nature of teachers' practical knowledge construction in contrived situations; (2) confined integration of AfL into pedagogical content knowledge in terms of 'skill progression that accompanies experience'; (3) more sophisticated integration of AfL into pedagogical content knowledge as 'practicalizing theoretical knowledge'; and (4) reflection, conscious deliberation, and 'theorizing practical knowledge' associated with more sophisticated professional knowledge integration. Implications for enhancing teachers' professional learning are discussed.
[Copyright of Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2010.517683]

背景： 近年，香港推行教學和評估的改革，很多教師有機會參與不同的培訓課程，認識到語文教學和評估的新趨勢。他們對實踐評估理念提出很多意見。
目的：1. 探討教師對語文評估新趨勢理念的認識和實踐的情況 ；2. 探討教師在現行語文評估遇到的困難
調查對象：研究對像是香港小學中國語文科教師，選取2005-2006年度，修讀香港教育學院中文學系舉辦的小學語文科教師專業進修課程的學員為研究樣本。
調查方法：本研究採用定量研究和定質研究兩種調查方式。定量研究方法是採用問卷調查方式，派發了九十份問卷，收回八十份，回收率達百分之八十九。定質研究方法是採用與教師面談方式，訪問六位元教師，他們來自不同的學校，教齡在五年以上。
調查結果：調查發現大部分教師認同指引中提出的評估理念，但是對於如何落實新的評估理念仍存有疑問的。教師應用多元化評估方法遇到了不少的困難。同時教師卻深受考試「倒流效應」的影響，教師為了應付「全港基本能力評估」，常給學生操練式的練習和補課，影響教師的課堂教學，妨礙了教師實行多元化的評估。
總結：香港近幾年提出了新的語文評估理念，研究發現教師對實踐評估理念是有困難的。要確切落實新語文評估的理念，教師培訓人員、校長、教師和家長多方面的支持和配合是不可或缺的。
Background: In recent years, reforms on Chinese language assessment have been introduced in Hong Kong. Teachers have attended different seminars about the new trend of assessment in Hong Kong and they have opinions on it.
Aims: (1) To find out primary Chinese language teachers' perception and their implementation of the new assessment. (2)To explore the difficulties teachers encounter in the implementation of the new assessment.
Sample: The sample was chosen from the in-service primary Chinese language teachers who enrolled in the five weeks retraining course during the academic year 2005-2006. They were qualified and experienced teachers.
Method: Both quantitative and qualitative methods are used in this study. Questionnaires were sent to 90 in-service primary Chinese language teachers and 80 returned the questionnaires, the return rate is 89%. Then, a total of six teachers were interviewed, all are experienced teachers with at least five years of teaching.
Results: Finding indicates that many teachers agree with the rationale of the new assessment, however, they do not actually know how to implement it in their classrooms. They encounter difficulties in implementation. The 'backwash effect' has great impact on their teaching.
Conclusion: Finding indicates that many teachers encounter problems in the implementation of the rationale of new assessment. However, it is suggested that