Harnessing the power of assessment to support pre-service teachers' learning and professional development through an innovative blended learning approach (A+BLe)

It is always challenging for teachers to well organize the teaching/learning content so that all students are more likely to actively participate in the learning process, and meanwhile to adequately assess students’ learning involvement and outcomes in each learning unit/session. This TDG project developed several online assessment tools that can be integrated to each session of course to assess teaching impact, provide immediate feedback and enhance students’ achievement emotions and engagement. In phase I of this project two assessment techniques are our focus: 1) Team-based Electronic Assessment (TEA) that facilitates team-based learning and provides immediate feedback and 2) Self- and Peer-Assessment (SPA) that assesses four key aspects of teamwork: Preparation, Contribution, Gatekeeping, and Flexibility as well as positive emotions students experienced in team-based learning. Generic learning outcomes (GILOs) are also assessed via the SPA in the learning process rather than at the end of a course/academic year/university learning. The two assessment platforms contribute to linking teaching and learning to assessment practices (self-assessment, peer-assessment and teacher assessment) in a visible and progressive way. These process data include immediate feedback and visualized assessment results to inform teachers about their teaching impacts and students about their learning outcomes. These learning analytic features inform students and teachers how well the objectives of teaching and learning have been achieved. Additionally, academic/teaching staff do not need to take extra workload to monitor the two online platforms in their courses. The innovative features and empirical evidence are discussed in relation to the blended learning model shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.