IELTS Washback as a High-Stakes Test on Student Learning: A Hierarchical Modelling Study at a Vietnamese University
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54855/ijte.25511Keywords:
IELTS, high-stake test, test factors, student learning, hierarchical modellingAbstract
IELTS has been considered a high-stakes test in the Vietnamese context when its results apply to various purposes. Also, many universities in Vietnam have adopted the IELTS test as the requirement for students to graduate, which may negatively affect their learning. This study aimed to investigate these effects by identifying the mechanism between test factors and the washback of the IELTS test on students' psychological and behavioral aspects of learning. With the involvement of 228 participants, quantitative questionnaires were distributed to collect the data. Then, a hierarchical model was established and analyzed by using the PLS-SEM approach. The findings showed students considered the test utility the most important factor, compared to test stakes and difficulty, because, in the research context, the use of the test received more attention from students. Additionally, within the aspects of learning, learning motivation, and restricted learning were significantly influenced by the washback of the test due to the fact that students were motivated to learn for the test. Finally, the study suggested that test factors played significant roles in predicting the washback of the IELTS test on student learning.References
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