Speaker
Description
Assessment has traditionally been recognised as a tool for measuring what students have gained at the end of an instructional period. Accordingly, the results are used for evaluating what students can do and whether or not they have achieved the course outcomes. At the same time, the results are utilized for certifying and determining who will progress to the next level. However, in the context of global educational reform, assessment is referred to as an opportunity for learning rather a tool for judging the adequacy of student performance. This paper argues that shifting from traditional towards authentic assessment to enhance sustainability in education better equips students with adaptability to real-world challenges. With authentic approaches, students are able to apply their language skills to real-world tasks rather than simply acquiring the knowledge of the language. Furthermore, constructive feedback in authentic assessment is learning oriented which enables students to improve their performance. By examining assessment through a sustainability lens, this presentation provides teachers and policy makers with practical insights to nurture students’ deep learning, encourage their engagement, and develop their lifelong learning skills.
Key words: authentic assessment, sustainability in education
Biography
Dr Bùi Yến Ngọc has over thirty years of experience in teaching English in tertiary education. Her focus is on Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). She was a grant recipient of a joint-scholarship between Vietnam and Western Sydney University, Australia, where she was granted her Ph.D Degree in 2024. Her doctoral research, titled “A sociocultural investigation into the introduction of formative assessment practices at a Vietnamese university” investigated the implementation of formative assessment, a Western-developed theory within Vietnamese higher education, an Asian culture. Her research interests include assessment for learning and authentic assessment. In addition to her teaching, Dr Bùi also supervises postgraduate students in the Master’s program, supporting them in conducting their research and completing their Master’ s graduation thesis.
