Challenges of Elementary School Teachers in Assessing Student Learning under the "Double Reduction" Policy in China

• In Event: Teacher Identities, kindness curriculum and systemic reform

Proposal

Over recent years, there has been a call for a shift from examination-oriented to quality-oriented education, which has brought an increasing acknowledgment of the urgency of lightening the academic burden on Chinese students, especially the elementary and secondary ones. Thus, in response to the increasing nationwide complaints about students’ learning stress, in July 2021, the “Double Reduction” education policy was introduced to effectively reduce the homework load and after-school private tutoring burden of students in the compulsory education stage (MOE, 2021).

Although this policy was issued to reduce students’ learning burden in China, it may increase the workload of teachers’ teaching, especially assessments of student learning. Under this new policy, teachers face the challenges of redesigning homework for students, aiming at reducing the workload of their assignments. Therefore, the research examines the influences of the “Double Reduction” policy on teaching practices, focusing on how much the policy has challenged the assessment process and relevant solutions for elementary teachers. The research employed a qualitative case study and interviewed four elementary teachers about their perspectives and experience of student assessments under the “Double Reduction” policy.

The research used Thomas’ (2023)article, which discusses the assessment and evaluation of learning in a constructivist paradigm as one of the essential references to define the assessments of students’ learning outcomes under the “Double Reduction” policy. In addition, Van Meter and Van Horn’s (1975) model of the policy implementation process was adopted to offer a framework for understanding how this new educational policy has been carried out in China. The research suggests that the “Double Reduction” policy has inspired teachers to adopt the formative model as the primary form of student performance assessment, while the summative model is complementary, promoting a student-centered assessment process, which is aligned with the constructivist perspective on student assessment. The new policy has somewhat reduced the burden of students’ learning. Teachers hold a positive attitude toward the policy’s contribution to promote students’ all-around development. However, education reform involves an intricate process. The research also identified some challenges faced by teachers when assessing students’ learning performance under the “Double Reduction” policy, among which parental misunderstanding, lack of uniform assessment standards and criteria, and inadequate managerial support are some of the most significant challenges.

To address these challenges, top-down support ensuring teacher well-being and promoting student-centered assessment are identified as alternative solutions. In addition, media-supported technology has been an essential educational tool in the 21st century to increase classroom engagement and interactivity. The research has shown that the introduction and adoption of learning apps can help teachers visually assess student performance. These findings highlight the positive role of the “Double Reduction” policy in transforming the current educational system in China into a more student-centered learning environment for all Chinese students.

Author

• Hanwen Chang, Western University