Context and background FAB promotes the enhancement of quality of foreign language learning and teaching in HE. The issue of language skills as key competences for internationalisation and lifelong learning are central policy concerns of the EU, national governments and key goals of the Bologna Process (The European Higher Education in 2012: Bologna Process Implementation Report). There is emerging evidence that language proficiency has a significant impact on graduate employability which is a problem across Europe. As multilingual competences are regarded the key to success in both professional and social life, universities attempt to offer high-quality foreign language classes that enable graduates to make a successful transition from university into meaningful employment. To provide high-standard teaching, higher education institutions implement, among others, effective assessment tools that may track students’ progress and increase equity of their outcomes and improve students’ ability to learn. The learning process is understood not only in terms of institutional learning but rather as lifelong learning experiences that will enable graduates employment. Objective FAB addresses the above issues by enhancing modernisation in HE and improving provision and assessment of language learning through innovative pedagogical approach supported by formative assessment strategies. Formative assessment is the assessment FOR learning which develops students’ “learning to learn” skills by emphasising the process of teaching and learning, and involving students as partners in that process. It reinforces students’ ability of peer-and self-assessment, and helps them develop a range of effective learning strategies. The project’s main goal is to promote and implement, through consultations, lesson observations, cooperation, and the dissemination of best practices, formative assessment strategies into foreign language learning and teaching routine in HE institutions. Participants and activities FAB involves four European partners representing university foreign language teaching centres from four countries: Finland, Hungary, Lithuania and Poland (as coordinator), to be cooperating within the framework of Erasmus + Programme, Key Action 2 and Strategic Partnership in the area of language teaching and learning, assessment methods and development of pedagogical materials for teachers of various foreign languages, including English, German, French, Russian and Swedish. All partners have sufficient experience and expertise in teaching HE students and assessing their foreign language skills. Apart from several persons engaged and responsible for managing and coordinating the project in all partner countries, teaching staff employed by foreign language centres and students developing foreign language skills will be directly or indirectly involved in all the activities planned in the project, including conducting classes to be observed with special focus on formative assessment methods used, participation in training sessions, answering questions in specially designed questionnaires as well as in designing tools for formative assessment. Both students and teachers of foreign languages should benefit from participating in the project by gaining knowledge, skills and motivation for lifelong learning and personal development. It is estimated that the total number of project’s stakeholders is more than 20 thousand. Project’s results and impact In terms of outcomes, the project's main result is to develop formative assessment tools for teachers as well as students' self- and peer-assessment strategies which will be applied effectively and appropriately by both groups in order to improve foreign language acquisition/provision in HE and thus ensure that university graduates have been granted best skills and opportunities for lifelong learning and employability. Methodology This will be achieved through carefully planned two years' cooperation, in which partners will firstly identify the assessment strategies used in learning/teaching foreign languages in higher education institutions in the partner countries and align, if necessary, formative or summative assessment approaches, as well as recognize processes which help or hinder formative assessment in foreign language teaching/learning in higher education context. Secondly, they will ensure the increase in the knowledge and understanding of formative assessment in foreign language teaching/learning at tertiary level through lesson observations and training, and finally, develop tools for promoting and implementing formative assessment strategies by identification of best practices, their dissemination, and publication of guidebooks for students and teachers. The website and the use of social media will be important in promoting dialogue and outcomes of the project. FAB has a strong dissemination and exploitation strategy to ensure a wide European impact.
The FAB project (Formative Assessment Benchmarking for Foreign Language Learning & Teaching in Higher Education within the framework of the Erasmus+ Programme, Key Action 2 “ Cooperation for Innovation and Exchange of Good practice) was conducted from 1.10.2015 until 30.09.2017 . Horizontal aims • Improvement of quality and relevance of higher education • Development basic and transversal skills using innovative methods • High quality learning opportunities 4 foreign language centres from European HE institutions, offering foreign language classes to students participated in the FAB project: TUAS – Turku University of Applied Sciences (Finland), VDU – Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania), PTE – University of Pecs (Hungary) and UW – University of Warsaw (Poland) as the project’s coordinator. All the activities were undertaken as planned: A. 3 Transnational project meetings: October 23, 2015 – Warsaw; June 17, 2016 – Kaunas; June 16, 2017 – Pecs (details – cf: p.5.2). B. Introductory and final questionnaires for teachers and learners (O1 and O11), along with lesson and peer observation forms (O7 and O6) (cf: p 5.3), both focusing on the use of formative assessment, were designed and completed. C. 13 workshops for 356 academic teachers were organized in the four partner institutions. D. In the first year of the project 113 lesson observations, at local level in each partner institution, and in the second year 231 peer observations at international level were conducted. E. During the observations (described in O6 and O7) many examples of good teaching practice were collected. 62 examples of language tasks and activities were selected to be included in the practical part of the teachers and learners guidebook (O10), which also contains a theoretical part addressed to teachers and students as well as an interactive quiz for students. F. Eight issues of the FAB newsletter were edited and sent out electronically to 233 persons and institutions each time. G. The multiplier event – international conference “Formative Assessment in Foreign Language Teaching” was held at the University of Warsaw, 157 participants attended the event. H. Evaluation forms assessing the quality of questionnaires, lesson observations, peer observations, training sessions, the conference and the guidebook were designed and completed. Project results and their impact The project improved the quality of foreign language teaching at tertiary level institutions by implementing an innovative approach to language learning and teaching which promotes the use of formative assessment tools. This was achieved by teachers’ active participation in workshops, peer and lesson observations conducted in the partner institutions with the focus on the speaking skill and its assessment via formative assessment tools. Other important activities undertaken to promote high-quality foreign language teaching included uploading current information onto the project’s website, disseminating the project’s intellectual outputs, circulating newsletters, organizing the conference aiming at disseminating the idea of formative assessment in HE and encouraging teachers to apply formative assessment tools by using the guidebook for teachers and students designed in cooperation with all partner institutions. The project enabled foreign language teachers to self-reflect on their own practice, provided them with appropriate tools and motivated them to apply an approach that aims at increasing students’ awareness of their own learning. It also promoted the idea of peer observation as a tool for life-long learning and learning from each other. Students were provided with appropriate skills that facilitate effective, long-term and independent learning of foreign languages and help learners become aware and reflective participants in the learning process, which increased their motivation. Other benefits include the internationalisation of all the activities undertaken by the partner institutions as well as enhancing the universities’ prestige and promoting the idea of multilingualism and multiculturalism. In the long-term perspective, the project will facilitate further development of academic teachers’ didactic skills. The data gathered from evaluation questionnaires implies that teachers’ trust in the use of innovative techniques has been strengthened, as the majority of them now wish to apply formative assessment strategies for developing their students’ oral skills. This will be supported by regular training sessions aimed at disseminating examples of good practice collected during the project. The new approach will benefit students as they will become more aware of their own abilities and thus able to reflect critically on their own progress and make autonomous decisions about their own learning strategies. Cooperative and organizational skills acquired by the project participants will be valuable and useful for conducting new educational projects in future.