Reconsidering Context in Language Assessment

Janna Fox is Professor Emerita of Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies in the School of Linguistics and Language Studies, Carleton University. Her research interests include language assessment (test development, diagnostic and portfolio assessment); the consequences of assessment use on teaching, learning, policy and decision-making; and transdisciplinary partnerships in validation research. Natasha Artemeva is Professor of Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies in the School of Linguistics and Language Studies, Carleton University. Her research interests include social theories of learning and practice, genre studies, disciplinary and professional communication, forensic linguistics, and research ethics.

Introduction

Theory, research, reflection, and action: What is this book about?

Janna Fox and Natasha Artemeva

Part I

Building Foundations for Transdisciplinary Dialogue:

New Directions in Language Assessment Research

Chapter One

The problem of context in language assessment: Validity, social theories, and a transdisciplinary research agenda

Janna Fox and Natasha Artemeva

Chapter Two

Validity as an evolving rhetorical art: Context and consequence in assessment

Janna Fox with Natasha Artemeva

Chapter Three

Unpacking the conundrum of context in language assessment: Why do social theories matter?

Janna Fox and Natasha Artemeva

Chapter Four

The contributions of language assessment research:

Evolving considerations of context, constructs, and validity

Janna Fox with Ana Lúcia Tavares Monteiro and Natasha Artemeva

Part II

Transdisciplinary research in practice: Building connections

Chapter Five

Clarifying the testing of aural/oral proficiency in an aviation workplace context:

Social theories and transdisciplinary partnerships in test development and validation

Ana Lúcia Tavares Monteiro and Janna Fox

Chapter Six

Validation of a rating scale in a post-admission diagnostic assessment:

A Rhetorical Genre Studies perspective

Janna Fox and Natasha Artemeva

Chapter Seven

Social theories and transdisciplinarity: Reflections on the learning potential of three technologically mediated learning spaces

Peggy Hartwick and Janna Fox

Part III

Transdisciplinarity in practice: Moving the research agenda forward

Chapter Eight

Language assessment in the wild

Janna Fox with Natasha Artemeva