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In the context of economic globalization and the advancement of science and technology, English has emerged as the predominant language for international communication. In 2020, the Chinese Ministry of Education issued “College English Teaching Guide” and emphasized the role of modern educational technology in assessing students’ learning and enhancing their outcomes. It advocated for the creation of online interactive learning platforms by universities to facilitate teaching, tutoring, practice, feedback, assessment, and other educational aspects, enabling students to learn anytime and anywhere. In response, an increasing number of Chinese universities have started implementing online platforms for formative assessment. This qualitative study explores the perceptions of university-level English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students in China regarding online formative assessments, utilizing the Xuexitong platform. Through semi-structured interviews with 12 participants, the study investigates how these assessments impact learning, engagement, and student challenges. Findings indicate that students perceive online formative assessments as less stressful and more engaging compared to traditional methods, appreciating the immediate feedback and interactive elements. However, challenges such as technical issues and grading fairness are highlighted, affecting the learning experience. The study suggests enhancements in technical support, fair grading practices, and personalized assessment strategies to improve the effectiveness and fairness of online formative assessments in EFL contexts. Future research should focus on optimizing online assessment methods to better support EFL learning outcomes.
Zhang et al. (Fri,) studied this question.