Empowering oral proficiency in a large-scale class: video-recorded oral presentations and mobile-assisted peer assessment in a Chinese Middle school

In an era of rapid technological advancement, this 10-week quasi-experimental study conducted within a Chinese middle school EFL context examined the incorporation of video-recorded oral presentations and mobile-assisted peer assessment, aiming to evaluate how these digital tools influence students' speaking proficiency and their perceptions towards them. The study was conducted on two classes of 47 students each, wherein the experimental group received training on utilizing the digital tools of video presentations and mobile-assisted peer feedback, while the control group solely followed traditional teacher-led assessment methods. T-tests were utilized to analyze differences in test scores on standardized English proficiency exams between the two groups, supplemented by semi-structured interviews to elicit deeper insights into student perspectives and attitudes. The quantitative results showed the experimental group exhibited substantially higher English speaking proficiency scores compared to the control group in the standardized tests administered. Integrated with the qualitative findings, while students generally had highly positive perceptions towards utilizing the digital tools and recognized substantial learning benefits, some concerns emerged regarding the learning process. In light of this, providing not only cognitive but psychological guidance and support for students is critical for the ongoing success of this digital intervention. Moreover, maintaining open communication with parents is key to gaining their trust and nurturing a supportive home learning environment, which encourages students' smooth adoption of digital learning tools with parents' help and supervision. While strategically combining video presentations and peer feedback within the digital educational landscape shows promise for enhancing oral proficiency, further research should examine diverse student populations and backgrounds.