大规模语言测试的道德问题

Analysis on the Ethics of Large-scale Language Testing

批评测试理论提出测试具有社会认识、政治价值、教育功能和文化特性,测试使用具有社会后果。倡导语言测试研究的社会话语其关注的焦点之一是道德问题。2000年国际语言测试协会颁布《道德准则》,其中涉及伦理、专业责任和社会职责等九大原则。以我国高考英语测试为个案研究发现,高考命题工作主要由政府部门组织和管理,伦理原则得到充分体现。但语言测试者的专业作用没有得到充分发挥。语言测试研究多集中于测试的技术改进层面,很少有社会纬度的考虑。语言测试的专业责任原则和社会责任原则没有得到很好的体现。高考研究多基于应试需要,很少从测试角度出发研究如何防止或减少负面反拨效应。

Critical testing theories raise that tests have social cognition, political values, educational functions and cultural features, their use can bring many social consequences. As a result, studies on language testing should relate to the sociological discourse, one of which is ethics. In 2000, the International Language Testing Association published the Code of Ethics, including 9 principles in terms of morality, professional responsibility and social obligation. Taking China＇s Na- tional Matriculation English Test （NMET） as a sample, this study finds that NMET is organized and administrated by offi- cial departments and morality is faithfully executed. Yet language testers＇ professional roles are not fully played. Researches focus much more on the technical improvement than on social considerations. Researches on NMET show more interest in how to serve the test-driven teaching than in how to prevent the negative backwash effect. Principles of professional responsibility and sociological obligation have not been well carried out.