Digital Formative Assessment in Vietnam: EFL Teachers' Perceptions and Adoption Challenges
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54855/Keywords:
Digital Formative Assessment, TPACK, EFL Teachers, CALLAbstract
The integration of digital technologies has changed teaching and assessment practices in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education worldwide. In Vietnam, educational reforms and greater teacher autonomy in formative assessment have supported the use of digital formative assessment (DFA) in tertiary EFL contexts. Guided by the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework, this qualitative multiple-case study examines how Vietnamese EFL teachers perceive DFA and what challenges shape its use in higher education institutions. Six teachers were purposively selected to represent different levels of experience with technology-integrated assessment. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and analysed using an abductive approach. The findings show that teachers viewed DFA mainly as a pedagogical practice rather than a technological requirement. They used DFA to provide diagnostic feedback, enhance student engagement, and inform instructional adjustment. DFA adoption was selective and context-sensitive, with teachers focusing on grammar, vocabulary, and short reading tasks, while limiting digital assessment for productive skills. Institutional constraints, including infrastructure reliability, workload demands, and concerns about assessment integrity, influenced how DFA was implemented. The study presents DFA as a situated CALL practice and highlights the need for institutional support to ensure sustainable implementation
References
Ahmed, S. K. (2024). The pillars of trustworthiness in qualitative research. Journal of Medicine, Surgery, and Public Health, 2, 100051. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.glmedi.2024.100051
Anastasopoulou, E., Konstantina, G., Tsagri, A., Travlou, C., Mitroyanni, E., & Lyrintzi, T. (2024). The Impact of Digital Technologies on Formative Assessment and the Learning Experience. Technium Education and Humanities, 10, 115–126. www.techniumscience.com
Armilah, I. (2023). Utilization of Quizizz as a Formative Assessment Media in the Interspace Interaction Material. International Journal of Advance Social Sciences and Education (IJASSE), 1(4). https://doi.org/10.59890/ijasse.v1i4.992
Baser, D., Kopcha, T. J., & Ozden, M. Y. (2016). Developing a technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) assessment for pre-service teachers learning to teach English as a foreign language. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 29(4), 749–764. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2015.1047456
Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (2010). Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards Through Classroom Assessment.
Børte, K., Lillejord, S., Chan, J., Wasson, B., & Greiff, S. (2023). Prerequisites for teachers' technology use in formative assessment practices: A systematic review. Educational Research Review, 41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2023.100568
Brookhart, S. M. (2024). Classroom Assessment Essentials. ASCD.
Brown, H. D., & Abeywickrama, P. (2019). Language Assessment Principles and Classroom Practices (3rd ed.). Pearson.
Çekiç, A., & Bakla, A. (2021). A review of digital formative assessment tools: Features and future directions. In International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) (Vol. 8, Issue 3). https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5412-4330
Clarke, V., & Braun, V. (2017). Thematic analysis. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 12(3), 297–298. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2016.1262613
Cragg, J. (2021). Digital Formative Assessments in Higher Education: Faculty Recommendations for Overcoming Barriers to Effective Implementation. Northeastern University.
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2023). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches (6th ed.). SAGE Publishing,Inc.
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc.
Dalby, D., & Swan, M. (2019). Using digital technology to enhance formative assessment in mathematics classrooms. British Journal of Educational Technology, 50(2), 832–845. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12606
Duff, P. (2008). Case Study Research in Applied Linguistics (S. M. Gass & A. Mackey, Eds.). Taylor & Francis Group.
Faber, M. (2020). Effects of digital formative assessment tools on teaching quality and student achievement. University of Twente.
Fraenkel, J. R., Wallen, N. E., & Hyun, H. H. (2020). How to Design and Evaluate Research in Education (8th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Gross, S., Hankeln, C., Rösike, K. A., & Prediger, S. (2025). How do Expert and Novice Teachers Monitor and Enhance Student Understanding? Qualitative Comparisons Informing the Design of a Digital Formative Assessment Platform. Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 30(2), 991–1020. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-024-09755-0
Hopfenbeck, T. N., Zhang, Z., Sun, S. Z., Robertson, P., & McGrane, J. A. (2023). Challenges and opportunities for classroom-based formative assessment and AI: a perspective article. Frontiers in Education, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1270700
Huang, E., Jiang, L., & Yang, M. (2021). The affordances of a technology-aided formative assessment platform for the assessment and teaching of English as a foreign language: an ecological perspective. Educational Technology Research and Development, 69(6), 3391–3412. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-021-10047-y
Huynh-Cam, T.-T., Agrawal, S., Chen, L.-S., & Fan, T.-L. (2021). Using Moodle-Based E-Assessment in English Learning and Reading Courses: A Vietnamese Case Study. Journal of Institutional Research South East Asia, 19(2), 66–92. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/360016263
Ijiwade, O., & Alonzo, D. (2023). Teacher Perceptions of the Use of a Computer-Adaptive Test for Formative Purposes: Typologies of Practices. International Journal of Instruction, 16(2), 887–908. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2023.16247a
Kaya-Capocci, S., O'Leary, M., & Costello, E. (2022). Towards a Framework to Support the Implementation of Digital Formative Assessment in Higher Education. Education Sciences, 12(11). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12110823
Köroğlu, Z. Ç. (2021). Using Digital Formative Assessment to Evaluate EFL Learners' English Speaking Skills 1. Gist Education and Learning Research Journal, 22, 103–123. https://doi.org/10.26817/16925777.1001
Leenknecht, M., Wijnia, L., Köhlen, M., Fryer, L., Rikers, R., & Loyens, S. (2021). Formative assessment as practice: the role of students' motivation. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 46(2), 236–255. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2020.1765228
Liu, T., Zhang, Z., & Gao, X. (2023). Pedagogical Design in Technology-Enhanced Language Education Research: A Scoping Review. In Sustainability (Switzerland) (Vol. 15, Issue 7). MDPI. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15076069
Lo, V. P. (2021). Online assessment at higher education in COVID-19 Era. Vietnam Journal of Educational Sciences, 17(2), 60–68.
Looney, J. (2019). Digital Formative Assessment: A review of the literature. http://www.eun.org/documents/411753/817341/Assess%40Learning+Literature+Review/be02d527-8c2f-45e3-9f75-2c5cd596261d
Lu, C., Lee, J. C. K., & Gu, M. M. (2025). Integrating digital technologies into teaching: A study on pre-service language teachers' perceptions and practice. Education and Information Technologies, 30(14), 19537–19557. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-025-13511-x
Luo, S., & Zou, D. (2024). A systematic review of research on technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) for online teaching in the humanities. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 56(3), 332–346. https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2022.2139026
Marbán, J. M., & Mulenga, E. M. (2019). Pre-service Primary Teachers' Teaching Styles and Attitudes towards the Use of Technology in Mathematics Classrooms. International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 14(2). https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/5649
Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2016). Qualitative Research: A Guide to Design and Implementation (4th ed.).
Miller, M. D., Linn, R. L., & Gronlund, N. E. (2009). Measurement and Assessment in Teaching (10th ed.). Pearson.
Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge: A Framework for Teacher Knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017–1054. https://bibliotecadigital.mineduc.cl/bitstream/handle/20.500.12365/17687/29_Technological%20pedagogical%20content.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Moorhouse, B. L., & Kohnke, L. (2023). Conducting formative assessment during synchronous online lessons: university teachers' challenges and pedagogical strategies. Pedagogies, 18(3). https://doi.org/10.1080/1554480X.2022.2065993
Nhu, H., & Tin, D. (2020). Impacts of online formative assessment on EFL students' writing achievement. Ho Chi Minh City Open University Journal of Science, 9(1), 55–69. https://doi.org/10.46223/HCMCOUJS.so
Nsabayezu, E., Iyamuremye, A., Mbonyiryivuze, A., Niyonzima, F. N., & Mukiza, J. (2023). Digital-based formative assessment to support students' learning of organic chemistry in selected secondary schools of Nyarugenge District in Rwanda. Education and Information Technologies, 28(9), 10995–11025. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-11599-7
Patkin, J. G. (2020). An Interviewer's Reflection of Data Collection in Building an Archive of Language Learner Experiences. Qualitative Report, 25(11), 4055–4071. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2020.4437
Pham, T., & Pham, L. H. (2021). Implementing Formative Assessment in Vietnamese Classrooms: Strategies to Navigate Cultural and Structural Obstacles. In Education in the Asia-Pacific Region (Vol. 57, pp. 137–150). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-0057-9_9
Pham, V. P. H., & Tran, V. D. (2021). The Effects of Vietnamese High School Teacher's Utility of Google Forms on Eleventh Graders' Grammatical Knowledge. AsiaCALL Online Journal, 12(4), 30–45. https://asiacall.info/acoj
Pinto-Llorente, A. M., & Izquierdo-Álvarez, V. (2024). Digital Learning Ecosystem to Enhance Formative Assessment in Second Language Acquisition in Higher Education. Sustainability (Switzerland) , 16(11). https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114687
Polly, D., Martin, F., & Guilbaud, T. C. (2021). Examining barriers and desired supports to increase faculty members' use of digital technologies: perspectives of faculty, staff and administrators. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 33(1), 135–156. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12528-020-09259-7
Reid, P. (2017). Supporting instructors in overcoming self-efficacy and background barriers to adoption. Education and Information Technologies, 22(1), 369–382. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-015-9449-6
Rose, J., & Johnson, C. W. (2020). Contextualizing reliability and validity in qualitative research: toward more rigorous and trustworthy qualitative social science in leisure research. Journal of Leisure Research, 51(4), 432–451. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222216.2020.1722042
Savitri, T., Yundayani, A., & Yunita, W. (2024). Implementing TPACK Framewok in English Language Teaching. In Journal of Basic Educational Studies (Vol. 4, Issue 2).
Stake, R. E. (2006). Multiple case study analysis. Guilford Press.
Sullivan, R., Wintle, J., Campbell, N., & Roberts, W. M. (2024). Using the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Framework (TPACK) model to analyse teachers' use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in Primary Physical Education. Cogent Social Sciences, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2024.2356719
Tang, T. T., Nguyen, T. N., & Tran, H. T. T. (2022). Vietnamese Teachers' Acceptance to Use E-Assessment Tools in Teaching: An Empirical Study Using PLS-SEM. Contemporary Educational Technology, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/12106
Timmermans, S., & Tavory, I. (2012). Theory construction in qualitative research: From grounded theory to abductive analysis. Sociological Theory, 30(3), 167–186. https://doi.org/10.1177/0735275112457914
Tran, T. T. T. (2022). The online testing and evaluation in the higher education. Science & Technology Development Journal - Social Science and Humanities. https://doi.org/10.32508/stdjssh.v6i2.737
Tran, T. T. T., & Ma, Q. (2021). Using formative assessment in a blended EFL listening course: Student perceptions of effectiveness and challenges. International Journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning and Teaching, 11(3), 17–38. https://doi.org/10.4018/IJCALLT.2021070102
Tran-Thi-Thanh, T. (2024). Language Teachers' Adaptability to Digital Transformation: Online Assessment Practices in Vietnam Higher Education. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 14(7), 2263–2270. https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1407.34
Vattøy, K. D., & Gamlem, S. M. (2024). Navigating formative assessment as professional development in digital contexts: insights from teachers' experiences. Teacher Development. https://doi.org/10.1080/13664530.2024.2382956
Wiliam, Dylan. (2018). Embedded formative assessment (2nd edition). Solution Tree Press.
Wu, Q., & Jessop, T. (2018). Formative assessment: missing in action in both research-intensive and teaching focused universities? Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 43(7), 1019–1031. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2018.1426097
Yapıcı, E., & Mirici, İ. H. (2023). An Investigation of TPACK-Practical for Teaching English as a Foreign Language. Kafkas Journal of Educational Research, 10, 532–554. https://doi.org/10.30900/kafkasegt
Yazici, E. A., & Atay, D. (2023). ICT Transformation in Education: Its Impact on Language Teachers' Professional Identities. Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research, 11(1), 141–156. https://doi.org/10.30466/ijltr.2023.121276
Yin, R. K. (2018). Case Study Research and Applications: Design and Methods (6th ed.). SAGE Publishing.
Zhang, Z., & Crawford, J. (2024). EFL learners' motivation in a gamified formative assessment: The case of Quizizz. Education and Information Technologies, 29(5), 6217–6239. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-12034-7
Zou, M., Kong, D., & Lee, I. (2021). Teacher Engagement with Online Formative Assessment in EFL Writing During COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case of China. Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 30(6), 487–498. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-021-00593-7
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Author and CALL-EJ
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright of articles is retained by authors and CALL-EJ. As CALL-EJ is an open-access journal, articles are free to use, with proper attribution, in educational and other non-commercial settings. Sources must be acknowledged appropriately.
