언어시험 개발과 사용의 철학적 고찰: 개인주의와 민주주의 가치 중심으로

초록

The purpose of this study is to understand philosophical views of language testing and explore critical issues and research topics surrounding test development and use. Two different perspectives (systematic and critical) are summarized to understand the recent approaches to test design and use. By approaching test design and validation as a system, some researchers (Fulcher & Davidson, 2007, for example) take a pragmatic stance by supporting the value of individualism and democracy in testing communities. On the contrary, critical language testers (Shohamy, 2001, for example) see tests as political tools within a context of power struggles and focus on test misuses. There has been tension between two approaches and the conflicting views to test design and uses may be dichotomously exacerbated in the coming years. It was noted, however, that each approach has its own strength for professionalizing test design and use as a theory, and each perspective should not function as a replacement for the current testing practices, but as an additional approach. It is suggested that the ‘clash’ of viewpoints will likely develop in a positive direction to lead to democratic communities of language testing.

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