Exploring the impact of computerized dynamic assessment on the explicit and implicit knowledge of reflexive pronouns: The mediating role of brain dominance

Abstract

Dissatisfaction with product-oriented and static forms of assessment led to the emergence of process-oriented testing or dynamic assessment. Learners' involvement in the assessment process can enhance their learning autonomy and help them process linguistic features more deeply. In this regard, this study explored the impacts of computerized dynamic assessment on the explicit and implicit knowledge of reflexive pronouns and the moderating impact of brain dominance among university-level English language learners in Iran. Drawing on Vygotsky's sociocultural theory and employing a quantitative quasi-experimental pretest posttest control group design with two intact classes (N = 62) randomly assigned to experimental and control groups, the rigorous statistical analyses using ANOVAs and t-tests revealed the superior performance of the learners in the experimental group over the control group in both explicit and implicit knowledge on the posttest. As a support for the interface position, our findings highlighted a strong interface between explicit and implicit knowledge. In addition, the study findings indicated that learners with different hemispheric preferences benefitted from computerized dynamic assessment in similar fashions. Practical implications of the study signify how flexible computerized dynamic assessment is to fit different hemispheric tendencies and its affordances and possibilities for inclusive language instruction and the development of both the explicit and implicit knowledge of reflexive pronouns.