Washback effects of the IELTS test: views and experiences of Chinese students in the context of a Sino-UK joint programme with English as the medium of instruction

I investigated, within a consequential validity framework, how the high-stakes and high predictability aspects of the IELTS test in my research context can shape the washback of the test on students’ learning activities and their affective factors. <br><br>This research contributes to the field of washback studies by using a mixed methods design to investigate students’ views and experiences of the IELTS test in an English as the medium of instruction (EMI) context in higher education in China.

The data collection was organised in two concurrent strands: in Strand 1, an online survey was issued to students to gain their general views and opinions; in Strand 2, group interviews were conducted to get much richer data through interaction with students. <br><br>The research results contribute further to our understanding of the consequential validity of IELTS tests and suggest that the IELTS test can generate positive results for students, as it can motivate them and can lead to an improvement in their understanding of English in an academic context.