Prof YAN, Zi    晏子 教授
Head / Professor
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Associate Director
Analytics\Assessment Research Centre
Contact
ORCiD
0000-0001-9305-884X
Phone
(852) 2948 6367
Fax
(852) 2948 7563 / (852) 2948 8744
Email
zyan@eduhk.hk
Address
10 Lo Ping Road, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong
Website
https://pappl.eduhk.hk/rich/web/person.xhtml?pid=69232&name=YAN, Zi
Scopus ID
45562034600
SDGs
4 - Quality Education
Research Interests
  • Educational assessment
  • Rasch measurement
  • Test/survey development
  • Teacher education
Teaching Interests
  • Assessment
  • Test/survey development
  • Quantitative research methodology
External Appointments

Honourary Professor, Centre for Research in Assessment and Digital Learning, Deakin University.

Professional appointment/membership

  • Co-director, Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, EdUHK
  • Associate Director, Assessment Research Centre, EdUHK
  • Deputy Chair, Pacific Rim Objective Measurement Society
  • Member, Research and Development Committee, Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority
  • Member, American Educational Research Association (AERA)
  • Member, National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME), United States
  • Founder member, International Forum of Researchers in Education (IFORE)
  • Member, The European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI)
  • Member, The International Association for Educational Assessment
  • Affiliated Researcher, Collaborative for Student Assessment and Educational Improvement Research, Arizona State University, USA

Editorial Board

  • Associate Editor, Educational Psychology
  • Associate Section Editor, Assessment, Testing and Applied Measurement Section of Frontiers in Education

Reviewer

  • Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly
  • Advances in Educational Research
  • Alberta Journal of Educational Research
  • Asia-Pacific Journal of Education
  • Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education
  • Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education
  • Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice
  • Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy
  • CAISE Review
  • Cambridge Journal of Education
  • Child Development
  • Computers & Education
  • Contemporary Educational Psychology
  • Education Journal (in Chinese)
  • Educational Psychology
  • Educational Studies
  • Education Research International
  • Evaluation & Research in Education
  • International Journal of Human Factors and Ergonomics
  • International Journal of Inclusive Education
  • International Journal of Science Education
  • International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education
  • International Journal of Tourism Anthropology
  • International Journal of Training Research
  • Journal of Educational Psychology
  • Journal of Medical Internet Research
  • Journal of Physical Education and Sport Management
  • Journal of Sport and Health Science
  • Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science
  • Occupational Therapy International
  • Quality of Life Research
  • Psychology of Sport & Exercise
  • Studies in Educational Evaluation
  • Studies in Higher Education
  • Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports
  • Teaching and Teacher Education
  • The Internet and Higher Education
  • Universal Journal of Educational Research
  • 心理科学 (Psychological Science)

Personal Profile

Professor Zi YAN is a RGC Senior Research Fellow, and the Head of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, the Education University of Hong Kong. He is also the Co-Director of the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) and Associate Director of the Assessment Research Centre (ARC). His publications and research interests focus on two related areas, i.e., educational assessment in the school and higher education contexts with an emphasis on student self-assessment; and Rasch measurement, in particular its application in educational and psychological research. He is the author of Student self-assessment as a process for learning (Routledge, 2022) and Applying the Rasch model: Fundamental measurement in the human sciences (Routledge, 2020). He is the recipient of the President's Research Excellence Award (2021/22) and in Stanford University's list of the world's top 2% most-cited scientists (2021, 2022, 2023).

Research Interests
  • Educational assessment
  • Rasch measurement
  • Test/survey development
  • Teacher education
Teaching Interests
  • Assessment
  • Test/survey development
  • Quantitative research methodology
External Appointments

Honourary Professor, Centre for Research in Assessment and Digital Learning, Deakin University.

Professional appointment/membership

  • Co-director, Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, EdUHK
  • Associate Director, Assessment Research Centre, EdUHK
  • Deputy Chair, Pacific Rim Objective Measurement Society
  • Member, Research and Development Committee, Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority
  • Member, American Educational Research Association (AERA)
  • Member, National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME), United States
  • Founder member, International Forum of Researchers in Education (IFORE)
  • Member, The European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI)
  • Member, The International Association for Educational Assessment
  • Affiliated Researcher, Collaborative for Student Assessment and Educational Improvement Research, Arizona State University, USA

Editorial Board

  • Associate Editor, Educational Psychology
  • Associate Section Editor, Assessment, Testing and Applied Measurement Section of Frontiers in Education

Reviewer

  • Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly
  • Advances in Educational Research
  • Alberta Journal of Educational Research
  • Asia-Pacific Journal of Education
  • Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education
  • Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education
  • Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice
  • Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy
  • CAISE Review
  • Cambridge Journal of Education
  • Child Development
  • Computers & Education
  • Contemporary Educational Psychology
  • Education Journal (in Chinese)
  • Educational Psychology
  • Educational Studies
  • Education Research International
  • Evaluation & Research in Education
  • International Journal of Human Factors and Ergonomics
  • International Journal of Inclusive Education
  • International Journal of Science Education
  • International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education
  • International Journal of Tourism Anthropology
  • International Journal of Training Research
  • Journal of Educational Psychology
  • Journal of Medical Internet Research
  • Journal of Physical Education and Sport Management
  • Journal of Sport and Health Science
  • Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science
  • Occupational Therapy International
  • Quality of Life Research
  • Psychology of Sport & Exercise
  • Studies in Educational Evaluation
  • Studies in Higher Education
  • Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports
  • Teaching and Teacher Education
  • The Internet and Higher Education
  • Universal Journal of Educational Research
  • 心理科学 (Psychological Science)

Research Outputs
Scholarly Books, Monographs and Chapters
Research book or monograph (author)
Yan, Z. (2022). Student Self-Assessment as a Process for Learning. New York: Routledge.
Bond, T. G., Yan, Z., & Heene, M. (2020). Applying the Rasch model:Fundamental measurement in the human sciences (4th ed.).. New York: Routledge..
Chapter in an edited book (author)
Lao, H., Yan, Z. (2022). Dancing with chains: How does assessment-as-learning fit in China?. Zi YAN, Lan YANG, Assessment as learning: Maximising opportunities for student learning and achievement (112-126). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003052081-8
Yan, Z. & Yang, L. (2021). Assessment-as-learning in the global assessment reforms. Zi YAN, Lan YANG, Assessment as learning: Maximising opportunities for student learning and achievement (1-8). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003052081
Yan, Z., & Boud, D. (2021). Conceptualising assessment-as-learning. Zi YAN, Lan YANG, Assessment as learning: Maximising opportunities for student learning and achievement (11-24). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003052081
Wang, H., Yang, L., King, R. B., Sin, K.-F., & Yan, Z. (2021). Values, emotions, and emotion regulation in special education teachers: Influences on life satisfaction and occupational stress.. R. B. King & J.-J. Chen (Eds.), Emotions in learning, teaching, and leadership: Asian perspectives (146-162). London: Routledge.
Yan, Z., & Sin, K. F. (2017). The Theory of Planned Behavior: Two applications to inclusive education. In H. Afzaal (Ed.), Theory of planned behavior: New research (79-107). NY: Nova Publishers.
Coniam, D., Falvey P., & Yan, Z. (2016). The sixth validation study: Accessing the ease of use in the environment and markers’ acceptance of onscreen marking in Hong Kong in three subject areas: A Rasch measurement perspective. In D. Coniam & P. Falvey (Eds.), Validating technological innovation: The introduction and implementation of onscreen marking in Hong Kong (133-155). Singapore: Springer.
Coniam, D., Falvey, P. & Yan, Z. (2016). The final validation study: A comparative picture of the ease of use and acceptance of onscreen marking by markers across subject areas. In D. Coniam & P. Falvey (Eds.), Validating technological innovation: The introduction and implementation of onscreen marking in Hong Kong (171-187). Singapore: Springer.
Coniam, D., Falvey, P., & Yan, Z. (2016). The eighth validation study: The effects of key demographic variables on markers’ perceived case of use and acceptance of onscreen marking. In D. Coniam & P. Falvey (Eds.), Validating technological innovation: The introduction and implementation of onscreen marking in Hong Kong (189-206). Singapore: Springer.
鄭志強、晏子 (2015)。 元認知教學策略。輯於黎國燦、嚴必友編、小班化教學思與行：香港南京兩地小班化教學的理論與實踐。， 南京師範大學出版社 (265-274)。南京: 南京師範大學出版社。
Bond, T. G., Yan, Z., Stone, G., & Beltyukova, S. (2015). Making measures, setting standards, and Rasch regression. In T. G. Bond & C.M. Fox (Eds.), Applying the Rasch model: Fundamental measurement in the human sciences (3rd ed.) (187-225). New York: Rouledge.
晏子 (2015)。 教師課堂實踐的有效評估：測驗資料分析。輯於黎國燦、嚴必友， 小班化教學思與行 (252-264)。南京: 南京師範大學出版社。
Lam, B. H., Cheng, C. K. Yan, Z., & Yang, M. (2015). It is your interest that matters: Motivation shapes career engagement patterns.. In R. Osbourne (Ed.)., Job satisfaction: Determinants, workplace implications and impacts on psychological well-being (73-96). U.S.: Hauppauge, NY: Nova Publishers..
Yan, Z. (2014). School-based assessment in secondary schools. In C. Marsh & J. C-K Lee (Eds.), Asia’s high performing education systems: The case of Hong Kong (274-287). New York: Routledge.
Yan, Z., Lau, D. C. H., & Mok, M. M. C. (2013). A Concurrent-Separate Approach to Vertical Scaling.. In M. M. C. Mok (Ed.), Self-directed Learning Oriented Assessments in the Asia-Pacific (187-201). New York: Springer.
Chin, M. K., Mok, M. M. C., & Yan, Z. (2007). The effectiveness of problem-based learning (PBL) on academic self-confidence and generic competence in exercise physiology for pre-service teachers in physical education. In H. Tiemann, E. Schmidt-Gotz., & S. Schulz (Eds.), International and Interdisciplinary - Perspectives of Modern Sport Sciences (pp.335-362). Schorndorf, Germany: Hofmann Verlag.
Edited book (editor)
Yan, Z., & Yang, L. (Eds.) (2021). Assessment as learning: Maximising opportunities for student learning and achievement.. London: Routledge. (in press).

Journal Publications
Publication in refereed journal
Zhu, J., Yang, Y., & Yan, Z. (2024). Relationships between teacher feedback and English writing proficiency in Chinese students: The mediating effect of writing self-regulated learning strategies. System, 123, 103338. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2024.103338
Zhan, Y., So, W.M.W., Sun, D., & Yan, Z (2024). Is it useful, acceptable, or controllable? Hong Kong primary school teachers’ online assessment practices in changing time. Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning, 19(33), 0-0. https://doi.org/10.58459/rptel.2024.19033
Chen, J.*, Zhang, L., Li, X., Li, Y., Xu, W., & Yan, Z. (2023). The multidimensional teacher well-being: A mixed-methods approach. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, xx, xx-xx. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2023.2282483
Yan, Z. (2023). Applications of Rasch measurement in research and practice. Vietnam Journal of Educational Sciences, 19(4), 10-21.
Yan, Z., & King, R. B. (2023). Assessment is contagious: The social contagion of formative assessment practices and self-efficacy among teachers. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 30(2), 130-150. https://doi.org/10.1080/0969594X.2023.2198676
Dawson, P., Yan, Z., Lipnevich, A., Tai, J., Boud, D., & Mahoney, P. (2023). Measuring what learners do in feedback: The feedback literacy behaviour scale. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2023.2240983
Yan Z., Panadero E., Wang, X., & Zhan, Y. (2023). A systematic review on students’ perceptions of self-assessment: Usefulness and factors influencing implementation. Educational Psychology Review, 35, Article 81. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09799-1
Li, Z., Yan, Z., Chan, K. K. Y., Zhan, Y., & Guo, W. Y. (2023). The role of a professional development program in improving primary teachers’ formative assessment literacy. Teacher Development, 27(4), 447-467. https://doi.org/10.1080/13664530.2023.2223595
Li, Z., Yan, Z., Chan, K., Zhan, Y., & Wu. Y. G. (2023). The role of a professional development program in improving primary teachers’ formative assessment literacy. Teacher Development, 27(4), 447-467. https://doi.org/10.1080/13664530.2023.2223595
Yang, L., Yan, Z., Zhang, D., Boud, D., & Datu, J. A. (2023). Exploring the roles of academic self-concept and perseverance of effort in self-assessment practices. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1080/0969594X.2023.2191161
Yang, L., Yan, Z., Zhang, D., Boud, D., & Datu, J. A. (2023). Exploring the roles of academic self-concept and perseverance of effort in self-assessment practices. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1080/0969594X.2023.2191161
Mendoza, N., & Yan, Z. (2023). Exploring the moderating role of well-being on the adaptive link between self-assessment practices and learning achievement. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 77, Article 101249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2023.101249
Mendoza, N.B., Yan, Z., & Ronnel, B.K. (2023). Supporting students’ intrinsic motivation for online learning tasks: The effect of need-supportive task instructions on motivation, self-assessment, and task performance. Computers & Education, 193, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2022.104663
Yan, Z., & Chiu, M. M. (2023). The relationship between formative assessment and reading achievement: A multilevel analysis of students in 19 countries/regions. British Educational Research Journal, 49(1), 186-208. https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3837
Zhan, Y., Yan, Z., Wan, Z. H., Wang, X. Zeng, Y., Yang, M., & Yang, L. (2023). Effects of online peer assessment on higher-order thinking: A meta-analysis. British Journal of Educational Technology. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13310
Yan, Z., Brubacher, S., Boud, D., & Powell, M. (2023). The Influence of Self-assessment Practices on Online Training for Investigative Interviewing Skills. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 76, Article 101236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2023.101236
Yan Z., Lao H., Panadero E., Fernández-Castilla, B., Yang L., & Yang M. (2022). Effects of self-assessment and peer-assessment interventions on academic performance: A meta-analysis. Educational Research Review, 37, Article 100484. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2022.100484
Yu, D., Chen, J.*, Li, X., & Yan, Z. (2022). Trajectory of teacher well-being research between 1973 and 2021: review evidence from 49 years in Asia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(19), 12342.. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912342
Yan, Z., & Pastore, S. (2022). Are teachers literate in formative assessment? The development and validation of the Teacher Formative Assessment Literacy Scale. Studies in Educational Evaluation, online first, xx-xx.
Gan, Z., Yan, Z., & An, Z. (2022). Development and validation of an EFL speaking self-efficacy scale in the self-regulated learning context. Journal of Asia TEFL, 19(1), 35-49. https://doi.org/10.18823/asiatefl.2022.19.1.3.35
Mendoza, N., Yan, Z., & King, R. (2022). Domain-specific motivation and self-assessment practice as mechanisms linking perceived need-supportive teaching to student achievement. European Journal of Psychology of Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-022-00620-1
Wang, X., Yan, Z., Huang, Y., Tang, A., & Chen, J. (2022). Re-developing the Adversity Response Profile for Chinese university students. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(11), Article 6389. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19116389
Yan, Z., Lee, C. K. J., Hui, S. K. F., & Lao, H. (2022). Enhancing students’ self-efficacy in creativity and learning performance in the context of English learning: The use of self-assessment mind map. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 871781.. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.871781
Yan, Z., & Pastore, S. (2022). Are teachers literate in formative assessment? The development and validation of the Teacher Formative Assessment Literacy Scale. Studies in Educational Evaluation.
Mendoza, B. N,, Cheng, E.C.K. & Yan. Z. (2022). Assessing teachers’ collaborative lesson planning practices: Instrument development and validation using the SECI knowledge-creation model. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 73, Article 101139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2022.101139
Papargyris, Y., & Yan, Z. (2022). Examiner quality and consistency across LanguageCert writing tests. International Journal of TESOL Studies, 4(1), 96-112.
Yan, Z., Chiu, M. M., & Cheng, E. C. K. (2022). Predicting teachers’ formative assessment practices: Teacher personal and contextual factors. Teaching and Teacher Education, 114, Article 103718. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2022.103718
Chan, K. Y. K., Bond, T. G. B., & Yan, Z. (2022). Application of an Automated Essay Scoring engine to English writing assessment using Many-Facet Rasch Measurement. Language Testing. https://doi.org/10.1177/02655322221076025
Yan, Z., Lee, C. K. J., Hui, S., & Lao, H. L. (2022). Enhancing students’ self-efficacy in creativity and learning performance in the context of English learning: The use of self-assessment mind maps. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 871781. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.871781
Wang, X., Yan Z., Huang, Y.C., Tang, A.Q., & Chen, J. (2022). Re-developing the Adversity Quotient Scale for Chinese University Students. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(1), 6389.. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19116389
Yan, Z., & Pastore, S. (2022). Assessing teachers’ strategies in formative assessment: The teacher formative assessment practice scale. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment. https://doi.org/10.1177/07342829221075121
Yan, Z., Xiao, Y. Y., Sin, K. F., Yang, L., Guo, W. Y. (2021). Formative assessment practices in special school classrooms with the support of e-books: A case study. Frontiers in Education, 6, Article 674869. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.674869
Yan Z., Wang, X., Boud, D., & Lao, H. L. (2021). The effect of self-assessment on academic performance and the role of explicitness: A meta-analysis. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2021.2012644
Yan, Z., & Carless, D. (2021). Self-assessment is about more than self: The enabling role of feedback literacy. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2021.2001431
Wong, P. M. D., Kennedy, K. J., & Yan, Z. (2021). An educational intervention on Chinese business students’ orientation towards corporate social responsibility. Journal of Business Ethics Education, 18, 79-102. https://doi.org/10.5840/jbee2021185
Yan, Z., King, R., & Haw, J. (2021). Formative assessment, growth mindset, and achievement: Examining their relations in the East and the West. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy and Practice, 28(5-6), 676-702. https://doi.org/10.1080/0969594X.2021.1988510
Yan, Z., Xiao, Y., Sin, K-F., Yang, L., & Guo, W-Y. (2021). Formative assessment practices in special school classrooms with the support of e-books: A case study. Frontiers in Education, 6, Article 674869. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.674869
Yang, L., Chiu, M. M., & Yan, Z. (2021). Editorial: The power of teacher feedback in affecting student learning and achievement: Insights from students’ perspective. Educational Psychology, 41(7), 821-824. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410.2021.1964855
Yang, L., Chiu, M. M., & Yan, Z. (2021). Editorial: The power of teacher feedback in affecting student learning and achievement: Insights from students’ perspective. Educational Psychology, 41(7), 821-824. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410.2021.1964855
Mendoza, B. N,, Cheng, E.C.K. & Yan. Z. (2021). Assessing teachers' collaborative lesson planning practices: Instrument development and validation using the SECI knowledge-creation model Studies in Educational Evaluation. Studies in Educational Evaluation, XX, XX.
Wan, Z. H., Lee, J. C. K., Yan, Z., & Ko, P. Y. (2021). Self-regulatory school climate, group regulation and individual regulatory ability: towards a model integrating three domains of self-regulated learning. Educational Studies, n.a., 1-16.
Yan, Z. (2021). Assessment-as-learning in classrooms: The challenges and professional development. Journal of Education for Teaching, 47, 293-295.
Yan, Z. & Brown, G. T. L. (2021). Assessment for learning in the Hong Kong assessment reform: A case of policy borrowing. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 68, Article 100985.
Mendoza, N. B., & Yan, Z. (2021). Validation of a subject-specific student Self-assessment Practices Scale among secondary school students in the Philippines.. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, online, xx-xx.
Yan Z., Li, Z., Panadero, E., Yang, M., Yang, L., & Lao, H. (2021). A systematic review on factors influencing teachers’ intentions and implementations regarding formative assessment. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 28(3), 228-260.
Yan, Z., Brubacher, S., Boud, D., & Powell, M. (2020). Psychometric Properties of the Self-assessment Practice Scale (SaPS) for Professional Training Contexts: Evidence from Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Rasch Analysis. International Journal of Training and Development, 24(4), 357-373.
Yan, Z., Chiu, M. M., & Ko, P. Y. (2020). Effects of self-assessment diaries on academic achievement, self-regulation, and motivation. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 27(5), 562-583.
Yan, Z. (2020). Developing a short form of the Self-Assessment Practices Scale: Psychometric evidence. Frontiers in Education, 4(153), Article 153.
Yan, Z. (2020). Self-assessment in the process of self-regulated learning and its relationship with academic achievement.. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 45(2), 224-238.
Guo, W. Y., & Yan, Z. (2019). Formative and summative assessment in Hong Kong primary schools: Students’ attitudes matter.. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 26(6), 675-699.
Yan, Z., Brown, G.T.L., Lee, J.C.K., & Qiu, X.-L. (2019). Student self-assessment: why do they do it?. Educational Psychology, 40(4), 509-532.
Wong, P. M. D., Kennedy, K., & Yan, Z. (2019). Validation of a translated measurement scale to assess Chinese business students' orientation towards corporate social responsibility.. Journal of Education for Business, 94(7), 446-456.
Yan, Z. (2018). How teachers’ beliefs and demographic variables impact on self-regulated learning instruction. Educational Studies, 44(5), 564-577.
Yan, Z. (2018). Student self-assessment practices: The role of gender, year level, and goal orientation.. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 25(2), 183-199.
Yan, Z. (2018). The Self-assessment Practice Scale (SaPS) for students: Development and psychometric studies. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 27(2), 123-135.
Yan, Z., & Brown, G. T. L. (2017). A cyclical self-assessment process: Towards a model of how students engage in self-assessment. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 42(8), 1247-1262.
Davies, M., Elliott, S. N., Sin, K. F., Yan, Z., & Yel, N. (2017). Using adjustments to support the learning and assessment needs of students with disabilities: Macau and Mainland China Teachers’ Report.. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, xx, 1-21.
Yang, M., Yan, Z., and Coniam, D. (2017). A qualitative study of markers’ perceptions on onscreen marking in five subject areas (https://doi.org/10.1080/13803611.2018.1446836). Educational Research and Evaluation, 23(7-8), 290-310.
Siu, A. F. Y., Yan, Z., & Ho, F. C (2016). Attributional style, positive illusory bias, and self-concept of children with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Asian Journal of Inclusive Education, 4(1), 5-25.
Yan, Z. (2016). The Self-Assessment Practices of Hong Kong Secondary Students: Findings with a New Instrument. Journal of Applied Measurement, 17(3), 335-353.
Coniam, D., & Yan, Z. (2016). A comparative picture of the ease of use and acceptance of onscreen marking by markers across subject areas. British Journal of Educational Technology, 47(6), 1151-1167.
Sin, K. F., & Yan, Z. (2016). Delivering an in-service teacher training course for inclusion in Hong Kong: Evaluation and reflection. Education Research Frontier (教育研究前沿), 6(4), 108-117.
Cooper, P & Yan, Z (2015). Some possible effects of behavior management training on teacher confidence and competence: evidence from a study of primary school teachers in Hong Kong. Educational Studies, 41(1-2), 156-170.
Yan, Z., & Sin, K. F. (2015). Exploring the intentions and practices of principals regarding inclusive education: An application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Cambridge Journal of Education, 45(2), 205-221.
Yan, Z., Lum, R. C. W., Lui, R. T. L., Chu, S. S. W., & Lui, A. M. (2015). Measuring teaching assistants’ efficacy using Rasch model. Journal of Applied Measurement, 16(1), 60-75.
Yan, Z., & Cheng, E. C. K. (2015). Primary teachers' attitudes, intentions and practices regarding formative assessment. Teaching and Teacher Education, 45, 128-136.
Yan Z., & Coniam, D. (2014). The effects of key demographic variables on markers’ perceived ease of use and acceptance of onscreen marking. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 21(4), 464-480.
Ho, F. C., & Yan, Z. (2014). Identification of the patterns of Chinese character recognition in students with learning disabilities requiring Tier-2 support: a Rasch analysis. Educational Psychology, 34(3), 305-322.
Yan, Z. (2014). Predicting teachers’ intentions to implement school-based assessment using the Theory of Planned Behaviour.. Educational Research and Evaluation, 20(2), 83-97.
Yan, Z., & Sin, K. F. (2014). Inclusive education: Teachers’ intentions and behaviour analyzed from the viewpoint of the Theory of Planned Behaviour. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 18(1), 72-85.
Sin, K. F., Lui, M., Yan, Z., Ho, F. C., Au, M. L., & Forlin, C. (2013). The implications of the “Study on Equal Learning Opportunities for Students with Disabilities under the Integrated Education System”. Hong Kong Special Education Forum, 15, 106-110.
Yan, Z., & Coniam, D. (2013). Assessing the ease of use in the environment and markers’ acceptance of onscreen marking: A Rasch measurement perspective.. Educational Research and Evaluation, 19(5), 461-483.
Yan, Z., & Mok, M. M. C. (2012). Validating the Coping Scale for Chinese Athletes using multidimensional Rasch analysis.. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 13(3), 271-279.
Yan, Z., & Bond, T. G. (2011). Developing a Rasch measurement physical fitness scale for Hong Kong primary school-aged students.. Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science, 15(3), 182-203.
Yan, Z. (2010). Objective measurement in psychological science: An overview of Rasch model.. Advances in Psychological Science (心理科學進展), 18(8), 1298-1305.
Zhang, C., & Yan, Z. (2009). An action research‐based psychological intervention on swimming: On the issue of “frontrun and follow”. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 7(4), 574-576.

Conference Papers
Invited conference paper
Yang, L., Lee, J.C.K., Yan, Z., Chiu, M. M., Mok, M. C. & Yang, M. (2019, October). Empowering future assessment for learning by changing monologue to dialogue by assessing students’ feedback beliefs toward teacher feedback. Invited paper presented at The 21st Symposium on Curriculum Theories in Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, 18-21 October, 2019, ShenZhen University, Shenzhen, China.
Yan, Z. (2016, October). Applying the Rasch Model in Language Teaching and Research. Keynote address for the Conference on English Testing and Assessment, GuangZhou, China.
Bond, T. G., & Yan, Z. (2016, August). Exporting to China: The future of a genuine collaboration with the west. Keynote address for the Pacific Rim Objective Measurement Symposium (PROMS 2016), Xi’an, China.
Refereed conference paper
Mendoza, N.B. & Yan, Z. (2024, April). Toward assessing behaviors that reflect growth mindset: Development and validation of the Growth Practices Scale. Paper presentation]. 2024 Annual Meeting of American Educational Research Association: "Dismantling Racial Injustice and Constructing Educational Possibilities: A Call to Action" (AERA 2024), Philadelphia, USA.
Yan, Z. (2017, September). A cyclical self-assessment process: An analysis of how university students engage in self-assessment. Paper presented at the 17th Biennial EARLI (European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction) 2017 conference, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
Yan, Z. (2017, August). Predictors of self-assessment intention and practice among primary and secondary students in Hong Kong. Paper presented at the Pacific Rim Objective Measurement Symposium (PROMS 2017), Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.
Yan, Z. (2017, April). The development and validation of the Self-assessment Practices Scale (SaPS). Paper presented at the 3rd International Conference on Learning and Teaching (ICLT 2017), Jeju Island, South Korea.
Davies, M., Elliott, S.N., Sin, K., & Yan, Z. (2016, August). Development and Application of the Checklist for Learning and Assessment Adjustments for Students (CLAAS) with Special Needs to Inform Learning and Assessment Differentiation. World Congress on Special Needs Education, Philadelphia, PA, USA..
Yan, Z. (2016, August). Teachers’ belief and instruction practice regarding self-regulated learning. Pacific Rim Objective Measurement Symposium (PROMS 2016), Xi’an, China.
Yan, Z., Guo, W. Y., & Xiao, Y. (2016, June). Like It or Not? Hong Kong Primary School Students’ Attitudes Towards Formative Assessment. Fourth International Conference on Asian Studies, Toronto, Canada.
Sin, K. F., & Yan, Z. (2016, April). Delivering an In-service Teacher Training Course for Inclusion in Hong Kong: Evaluation and Reflection. International Conference of Educational Research and Practice, Bei Jing, China.
Yang, M., Cheng, C. K., Lam, B.H., and Yan, Z. (2015, August). Linking research with teaching: Teacher educators’ perspectives. EARLI 2015, Cyprus.
Jin, K.-Y., Mok, M. M. C., Wang, W.-C., & Yan, Z. (2014, November). Modeling the carry-over effects in testlets. Paper presented at the Asia Pacific Educational Research Association International Conference 2014, Hong Kong.
Yan, Z. (2014, June). Formative Assessment: What Contribute to Primary Teachers' Intentions and Practices. Fifth Asian Conference on the Social Sciences, Osaka, Japan.
Yan, Z., & Sin, K. F. (2013, August). Understanding inclusive education from principals' views: An application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Taiwan Education Research Association & Pacific Rim Objective Measurement Symposium 2013 (TERA&PROMS2013), National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan.
Yan, Z. (2012, August). Developing a Rasch Measurement Physical Fitness Scale. Pacific Rim Objective Measurement Symposium (PROMS 2012), Jiaxing University, China.
Yan, Z., Lum, R. C. W., Lui, R. T. L., Chu, S. S. W., & Lui, A. M. (2012, June). The development of an instrument for measuring teaching assistants’ efficacy.. Paper presented at Canada International Conference on Education (CICE-2012), Guelph, Canada..
Ho, F. C., & Yan, Z. (2011, August). Reading patterns of students with learning disabilities in Chinese: A Rasch analysis. Paper presented at the 17th European Conference on Reading Literacy and Diversity, University of Mons, Belgium.
Mok, M. M. C., Yan, Z., & Lau, D. C. H. (2010, July). Considerations in Developing Vertical Scales Using IRT.. 7th Conference of the International Test Commission, Hong Kong.
Lau, D. C. H., Mok, M. M. C. & Yan, Z. (2009, November). An Assessment Scale for Measuring Primary and Secondary Mathematics Achievement. Paper presented at the International Conference on Primary Education 2009, The Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong.
Mok, M. M. C. & Yan, Z. (2009, November). Multilevel Analysis of Self-directed Learning of Primary Students. Paper presented at the International Conference on Primary Education 2009, 25-27 November 2009, The Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong.
YU, George C., MOK, Madgalena Mo Ching and YAN, Zi (2009, November). Accelerated Approach to English Literacy Skill Development Among Primary School Students in China. The International Conference on Primary Education, November 25-27, 2009, Hong Kong.
Chin, M. K., Mok, M. M. C., Chow, G. C. C., Yan, Z., Edginton, C. R., Wong, W. S., & Tang, M. S. (2008, August). Validating the Camp Adventure Scale (CAS) for Hong Kong school students: Connection of leisure activities and generic skills in education. Paper presented at the 2008 International Convention on Science, Education and Medicine in Sport, Guangzhou, China.
Yan, Z. (2008, August). Rasch calibration of physical fitness tests for Hong Kong primary students. Paper presented at the Pacific Rim Objective Measurement Symposium, Tokyo, Japan.
Chin, M. K., Mok, M. M. C., & Yan, Z. (2007, December). The effectiveness of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) on academic aspiration and competencies in self-regulated learning of pre-service teachers in Physical Education. Paper presented at the Asia-Pacific Conference on Exercise and Sports Science 2007, Higashi-Hiroshima City, Japan.
Yan, Z. (2007, July). Rasch Calibration of muscular strength/endurance tests for primary students in Hong Kong. Paper presented at the Pacific Rim Objective Measurement Symposium (PROMS TW 2007), Tao Yuan, Taiwan.
Chen, S. H., Chin, M. K., Yan, Z., & Mok, M. M. C. (2006, July). Instruction time for physical education in Hong Kong: Compared with international counterparts. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the International Association for Physical Education in Higher Education World Congress, Jyvaskyla, Finalnd.
Chin, M. K., Mok, M. M. C., Chen, S., & Yan, Z. (2006, July). The effectiveness of problem-based learning on the affective outcomes of physical education teachers. Paper presented at the Internationl Associatin for Physical Education in Higher Education World Congress, Jyvaskyla, Finland.
Chin, M. K., Mok, M. M. C., Chen, S., Tang, M. S., & Yan, Z. (2006, July). Profile of physical fitness of Hong Kong primary students. Paper presented at the International Association for Physical Education in Higher Education World Congress, Jyvaskyla, Finland.
Mok, M. M. C., Yan, Z., Li, T. S., Chan, K. Y. K., & Lai, J. K. W. (2006, June). Gender and year level differences of primary students' self-directed learning: A rasch analysis. Paper presented at the Pacific Rim Objective Measurement Symposium, Hong Kong.
Yan, Z. (2006, June). A rasch validation of the coping scale for Chinese Athletes. Paper presented at the Pacific Rim Objectives Measurement Symposium, Hong Kong.
Mok, M. M. C., Cheng, Y. C., Moore, P. J., Yan, Z., & Cheng, M. Y. (2005, December). The problem solving competence of Hong Kong secondary students. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of Australian Association for Research in Education, Australia.
Chin, M. K., Mok, M. M. C., & Yan, Z. (2005, November). The effectiveness of problem based learning on enhancing academic self-confidence, leadership, academic affect, and information processing competence of pre-service teachers in physical education. Paper presented at the International Association of Physical Education in Higher Education 2005 World Congress, Portgual.
Other conference paper
Au, M. L., Sin, K. F., Yan, Z., F.C. Ho & Leung, K. W. (2011, December). The knowledge transfer in enhancing the pedagogical practices in special schools. Poster presented in the “Knowledge Exchange Conference: Knowledge Transforming Society”, jointly organized by HKIEd with the other seven UGC-funded institutions, Hong Kong.
Au, M. L., Sin, K. F., Yan, Z. & Leung, K. W. (2011, April). The effect of lesson study on mathematics instructions for children with severe intellectual disabilities. Poster presented in the SAALED Congress: From Inclusion to Belonging, organized by The Southern African Association for Learning and Educational Differences, South Africa.
Au, M. L., Sin, K. F., Yan, Z. & Leung, K. W. (2011, April). The knowledge transfer in enhancing the pedagogical practices in special schools for students with intellectual disabilities. Poster presented in the SAALED Congress: From Inclusion to Belonging, organized by The Southern African Association for Learning and Educational Differences, South Africa.

Creative and Literary Works, Consulting Reports and Case Studies
Consulting or contract research report
鄭志強、余婉兒、鄧城鋒、謝雪梅、晏子 (2015)。 語文教育及研究常務委員會探討香港中、小學如何推行『以普通話教授中國語文科』研究計劃終期報告。香港
曾覺慧、戴燕儀、晏子、高鳳展 (2013)。 個案研究：乘法規律，輯於區美蘭、冼權鋒編著，「適異教學」在特殊學校的實踐與啓示-數學科「乘法規律」教學。香港: 香港教學院特殊學習需要與融合教育中心。
Sin, K.F., Forlin, C., Au, M.L, Ho, F.C., Lui, M., & Yan, Z. (2012). Study on equal learning opportunities for students with disabilities under the integrated education system.. Hong Kong: Equal Opportunities Commission and Centre for Special Educational Needs and Inclusive Education, HKIEd..
冼權鋒、呂明、晏子、何福全等 (2012)。 《澳門特殊教育專項評鑑》報告。澳門: 澳門教育暨青年局、香港教育學院特殊學習需要與融合教育中心。
Written teaching case study or extensive note
區美蘭、譚卿兒、林鎮威、晏子和梁嘉慧 (2011)。 「課堂學習研究」在特殊學校的實踐與啟示—「平面圖形」教學。香港: 香港教育學院特殊學習需要與融合中心。

Projects
Foster or Hinder Learning? The Role of Generative Artificial Intelligence in the Self-assessment Process
Self-assessment can improve both academic performance (e.g., Brown & Harris, 2013; *Yan et al., 2022, 2023) and self-regulated learning (e.g., Panadero et al., 2017; *Yan et al., under review). However, as students' self-assessments often lack timely feedback (e.g., from a teacher), they can be inaccurate and fail to provide references for critical judgement, which reduces their potential to enhance long-term learning capacities (*Yan & Carless, 2022). As many teachers lack the time to provide such feedback, Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools could possibly give such immediate feedback, enabling students to self-assess anytime, anywhere. This gives GenAI the potential to redefine feedback sources and reshape the way students interact with feedback in self-assessment. However, if GenAI gives incorrect, unclear, or confusing information, or if students use it inappropriately (e.g., to avoid making their own judgements), it can hinder their learning.

This project explores GenAI's role in the self-assessment process in higher education. By examining the interactions between students and GenAI during the self-assessment process, we will address four specific research objectives (ROs):
RO1. Develop a framework for evaluating the quality of GenAI-assisted self-assessments;
RO2. Identify ways in which students use GenAI for self-assessment;
RO3. Investigate the relationship between students' use of GenAI for self-assessment and the quality of their self-assessments; and
RO4. Examine the impact of prompt training on the quality of GenAI-assisted self-assessment.
Project Start Year: 2025, Principal Investigator(s): YAN, Zi

 
Technology-driven Assessment Solutions for K-12 Schools in Hong Kong

Project Start Year: 2024, Principal Investigator(s): YAN, Zi

 
Analyzing Self-assessment with Generative Artificial Intelligence

Project Start Year: 2024, Principal Investigator(s): YAN, Zi

 
Developing students’ feedback literacy through online interactive peer assessment: Interaction modes, sequential behavioural patterns, and influential factors
Feedback literacy denotes the capacities and dispositions that students need to productively use feedback for the purpose of improving learning. Feedback-literate students can maximise the effectiveness of feedback on their learning within university curricula and assessment regimes (Carless & Boud, 2018), ultimately supporting their future careers and life-long learning (Winstone, Balloo & Carless, 2022). In spite of its importance, cultivating feedback literacy is a demanding task for university teachers, due to constraints on course time and space and a lack of effective pedagogical models.
Online interactive peer assessment (OIPA) may offer a powerful new approach to cultivating students’ feedback literacy, according to an emerging thread of research (*Zhan, Wan & *Sun, 2022). It has great potential to enhance dialogic interaction between feedback givers and receivers, which is the key to students’ feedback literacy development. More effort is needed to close four major research gaps in this area, as follows. a) No studies have focused on OIPA interventions with a control group design and pre- and post-intervention measures of feedback literacy. b) Few studies have examined whether synchronous or asynchronous interaction is more effective in developing students’ feedback literacy. c) The literature has not specifically addressed how the sequences of students’ actions in dialogic interaction around feedback might influence their feedback use. d) Research has not systematically explored the factors influencing dialogic interaction in a virtual peer assessment environment.
To address these research gaps, the proposed project will develop and implement an OIPA intervention with a naturalistic experimental design. The participants will be Year 2 Bachelor of Education students enrolled in a core education course at a Hong Kong education university. Four complete classes will each be randomly assigned to one of two treatment conditions (synchronous and asynchronous di
Project Start Year: 2024, Principal Investigator(s): ZHAN, Ying (YAN, Zi as Co-Investigator)

 
Self-assessment Using ChatGPT in Foreign Language Learning: A Mixed-method Study in Translation Course

Project Start Year: 2024, Principal Investigator(s): YAN, Zi

 
Towards A Sustainable Assessment Reform through Developing a Professional Development Website for Formative Assessment

Project Start Year: 2024, Principal Investigator(s): YAN, Zi

 
賽馬會「看動畫．讀名篇．識古文」學習計劃 Jockey Club Animated Classical Chinese for Curious Minds Project
為響應教育局提出於小學課程內加入文言文建議篇章的倡議，香港教育大學（教大）獲香港賽馬會慈善信託基金捐助港幣超過二千五百萬，推出「賽馬會『看動畫．讀名篇．識古文』學習計劃」，計劃為期三年，由二零二二/二三學年開展。計劃旨在深化學童對古文與中華文化的知識，讓學童愉快學古文。

In line with the Education Bureau’s advocacy of promoting Chinese classical texts in primary schools, The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) presents the Jockey Club Animated Classical Chinese for Curious Minds Project, supported by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust with a donation of over HK$25 million. The three-year project, which began in the 2022/23 academic year, aims to enrich primary students’ knowledge of Chinese classical texts and culture in a lively and interesting way.
Project Start Year: 2022, Principal Investigator(s): CHEUNG, Yan Leung, Stephen, LEE, Chi Kin, John (YAN, Zi as Co-Investigator)

 
Investigating Primary School Teachers’ E-assessment Practices, Intentions and Influencing Factors in the New Normal: Implications for Developing E-assessment Policy
The blend of online and offline learning has been commonly considered as a trend of future education. Under the profound influence of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become the new normal in Hong Kong primary schools. To effectively maintain school accountability and facilitate education recovery and improvement, e-assessment (as a powerful alternative to traditional face-to-face assessment) has been much more frequently adopted by teachers in classrooms since the occurrence of the pandemic.

In the existing basic education policy documents published in Hong Kong, e-assessment is suggested either as an efficient tool to decrease teachers’ workload in marking, recording and analyzing assessment data (e.g., Curriculum Development Council, 2014) or as e-tests which mainly serve for summative purposes and are linked with territory-wide system assessments (e.g., Education Bureau, 2012, 2015). There is still much room for policymakers to explicate how to balance the use of e-assessment for both formative and summative purposes so as to maximize the strengths of e-assessment in primary classrooms. Since considerable e-assessment experiences have been accumulated by teachers in the new normal, now should be a golden moment for researchers to investigate these fresh experiences so that suggestions can be made for policymakers to enrich and strengthen the existing e-assessment policy in Hong Kong primary schools.

Underpinned by the well-established Theory of Planned Behaviour, this project will adopt an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design to explore primary school teachers’ e-assessment practices in classrooms, their intentions in using it and the factors influencing their decisions. 12 focus group interviews will be conducted with 72 teachers to identify teachers’ e-assessment practices in various school contexts and teachers’ intentions and considerations in planning and conducting e-assessment in classrooms. A large-scale survey based on the interview results will
Project Start Year: 2022, Principal Investigator(s): ZHAN, Ying 詹穎 (YAN, Zi 晏子 as Co-Investigator)

 
Developing students’ evaluative judgment and feedback literacy through self-assessment: An experimental study
Life-long learning is a central aim of education for the 21st century (Curriculum Development Council, 2014, 2017; Education Commission, 2000) and requires evaluating one's performance and learning needs (Joughin et al., 2019). Specifically, students should learn to judge the quality of their work and others' work against suitable quality standards (evaluative judgement, Tai et al., 2018) by acquiring and use feedback from different sources (feedback literacy, Carless & *Boud, 2018).
In this study, we propose and test a simple, low-cost, self-assessment intervention to enhance students’ evaluative judgment, feedback literacy, and academic performance. The intervention will be conducted through a self-assessment worksheet integrated into routine school teaching and learning. Students receiving the intervention are prompted and guided to engage in self-assessment to enhance their evaluative judgment, feedback literacy, and academic performance. This study will apply a mixed-methods, sequential explanatory design, focused on the first phase experimental study, which the second phase qualitative study helps explain.
The findings of this study will consolidate the theoretical understanding and provide empirical evidence for the dynamic relationship among self-assessment, evaluative judgment, feedback literacy, and academic performance. The results will also inform interventions to enhance the awareness of teachers and students on using self-assessment to foster life-long learning, and provide sustainable, low-cost, effective instructional strategies for developing students’ evaluative judgment and feedback literacy.

Project Start Year: 2022, Principal Investigator(s): YAN, Zi 晏子

 
Dialogical Feedback in Q& A Sessions: Case Studies in Primary Schools
..
Project Start Year: 2021, Principal Investigator(s): ZHAN, Ying 詹穎 (YAN, Zi 晏子 as Co-Investigator)

 
Feedback Matters to Achievement, but How it is Proceeded Psychologically by University Students to Harness its Sustainable Power? A Cross-Cultural Longitudinal Study
In search of the underlying mechanisms of feedback in influencing student achievement, this research cluster will bring together international higher education experts and researchers across three countries to explore students’ Feedback Orientations (FO) which is a psychological construct comprised of multiple feedback perceptions that collectively determine an individual students’ overall willingness and readiness to use the feedback (London & Smither, 2002; Yang, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022).
Project Start Year: 2021, Principal Investigator(s): YANG, Lan (YAN, Zi as Co-Investigator)

 
Teachers' revised assessment practices and effects on secondary-four students' learning outcomes and wellbeing: Assessment reform of Liberal Studies / Civic and Social Development
1. Determine if and how teachers adjust their assessment practice in response to the reform of Liberal Studies HKDSE
2. Determine which factors influence such adjustments
3. Determine the extent to which teachers' adjusted assessment practices align (or not) with their beliefs about assessment in the reformed Liberal Studies
4. Determine how teachers' adjusted assessment practices influence secondary-four students' learning outcomes (academic achievement) and wellbeing in the reformed Liberal Studies
Project Start Year: 2021, Principal Investigator(s): YANG, Min 楊敏 (YAN, Zi 晏子 as Co-Investigator)

 
When Assessment Meets High-order Thinking (HOT): Building Up a Cluster for Integrating the Research on Assessment and HOT
Higher-order thinking (HOT) skills are key 21st century skills (Rotherham & Willingham, 2010) that improve learning outcomes (Fong et al., 2017), reduce negative life events (Butler, 2012) and increase job opportunities (OECD, 2017). However, inadequate assessment of HOT, especially formative assessment, hinders adaptation of HOT teaching to fit one's students. This proposed cluster will develop a new Area of Strength by integrating the research on assessment and HOT and target high impact output that is practical and corresponding to education in Hong Kong and transferrable to other contexts. A dual-centric approach is adopted:
1) Research into assessment especially formative assessment tasks which can be used to facilitate students’ HOT development, as well as antecedents of teachers’ practices of and students’ engagement in HOT assessment in non-Anglophone contexts.
2) Professional development and knowledge transfer to develop HOT assessment literacy among pre- and in-service teachers.
Project Start Year: 2021, Principal Investigator(s): ZHAN, Ying (YAN, Zi as Co-Investigator)

 
Assessment Research into Enhancing Learning and Teaching
The proposed project aims to understand and promote good assessment practices in diverse educational settings. Research activities will cover a wide range of aspects of educational assessment. Particular topics will include, but will not be limited to, formative assessment, self-assessment, and feedback, among others.
Project Start Year: 2021, Principal Investigator(s): YAN, Zi

 
Harnessing the Power of Teacher Feedback to Enhance Learning Outcomes: The Roles of Students’ Feedback Orientations and Learning Engagement
This GRF project across Hong Kong, Macau and the mainland of China will help determine the mechanisms underlying student use of teacher feedback. Informed by these results, teachers can design and provide effective feedback that students (a) perceive as useful and (b) use to facilitate their active engagement and improve learning outcomes.
Project Start Year: 2021, Principal Investigator(s): YANG, Lan 楊蘭 (YAN, Zi 晏子 as Co-Investigator)

 
Enhancing Assessment Literacy in Schools: Synergizing Assessment-for-learning and Assessment-as-learning 提升學校評估素養：協同運用「促進學習的評估」與「作為學習的評估」
..
Project Start Year: 2021, Principal Investigator(s): YAN, Zi 晏子

 
Centre of Excellence for Higher Education Teaching and Learning Innovations under the World Bank’s “Higher Education Improvement Project” (HEIP) in Cambodia
..
Project Start Year: 2020, Principal Investigator(s): LIM, Cher Ping (YAN, Zi as Team Member)

 
Translating Research into Actionable Approaches for Developing Student Assessment Literacy
We will specifically focus on how teachers can
i. Design and implement strategies for inducting students to basic knowledge and skills of making evaluative judgment
ii. Adapt evaluative tools to assess impact of the strategies on student assessment literacy
Project Start Year: 2020, Principal Investigator(s): YANG, Min 楊敏 (YAN, Zi 晏子 as Co-Investigator)

 
Harnessing the Power of Assessment to Support Pre-service Teachers' Learning and Professional Development Through an Innovative Blended Learning Approach (A+BLe)
Educators in higher education encounter lots of difficulties in maintaining high academic standards and high quality attributes in today's classes with a large number of students with diverse needs. It remains a challenging task for teachers to, on one side, well organize the teaching/learning content so that all students are more likely to actively participate in the learning process, and on the other side, to well assess students’ use of their higher-order/self-directed learning processes (e.g., self-assessment, peer-assessment, use of formative feedback from teachers) to achieve academic success and high quality attributes upon graduation. There is a compelling need to provide a rigorous blended learning approach that can link teaching, both online and offline learning and assessment practices (self-assessment, peer-assessment, and teacher-assessment) in a visible, achievable and sustainable way. The A+BLe approach is expected to also encourage students to not only undertake the learning activities actively, but also tell students and teachers how well the objectives of teaching and learning have been achieved. Based on these concerns, this project aims to provide an innovative and creative blended learning approach (A+BLe) to link teaching, learning, and assessment practices in a visible and systematic way to promote EdUHK students’ multiple learning outcomes that are essential for their professional development.
Project Start Year: 2020, Principal Investigator(s): YANG, Lan 楊蘭 (YAN, Zi 晏子 as Co-Investigator)

 
Unpacking Student Self-assessment Processes: A Longitudinal Naturalistic Experiment
The goal of this project is to test experimentally the impact of two different classroom SSA methods as well as to examine the mechanisms by which SSA processes influence student learning. By conducting this research in a naturalistic environment, both the feasibility and utility of these methods can be robustly identified. The findings of this research will provide a better understanding of the SSA process as a learning strategy, its potential for widespread adoption both at the policy and practical levels, and its theoretical importance for assessment for learning.
Project Start Year: 2020, Principal Investigator(s): YAN, Zi 晏子

 
Study on Challenges, Effective Policies, and Best Practices of Ordinary Schools in Educating Students with Special Educational Needs in Hong Kong
Hong Kong implemented integrated education for almost two decades, which aimed to support the learning and teaching of SEN students in mainstream schools. However, the rights to inclusive education and equal education opportunities of SEN students have not been effectively addressed, related researches on reviewing the effectiveness of integrated education policy is also insufficient. Hence, CELT has been commissioned by Equal Opportunity Commission to conduct a policy research in order to identify major challenges while mainstream schools are educating students with SEN, and assess the effectiveness of existed integrated education policy. This project is hoped to serve for a foundation to suggest further policy interventions in integrated education.
Project Start Year: 2019, Principal Investigator(s): KO, Po Yuk 高寶玉 (YAN, Zi 晏子 as Co-Investigator)

 
Enhancing School Curriculum Management Capacity through Institutionalizing the SECI Knowledge Creation Model
This project aims to:
1. develop best practices to strengthen the competencies of school leaders and teachers in curriculum management;
2. institutionalize a mechanism for curriculum management that uses the SECI knowledge creation model as a guiding framework;
3. nurture curriculum leaders and a culture of knowledge sharing in schools to operate the curriculum management mechanism; and
4. develop a sustainable knowledge network that helps schools acquire and share knowledge.
Project Start Year: 2019, Principal Investigator(s): CHENG, Chi Keung Eric 鄭志強 (YAN, Zi 晏子 as Co-Investigator)

 
Developing Evaluative Judgment among Students: An Interactive Assessment and Feedback Process
This project aims to develop an Interactive Assessment and Feedback Process (IAFP) and investigate its effectiveness in enhancing students’ academic achievement and developing their evaluative judgment in the context of higher education.
Project Start Year: 2019, Principal Investigator(s): YAN, Zi 晏子

 
A Structural Understanding of Formative Assessment: Predictor, Intention, and Practice
The proposed study will explore teachers’ intentions and practices regarding formative assessment as well as the factors that influence their intentions and practices. Personal factors—such as attitudes, subjective norms, and self-efficacy, as specified in the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) (Ajzen, 1991)—and contextual factors will be used as predictors. This represents an important attempt to conceptualize teachers’ formative assessment practices holistically taking into consideration multiple influences on teaching practice. Students’ reactions, such as attitude and perceived usefulness, will also be investigated in accordance with teachers’ strategies. This research, therefore, moves beyond the documentation of individual cases in order to locate formative assessment in a broader theoretical framework.
Project Start Year: 2019, Principal Investigator(s): YAN, Zi 晏子

 
Automatic Assessment Score Analysis
The project creates Automatic Assessment Score Analysis (AASA) software to analyze properly scores of test questions, essays, etc. AASA requires zero statistics/computer knowledge and uses teachers’ existing data on their students’ scores. AASA applies cutting-edge statistics to assess students accurately and produce an easy-to-understand report that (a) sorts students (lowest to highest learning outcomes), (b) sorts questions from easiest to hardest (poorly- to well-understood ideas), and (c) suggests removal of poor questions (easily guessed, misleading, etc.).
Project Start Year: 2019, Principal Investigator(s): CHIU, Ming Ming (YAN, Zi 晏子 as Co-Investigator)

 
Cultivating Students’ Critical Thinking and Creativity through Web-based and Classroom-based Inquiry
Critical thinking and creativity are long-standing objectives in EdUHK strategic plans and within her generic intended learning outcomes (GILOs). Given considerable uncertainty existing in the process of conducting inquiry, students are required to make their own decisions in every stage of doing it, which intrinsically involves the application and development of both creative and critical thinking that are described as the “heartbeat” of inquiry. Inquiry learning was originally adopted in the school classrooms, and recent years witness increasing advocation of it at the university level. This project intends to make use of both Web-based and classroom-based inquiry to facilitate EdUHK students’ development in high-order thinking. 9 sets of Web-based or classroom-based inquiry activities will be developed, with each for an experimental course. The project will follow the paradigm of practitioner research, including two cycles of implementation. The development of students’ critical thinking and creativity will be assessed through matured instruments in the pre and post-tests, interviews with students, and process data generated in the learning process. This project will be a pioneering effort to systematically implement inquiry learning at the university level in the Eastern world. Its innovation is also reflected in the inclusion of both Web-based and classroom-based inquiry.
Project Start Year: 2018, Principal Investigator(s): WAN, Zhihong 萬志宏, LEE, Chi Kin John 李子建 (YAN, Zi 晏子 as Co-Investigator)

 
A New Process to Fairly Score Individual Contributions to a Team Project
We develop a new, fair, relatively easy to implement, low-cost and generalizable process to score individual contributions to a team project – an innovative solution to the common problem of free riding faced by teachers in higher education.
Project Start Year: 2018, Principal Investigator(s): WOO, Chi Keung 胡志強 (YAN, Zi 晏子 as Co-Investigator)

 
All that Effort of Feedback Research, But what is the Effect in Chinese Secondary Students? Identify Impact through INFACT (Innovative Formative Assessment Collaborative Team)
The major purpose of this cluster is to develop a new Area of Strength on feedback research by integrating research and practical strengths of the team members.
Project Start Year: 2017, Principal Investigator(s): YANG, Lan 楊蘭 (YAN, Zi 晏子 as Co-Investigator)

 
Unpacking Student Self-assessment: What Are the Self-assessment Processes and How Do They Work?
The proposed cluster aims to develop a new Area of Strength by integrated cutting-edge research and high-impact knowledge transfer. Under this ultimate goal, there are three inter-related major purposes. First, the cluster aims to draw inter-disciplinary expertise to investigate a well “known unknown” area – student self-assessment, in particular, the inner process of self-assessment and the mechanism through which self-assessment influences student learning, both cognitive and emotional aspects. Second, the cluster aims to serve a worldwide educational need (i.e., to know how to understand and promote self-assessment and self-regulated learning) by transferring the research findings into education practice in a concrete and feasible way. Third, the cluster aims to form a synergic team with a critical mass for a coherent and sustainable research theme and maximize the University’s impact locally and internationally
Project Start Year: 2017, Principal Investigator(s): YAN, Zi 晏子

 
Supporting and Evaluating the E-Learning Resource Development in Hong Kong Special Schools
In 2016, for celebrating the HSBC 150th Anniversary, eleven large projects, on a very competitive basis, was awarded and supported by The HSBC 150th Anniversary Charity Program. In 2016-2019, members from Centre for Special Educational Needs and Inclusive Education participated in an innovative e-Learning project “Special School School-based Learning Materials Digitization Scheme”, with amount of HKD 31.5 million funded by HSBC 150th Anniversary Charity Programme. The project was led by Sam Shui Natives Association Lau Pun Cheung School with members of CCC Kei Shun Special School, TWGHs Tsui Tsin Tong School, The Education University of Hong Kong and Open Knowledge Association Ltd. In the project, CSENIE was granted an amount of about HKD 3 million for leading the work on “Supporting and evaluating the e-Learning resource development in Hong Kong special schools”. Prof. Sin led the team for school based consultancy, research activities, knowledge dissemination and staff training. The school and university partnership did help the setting up an e-Learning platform, digitizing the subject learning contents, enhancing professional development and evaluating the effectiveness.

This project created Hong Kong’s first e-Learning platform in schools for students with intellectual disabilities and allowed students to learn anywhere and at their own pace, using various interactive media. It featured tools that reduce repetitive work for teachers, making the platform an efficient learning and teaching implement. Teachers and parents could track students’ progress within the platform, understand each one’s strengths and weaknesses, and then made necessary improvements. Teachers were trained to adjust the e-Learning materials to suit individual needs of their students. The E-learning for Inclusive Education Association (ELFIE) was established - a community to champion the development of e-Learning in SEN schools and mainstreaming schools through collaboration and sharing, inc
Project Start Year: 2016, Principal Investigator(s): SIN, Kuen Fung (YAN, Zi as Team Member)

 
Student Self-assessment: Calibration, Predictors, and Effects
This study aims to explore the calibration, predictors, and effects of self-assessment in Hong Kong students’ learning. The research objectives include: (1) investigate the characteristics of self-assessment calibration at the three different phases of self-regulated learning; (2) explore the predictors of students’ self-assessment intentions and practices; and (3) examine the effects of self-assessment on students’ academic performance.
Project Start Year: 2016, Principal Investigator(s): YAN, Zi 晏子

 
Development of High Quality E/Blended Learning Materials for Honours Project I for Five-Year BEd Programme (Phase I)
This project aims at developing high quality e/blended learning materials for the Honours Project I course of the five-year BEd programme.
Project Start Year: 2014, Principal Investigator(s): (YAN, Zi 晏子 as Co-Investigator)

 
Self-regulated learning: Teachers’ belief and instruction
This study aims to explore teachers’ beliefs about introducing self-regulated learning in teaching and their instructional strategies in teaching metacognitive skills. The results of this study will contribute to the literature on teachers’ belief and instruction with regard to self-regulated learning as well as lay ground for further empirical investigations to identify the conditions which promote self-regulated learning and maximize its positive effects in teaching.
Project Start Year: 2014, Principal Investigator(s): YAN, Zi 晏子

 
Self-assessment: The conceptualization, practice, and effects on learning
Conceptualizing self-assessment from a pedagogical perspective, the proposed study aims to 1) contribute to the theory construction of self-assessment by exploring the conceptual dimensionality of self-assessment; 2) identify self-assessment practices (activities to seek external or internal feedback) used by Hong Kong students; 3) investigate the relationship between self-assessment (and its sub-dimensions) and students’ learning motivation (mastery and performance goal orientations); 4) investigate the relationship between self-assessment (and its sub-dimensions) and students’ academic achievements; and 5) investigate the effect of demographic variables (e.g., gender, year level) of students on the association between self-assessment and learning.
Project Start Year: 2014, Principal Investigator(s): YAN, Zi 晏子

 
A Structural Understanding of Formative Assessment in Physical Education Reform: Conception, Intention, and Practice
The proposed study aims to understand teachers’ conceptions, intentions, and practices regarding formative assessment under the framework of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). Apart from that, the proposed study also seeks to understand students’ conceptions of formative assessment. The four specific objectives with its roots in PE lessons in primary and secondary schools include 1) to test out and develop empirically a model (TPB) of predictors of teachers’ formative assessment intentions and practices; 2) to develop measurement scales for accessing teachers’ conceptions, intentions, and practices as well as students’ conceptions regarding formative assessment; 3) to assess and understand teachers’ conceptions and intentions as well as students’ conceptions regarding formative assessment; and 4) to profile teachers’ formative assessment practices. The proposed study will lay the ground for subsequent large scale studies, such as the intervention programme in enhancing teachers’ intentions to carry out and practices of formative assessment, or the examination of the impact of formative assessment practices on students’ learning in knowledge, skill, fitness, and affective domains of PE.
Project Start Year: 2013, Principal Investigator(s): YAN, Zi 晏子

 
Investigating and Comparing English Departments in Institutional Reviews: Developing a Measure for Meaningful Comparisons
This research project deals with the complex issue of attempts to investigate ways of comparing institutions by means of the institutional review process; subsequently proposing the development of a measurement instrument that would allow for such comparisons. The project will discuss institutional reviews generally, first focusing on Liaoning province in Northeast China and the development of the measurement instrument and subsequently discussing ways in which the instrument can possibly be used in a more generalisable manner.
Project Start Year: 2013, Principal Investigator(s): CONIAM DAVID JOHN 龔大胃 (YAN, Zi 晏子 as Team Member)

 
Teachers' Conceptions and Intentions Regarding School-based Assessment for the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education
This study aims to investigate Hong Kong secondary school teachers’ conceptions and intention regarding School-based assessment under the framework of the Theory of Planned Behavior. This study will examine the application of TPB in Hong Kong education contexts and the findings of this study will shed light on teacher professional development and policy making regarding SBA.
Project Start Year: 2013, Principal Investigator(s): YAN, Zi 晏子

 
Applying Knowledge Management Practices in School Education for Sustainable Development
The project aims to help schools to institutionalize the KM system in the school organization for sustainable development, to understand the concept of KM, and to acquire the skills and tools for KM practices.
Project Start Year: 2012, Principal Investigator(s): CHENG, Chi Keung Eric 鄭志強 (YAN, Zi 晏子 as Team Member)

 
The effects of professional training on teachers' confidence and self perceived competence in managing challenging behaviour
Teachers’ confidence and self perceived competence, or commonly referred to self-efficacy, is a teacher’s judgment of his or her capabilities to produce desired educational outcomes. This judgment has been proved to be associated with students’ learning as well as teachers’ approaches to instruction. Managing students’ behaviour has been always a challenging task for teachers and this phenomenon is more evident in the shift towards inclusive education in which more and more students with emotional and/or behavioural problems are included in mainstream schools. This study will investigate the impact of professional training courses on teachers' confidence and self perceived competence in managing challenging behaviour.
Project Start Year: 2012, Principal Investigator(s): COOPER PAUL WILLIAM (YAN, Zi 晏子 as Co-Investigator)

 
The Development of An Instrument for Measuring Teaching Assistants' Efficacy
increased number of teaching assistants (TA) have been deployed in primary and secondary schools to support teachers and students. It is no doubt that TAs are becoming an important part of education system and they have substantial impact on students’ learning outcomes and teacher’s teaching practice. The main purpose of this study is to develop and validate a scale for measuring Teaching Assistants' (TA) efficacy on the identified capacities necessary for their work.
Project Start Year: 2012, Principal Investigator(s): YAN, Zi 晏子

 
澳門特殊教育專項評鑑
「特殊教育專項評鑑」是緣於澳門特別行政區非高等教育制度綱要法，期望透過對學校進行系統的專項評鑑，藉此向學校提供改善和發展的參考意見，並規劃必需的輔助措施，以保證學校的教育質量。

依據特殊教育專項評鑑需求書第二段的內容，研究小組以配合澳門特區政府的教育施政、規劃未來相關措施及提升相關教學質素等作探討基礎，為此專項評鑑擬定下列目的:

1. 有系統地收集澳門特殊教育的有關訊息
2. 客觀地分析及評鑑有關數據
3. 以專業態度評估特殊教育的現狀及發展的情況
4. 就不足或待改善的地方，對未來規劃作出適當建議
Project Start Year: 2010, Principal Investigator(s): SIN, Kuen Fung 冼權鋒 (YAN, Zi 晏子 as Co-Investigator)

 
Study on equal learning opportunities for students with special educational needs under the integrated education system
The project was commissioned and funded by Equal Opportunities Commission. The objectives of the research are as follows:
(1)To conduct a literature review on the existing studies on the subject of integrated inclusive special education of students with disabilities in Hong Kong and overseas; (2) To elicit the stakeholders’ understanding of IE policy and attitudes towards with SEN in mainstream schools in relation to controlled segregation and desegregation approaches; (3)To discern the stakeholders’ perception of difficulties encountered under the four domains (viz. school management and organization, learning and teaching, student support and school ethos, and student performance) in educating students with SEN and able-bodied students in the IE programme, with respect to different categories/degrees of disabilities; (4)To collect opinions from the stakeholders towards allocation of resources, provision of professional training, and support from the community and to examine the functional roles and inter-relationship of IE programme in mainstream schools, skills opportunity schools, special schools and career-oriented training courses.
Project Start Year: 2010, Principal Investigator(s): SIN, Kuen Fung, Kenneth (YAN, Zi as Co-Investigator)

 
Prizes and awards
EdUHK President's Awards for Outstanding Performance in Reserach (Research Excellence Award)
The President’s Award for Outstanding Performance in Research was established to honour research excellence exhibited by academic staff members as individuals or in teams, and to recognise, encourage and reward outstanding research of significant benefit to the wider community.
Date of receipt: /5/2022, Conferred by: EdUHK
 
Hong Kong ICT Awards: Smart People (Smart Inclusion) Gold Award
CSENIE worked in partnership with Sam Shui Natives Association Lau Pun Cheung School, C.C.C. Kei Shun Special School, TWGHs Tsui Tsin Tong School and Open Knowledge Association for a funded project titled Special school's school-based learning materials digitization scheme and establishment of "E-learning for Inclusive Education Association (ELFIE)". In this three-year project, ELFIE set up a learning management system RainbowStar, and developed a total of 572 electronic textbooks in different subjects. The team has conducted over 1000 sections of e-Book trials, lesson observations, and teaching exchanges. We also conducted research and sharing sessions for teachers, therapists, scholars and researchers. Until 2021, more than 60% of special schools were RainbowStar users. In the pandemic, the outcome was with significant impact on supporting the home learning for students with intellectual disabilities. The digital inclusion was finally achieved.
Date of receipt: /11/2021, Conferred by: The Hong Kong Council of Social Service
 
Dean’s Research Award 2019/20: Research Engagement and Impact

Date of receipt: /8/2020, Conferred by: EdUHK
 
Faculty Impact Development Award 2019/20 (Team Award)

Date of receipt: /8/2020, Conferred by: EdUHK
 
Faculty Teaching Award 2019/20

Date of receipt: /8/2020, Conferred by: EdUHK
 
Faculty “Top 10%” Teaching Award 2018/19

Date of receipt: /5/2019, Conferred by: FEHD, EdUHK
 
President’s Awards for Outstanding Performance in Knowledge Transfer 2018/2019 (Team)
For E-learning enhancement, the team was invited as a collaborative partner with three pioneer special schools for developing an e-learning platform, so as to foster innovative e-strategies and e-practices for teaching students with intellectual disabilities. Prof. Sin led the team for the knowledge transfer activities such as school-based consultancy, research activities, knowledge dissemination and staff training. Over 570 e-books across subjects and at different levels were available to students with different needs and abilities, giving both teachers and parent access, and promoting digital inclusion across all Hong Kong special schools and beyond. This project has demonstrated an important innovation of e-learning development with far-reaching knowledge transfer impact on quality education for SEN students. The E-learning for Inclusive Education Association was then set up for sustainable development and wider dissemination.
Date of receipt: 25/3/2019, Conferred by: The Education University of Hong Kong
 
Impact Development Award 2018-2019

Date of receipt: 20/3/2019, Conferred by: Faculty of Education and Human Development, EdUHK
 
President's Award for Outstanding Performance in Knowledge Transfer 2016/17 (Team Award)

Date of receipt: /5/2017, Conferred by: EdUHK
 
The Faculty Top 10% Publication Award

Date of receipt: /8/2016, Conferred by: FEHD, EdUHK
 
Certificate of Merit for the Knowledge Transfer Award
This project aimed at enhancing the pedagogical practice of special education teachers, through the joint effort of EDB, CSNSIE and teachers/principals in special schools. This tripartite model of professional collaboration was widely supported by the school heads of special schools.
Date of receipt: /7/2010, Conferred by: HKIEd