Investigating EFL Students’ Assessment Tools in the Algerian and Finnish Educational Systems

Abstract

Assessment is the core element of education; each country has a specific assessment system, the aim of this study is to compare two totally different educational systems of two totally different countries: Finland which ranked third in ranking, which was supervised by the Global Education Quality Index issued by the world Economic Forum in Davos 2021, and Algeria which ranked 119. This research examines the similarities and differences between these two systems, as well as the assessment methods used in each country’s EFL classrooms, in addition to the learning approaches applied in each. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches are used in order to collect valid and reliable data. Consequently, questionnaires are distributed to Algerian (Tiaret) and Finnish (Helsinki) public secondary schools’ students, interviews with the same secondary schools’ teachers from both countries are conducted as well. Descriptive and statistical aspects are used to analyse the collected data. Results show that the two assessment systems share an amount of similarities such as assessing mainly on the content taught rather than assessing the learners’ level, using summative assessments, focusing on both strengths to develop and weaknesses to overcome, as well as relying heavily on tests and exams in addition to the progress of students in class in order to evaluate their levels, however, the two systems differ in other several aspects.