“We would like to see ourselves in the test:” The views of Francophone West African English learners as potential test takers of the Duolingo English Test (DET)
Kadidja Koné, Ecole Normale d’Enseignement Technique et Professionnel, Mali
Paula Winke, Michigan State University, USA
Matt Gordon, Michigan State University, USA
https://doi.org/10.58379/NKXR9151
Volume 14, Issue 1, 2025
Abstract: High-stakes test design must be informed by test takers’ views so that the test takers can benefit from the tests (Fox & Cheng, 2015; Hamid et al., 2019; Jin, 2023; Kang, Miao, & Hirschi, 2024; O’Sullivan, 2012). High-stakes English tests are being administered in Francophone West Africa, yet little research has investigated test takers’ experiences with them. Thus, we investigated 64 Malian test takers’ views after taking a standardized English test, the Duolingo English Test (DET). Across 10 afternoon focus groups, we asked test takers about their perceptions of the test (which they had taken in the morning) and what they believed designers should do to make the test better for them. Emergent themes, found through analyses using MAXQDA, centered on the test’s features/areas, technology, inclusivity, and professionalization opportunities. Test takers additionally discussed the test-taking anxieties they experienced and suggested recommendations for the test designers. In sum, local culture, infrastructure, and educational contexts interplayed with exam experiences. Test takers expressed a desire for more African-centric exam content. Overall, the test takers enjoyed participating, yet discussed that for them, the test would be more accessible if it cost less, was mobile-phone based, and could be paid for through local banking systems.
Keywords: Duolingo English Test, high-stakes tests, test-taking experiences, Francophone West Africa, technology