Public policy

Positivism

Context (archaeology)

Linguistics

Mathematics education

Philosophy

Public relations

Policy learning

Archaeology

Pedagogy

Narrative

Economics

Alternative assessment

Computer science

Educational assessment

Psychology

Policy analysis

Political science

Formative assessment

Summative assessment

Sociology

Public administration

Economic growth

Machine learning

History

Studies In Educational Evaluation

This paper describes Hong Kong’s borrowing, primarily from the UK, of the assessment for learning policy, in the context of prolonged use of formal summative public examinations. The narrative review and analysis are guided by a social positivist critique of the assessment for learning policy in the Hong Kong context. This paper concludes that Hong Kong’s attempts to implement assessment for learning are ambitious but somewhat futile because of persistent use of public examinations for important decision-making. Change in Hong Kong may only happen through a gradual implementation of assessment for learning practices that takes into account cultural, societal, and historic norms. Critical issues are identified and recommendations are proposed for further implementation of assessment for learning in Hong Kong.

Assessment for learning in the Hong Kong assessment reform: A case of policy borrowing