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Exploring the Underexplored: Assessing Students' Willingness to Communicate in the Curriculum

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Title: Exploring the Underexplored: Assessing Students' Willingness to Communicate in the Curriculum
Language: English
Authors: Vienne Lin (ORCID 0000-0001-8188-452X), Gail Forey (ORCID 0000-0003-4562-942X)
Source: Review of Education. 2026 14(1).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 30
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Communication (Thought Transfer), Intention, Course Descriptions, Student Participation, College Students, Foreign Countries, Attendance, Learner Engagement, Classroom Communication, Compliance (Psychology)
Geographic Terms: Hong Kong
DOI: 10.1002/rev3.70151
ISSN: 2049-6613
Abstract: Willingness to communicate (WTC) is hypothesised as individuals' predisposition to speak (McCroskey and Baer, 1985). At the core of this construct lies the fundamental assumption of free choice. However, the notion of free choice has often been taken for granted, particularly when examining WTC in instructional contexts. To address this gap, the present study conducted a case study using a multi-method qualitative text and discourse analysis of 35 course outlines to explore the manifestation of WTC in the curriculum, with a specific focus on assessment and its assessment criteria for class participation. A collection of assessment schemes was extracted from course outlines published by the English department at a university in Hong Kong. The results reveal that the free choice of communication is absent, as 34 of the 35 courses assess students' class participation. As such, WTC is not optional but mandatory. However, despite WTC being nearly universally assessed, there is a lack of explicit assessment criteria where standards are not clearly articulated. Three discursive themes on the assessment criteria for participation are identified: (1) participation has emphatic stress on attendance, (2) participation accentuates modes of engagement and (3) participation requires communication. An assessment transparency matrix is created to conceptualise these discursive themes according to their explicit-implicit and objective-subjective dimensions. The paper concludes by discussing pedagogical considerations of how class participation assessment can be made explicit and inclusive. Specifically, it is important to acknowledge individual differences in WTC and provide varied and flexible options that enable all students to participate.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1503939
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Exploring the Underexplored: Assessing Students' Willingness to Communicate in the Curriculum
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Vienne+Lin%22">Vienne Lin</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8188-452X">0000-0001-8188-452X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gail+Forey%22">Gail Forey</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4562-942X">0000-0003-4562-942X</externalLink>)
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Communication+%28Thought+Transfer%29%22">Communication (Thought Transfer)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intention%22">Intention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Course+Descriptions%22">Course Descriptions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Participation%22">Student Participation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Students%22">College Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attendance%22">Attendance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learner+Engagement%22">Learner Engagement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Classroom+Communication%22">Classroom Communication</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Compliance+%28Psychology%29%22">Compliance (Psychology)</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hong+Kong%22">Hong Kong</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
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  Data: 10.1002/rev3.70151
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 2049-6613
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Willingness to communicate (WTC) is hypothesised as individuals' predisposition to speak (McCroskey and Baer, 1985). At the core of this construct lies the fundamental assumption of free choice. However, the notion of free choice has often been taken for granted, particularly when examining WTC in instructional contexts. To address this gap, the present study conducted a case study using a multi-method qualitative text and discourse analysis of 35 course outlines to explore the manifestation of WTC in the curriculum, with a specific focus on assessment and its assessment criteria for class participation. A collection of assessment schemes was extracted from course outlines published by the English department at a university in Hong Kong. The results reveal that the free choice of communication is absent, as 34 of the 35 courses assess students' class participation. As such, WTC is not optional but mandatory. However, despite WTC being nearly universally assessed, there is a lack of explicit assessment criteria where standards are not clearly articulated. Three discursive themes on the assessment criteria for participation are identified: (1) participation has emphatic stress on attendance, (2) participation accentuates modes of engagement and (3) participation requires communication. An assessment transparency matrix is created to conceptualise these discursive themes according to their explicit-implicit and objective-subjective dimensions. The paper concludes by discussing pedagogical considerations of how class participation assessment can be made explicit and inclusive. Specifically, it is important to acknowledge individual differences in WTC and provide varied and flexible options that enable all students to participate.
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        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Intention
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Course Descriptions
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      – SubjectFull: Student Participation
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      – SubjectFull: College Students
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      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
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      – SubjectFull: Attendance
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      – SubjectFull: Learner Engagement
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      – SubjectFull: Classroom Communication
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      – SubjectFull: Compliance (Psychology)
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      – SubjectFull: Hong Kong
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