Impact evaluation study examples

B2 First impact study in Brazil

A 2021 impact study in Brazil investigated the extent of B2 First exam influence on teaching strategies, given its use in hiring decisions in companies, admission to graduate programmes at universities, and employment requirements for English teachers in language schools.

The study reveals the variety of teaching methods, textbooks, and activities used in teaching. It also shows that, while some students may feel pressure during preparation, the knowledge and skills developed will remain long after taking the exam.

Impact studies for Empower

Impact studies for Empower were carried out between 2015 to 2018 in various countries to evaluate the impact of a blended learning and assessment proposition with personalised practice and progress checks.

Responses confirmed that providing personalised feedback and practice generated high levels of engagement, and helped students to make an improvement of half a CEFR level as intended.

The long-term impact of Cambridge English Qualifications

A longitudinal impact study tracked the long-term impact of Cambridge English Qualifications in state schools following the implementation of the Progetto Lingue 2000 project in Italy. The project aimed to support teacher development and promote the use of English inside and outside the classroom, reaching nearly 2500 teachers annually. We gathered comparable data in the early 2000s and again in 2010 from across Italy.

The study revealed that learners were showing the effects of their greater day-to-day contact with English outside of school. We are currently looking at facilitating a repeat of the study to analyse the effects of our exams 20 years on, to ensure they remain appropriate to the needs of the growing range of language learners.

How Linguaskill was introduced into Chinese universities

In China in 2021 an impact study looked at how Linguaskill was introduced and integrated into the English curriculum system of two universities to support a goal of improving the quality of their English education programmes.

The study highlights the interest in an online test with an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) focus. It also reveals an unintended use of Linguaskill to evaluate teacher performance, which can be addressed by promoting more productive methods, such as teacher training development.

Stakeholders’ perceptions of OET

Detailed research on stakeholders’ perceptions of OET (Occupational English Test) around the world revealed that healthcare professionals preferred OET because by preparing for the test they were preparing for communicating in the actual workplace.

The skills and tasks that are used in OET were perceived as highly representative of the kind of communicative tasks that candidates will have to demonstrate when communicating with patients and other healthcare professionals.

Power Up and Cambridge English Qualifications

An impact study conducted in primary schools across several countries in 2021-2022 aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a combination of Power Up and Cambridge English Qualifications for young learners on students’ English language proficiency, engagement, and exam readiness.