CARLESS, David
- BA Kent
- PGCE Wolverhampton
- MA Birmingham
- PhD Warwick

Associate Professor

 

Teaching Areas
  • Assessment for learning
  • Curriculum, learning and assessment
  • Qualitative research

 

Research Interests
  • Assessment for learning
  • The management of educational change
  • Task-based language teaching and learning
  • Qualitative research
Research Grants
  • The implementation of assessment for learning in primary school English language teaching. (September 2006-August 2008) RGC-CERG $459,282 (PI).
  • Aligning assessment with curriculum reform in junior secondary English language teaching. (2006-8). PI = Chris Davison. Quality Education Fund, Education and Manpower Bureau, HK $2,359,000 (Co-I)
  • Perceptions of the suitability of task-based teaching for the Hong Kong secondary school context (Jan 2006-December 2006) Seed funding for basic research $80,000 (PI).
  • Learning-oriented assessment project (LOAP) Sept 2002-August 2005
    UGC Teaching Development Grant $2 million (PI).
  • Team teaching and collaboration in three language schemes using native speakers of teachers of English in state schools. May 2002-Dec 2003 Internal Research Grant, $67,993 (PI)
  • Investigating the implementation of TOC in Hong Kong primary schools.
    September 1997-January 1999. EMB $1 million. (Co-principal investigator).
Research Students

Dr Carless is particularly interested in supervising students whose research is focused on the interface between assessment and student learning e.g. assessment reform; alternative assessment; formative assessment; school-based assessment.

Current research postgraduates:

  • Darren Bryant (Ph D) From origins to sustainability in the NET scheme
  • Simon Chan Shiu-Yip (Ed D) Consciousness-raising grammar tasks
  • Jessica Deng Chunrao (MPhil/Ph D) Case studies of task-based ELT in Nanhai
  • Simon Mann (MPhil) School collaboration to promote assessment for learning
  • Iris Wang Xiang (MPhil/Ph D) Managing the relationship between summative and formative assessment in EAP
  • Winnie Leung Ka-Wing (M.Ed thesis) The formative use of summative testing in primary school ELT
Publications
  • Carless, D. (2009). Classroom assessment in the Hong Kong policy context. In B.McGaw, E.Baker, & P.Peterson (Eds.), International Encyclopedia of Education (3rd edition). Oxford: Elsevier..
  • Carless, D. (2008) Trust, distrust and their impact on assessment reform, Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education.
  • Carless, D. (2008). Student use of the mother tongue in the task-based classroom. ELT Journal, 62(4).
  • Carless, D. (2008) Developing productive synergies between formative and summative assessment processes. In M.F.Hui & D.Grossman (Eds.), Improving teacher education through action research. New York: Routledge.
  • Carless, D. (2007) The suitability of task-based approaches for secondary schools: perspectives from Hong Kong, System, 35(4).
  • Carless, D. (2007) Conceptualising pre-emptive formative assessment, Assessment in Education, 14(2), 171-184.
  • Carless, D., (2007) Learning-oriented assessment: conceptual basis and practical implications. Innovations in Education and Teaching International (44, 1), 57-66.
  • Carless, D. (2007) Grammatical options in a task-based approach, Modern English Teacher, 16(1), 29-32.
  • Carless, D., Joughin, G., Liu, N.F. and Associates (2006). How assessment supports learning: learning-oriented assessment in action. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.
  • Carless, D., Joughin, G, & Mok, M. (2006) (Guest editors) Special issue of Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 31(4).
  • Carless, D., Joughin, G, & Mok, M. (2006) Learning-oriented assessment: principles and practice. Editorial, special issue, Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 31(4), 395-398.
  • Carless, D. (2006). Differing perceptions in the feedback process. Studies in Higher Education, 31(2), 219-233.
  • Carless, D. (2006). Collaborative EFL teaching in primary schools, ELT Journal, 60(4), 328-335.
  • Liu, N.F. & Carless, D. (2006) Peer feedback: the learning element of peer assessment, Teaching in Higher Education, 11(3), 279-290.
  • Carless, D. & Walker, E. (2006). Effective Team Teaching between Local and Native-speaking English Teachers. Language and Education, 20(6) 463-477.
  • Keppell, M. & Carless, D. (2006) Learning-oriented assessment: a technology-based case study, Assessment in Education, 13(2), 179-191.
  • Carless, D, (2005) Prospects for the implementation of assessment for learning. Assessment in Education, 12(1), 39-54.
  • Carless, D. (2004). Issues in teachers' re-interpretation of a task-based innovation in primary schools. TESOL Quarterly, 38(4), 639-662.
  • Carless, D. (2004). A contextualised examination of target language use in the elementary foreign language classroom. Australian review of Applied Linguistics, 27(1), 104-119.
  • Carless, D. (2004). Continuity and teacher-centred reform: Potential paradoxes in educational change. Curriculum perspectives, 24(1), 42-51.
  • Carless, D. (2003). Enhancing pre-service students' understandings of assessment processes. Asia Pacific Journal of Teacher Education and Development, 6(1), 19-39.
  • Carless, D. (2003). Factors in the implementation of task-based teaching in primary schools. System, 31(4), 485-500.
  • Carless, D. (2003). Putting the learning into assessment. The Teacher Trainer, 17(3), 14-18.
  • Carless, D. (2002). The 'mini-viva' as a tool to enhance assessment for learning. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 27(4), 353-363.
  • Carless, D. (2002). Implementing task-based learning with young learners. English Language Teaching Journal, 56(4), 389-396.
  • Carless, D. & Dimmock, C. (2001). The Principal and Curriculum Change: A Hong Kong case study. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 21(1), 30-44.
  • Carless, D. & Wong, P.M. (2000). Teaching English to Young Learners in Hong Kong. In M. Nikolov & H. Curtain (Eds.), An early start: Young learners and modern languages in Europe and beyond. European Council for Modern Languages: Graz, Austria.
  • Carless, D. (2000) A case study of curriculum implementation in Hong Kong. In D. R. Hall & A. Hewings (Eds.) (2000). Innovation in English Teaching. Sydney: Routledge.
  • Carless, D. (1999). Large-scale curriculum change in Hong Kong. In Kennedy, C., Doyle, P., & Goh, C. (Eds.), Exploring Change in English Language Teaching. Oxford: Macmillan.
  • Carless, D. (1999). Factors affecting classroom implementation: Task-based curriculum renewal in Hong Kong. International Journal of Educational Reform, 8(4), 374-382.
  • Carless, D. (1999). Catering for individual learner differences: Primary school teachers' voices. Hong Kong Journal of Applied Linguistics, 4(2), 15-39.
  • Carless, D. (1999). Perspectives on the cultural appropriacy of Hong Kong's Target-Oriented Curriculum (TOC) initiative. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 12(3), 238-254.
  • Carless, D. & Wong, P.M. (1999). Professional competencies for Hong Kong's Target-Oriented Curriculum initiative: Perceptions of teachers and teacher educators. Asia Pacific Journal of Teacher Education and Development, 2(1), 95-107.
  • Carless, D. (1998). A case study of curriculum implementation in Hong Kong. System 26(3), 353-368.
  • Carless, D. (1998). Managing systemic curriculum change: A critical analysis of Hong Kong's Target-Oriented Curriculum initiative. In P. Stimpson & P. Morris (Eds.), Curriculum and assessment for Hong Kong: Two components, one system. Hong Kong: Open University of Hong Kong Press.
  • Carless, D. & Gordon, A. (1997). Hong Kong primary teachers' perceptions of the difficulties in implementing task-based language teaching. Journal of Primary Education, 7(1), 139-159.
  • Carless, D. (1997). Managing systemic curriculum change: A critical analysis of Hong Kong's Target-Oriented Curriculum initiative. International Review of Education, 43(4), 349-366.
Invited, Featured or Plenary Presentations
  • Grammatical options within task-based approaches, Invited plenary, KOTESOL-KNU, June 2007
  • Building bridges between assessment and productive student learning, Invited speaker, CUHK Cross-strait conference on Teaching and Learning. May 2007
  • Assessment and productive student learning, Invited seminar, City University. March 2007
  • Innovationist perspectives on task-based approaches: teacher educators' views. Invited seminar, University of Warwick, UK. September 2006.
  • Towards a version of task-based approaches suitable for schooling. Invited seminar, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, May 2006.
  • Towards a version of task-based approaches suitable for schooling. Invited seminar, Hong Kong Association for Applied Linguistics (HAAL) May 2006.
  • Learning-oriented assessment. Invited seminar, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia, November, 2005.
  • Task-supported teaching in Chinese contexts: principles and practice. Keynote plenary, China IATEFL, Tonghua, August 2005.
  • Cultural influences of East and West: influence in the classroom and on policy. Invited plenary, Linguapax Asia symposium, Tokyo, June 2005.
  • Learning-oriented assessment project: progress report. Introductory plenary, LOAP conference, If assessment is the answer, what is the question? HKIEd, June, 2004.
  • JET and EPIK: Comparative perspectives. Invited speaker, Busan KOTESOL. April 2004.
  • Promoting learning through practical assessment techniques. Invited keynote speaker, Oxford University Press Seminar, February, 2003.
  • Change and improvement in Primary ELT in Hong Kong, Invited keynote speaker, Tsuen Wan Primary School Heads Association English Teachers' Day, December 2002.
  • The deployment of native-speakers in state school systems. Featured speaker, Korea TESOL. October, 2002.
  • The untapped potential of assessment for learning. Featured speaker, Korean Association of Teachers of English (KATE). July, 2002.
  • Issues in the implementation of tasks in state schools. Invited speaker, Applied Linguistics Association of Korea - Summer conference. June, 2002.
Professional/Community Services
  • 2008 Visiting scholar, Wenzao Ursuline College of Foreign Languages, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
  • 2008 onwards Reviewer Asia Pacific Journal of Teacher Education
  • 2007 onwards Reviewer Asia Pacific Education Review
  • 2006 onwards Editorial group, Assessment in Education, Asia-Pacific Node
  • 2004 onwards Reviewer, Assessment in Education
  • 2005 onwards Reviewer, TESOL Quarterly
  • 2003 onwards Reviewer, System
  • 2006 External assessor, research audit, James Cook University
  • Editorial boards, English Teaching, Asian EFL Journal, JALT Hokkaido Journal
  • Editorial team, Asia Pacific Journal of Language in Education, 1997-2005
  • Reviewer of manuscripts, Routledge, Hong Kong University Press, Oxford University Press
  • External Examining of research theses: Chinese University of Hong Kong, University of Bristol, University of Waikato
  • 2000-2004 HAAL Executive Committee Member and Assistant Secretary
  • 2002 Co-ordinator of EDB tender: short courses for Primary English Panel Chairs
  • 1999 Reviewer for Quality Education Fund
  • 1996-8 Open University of Hong Kong: Course developer (team of three), B.Ed English for Secondary teachers
  • HKEAA: LPAT examiner, 1999-2000; Setter AS Level Oral 1995-6; Moderator HKCEE Paper II 1994
 
Contacts
Email: dcarless@hkucc.hku.hk
Tel: (852) 2241 5893
Room 115 Runme Shaw Building, The University of Hong Kong

 

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