RGC Senior Research Fellow Scheme

Biography

Professor in Department of Curriculum and Instruction at The Education University of Hong Kong
Research focuses on two interrelated areas: educational assessment in both school and higher education settings, and Rasch measurement
SRFS project — to enhance student-centered assessment-driven learning theories and establish an adaptive learning platform for optimizing educational efficiency
Awards and Honours:
- RGC Senior Research Fellow (2024)
- EdUHK President's Awards for Outstanding Performance in Research (Research Excellence Award) (2022)

Project Title

Bottom-up Assessment Reform: The Student-centred Assessment-driven Learning (SCADL) Platform

Award Citation

Professor Yan Zi serves as the Head of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, the Associate Director of the Analytics\Assessment Research Centre, and the Co-Director of the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching at The Education University of Hong Kong. He also holds an Honorary Professorship at the Centre for Research in Assessment and Digital Learning at Deakin University, Australia.

A distinguished figure in educational assessment and measurement, Professor Yan’s research revolves around educational assessment in both school and higher education settings, as well as the application of Rasch measurement in educational and psychological research. His research aims to deepen the understanding of assessment processes to enhance student learning and lifelong development. His work has been acknowledged through the successful acquisition of five GRF projects and two QEF projects, the President's Research Excellence Award 2021/22, and inclusion in Stanford University's list of the world's top 2% most-cited scientists.

Professor Yan’s recent publication, Student Self-assessment as a Process for Learning, is the first systematic account of student self-assessment research, covering conceptualization, measurement, predictors, relationships with other learning concepts, and impacts on learning outcomes. He edited the book, Assessment as Learning: Maximising Opportunities for Student Learning and Achievement, which updates new theoretical perspectives regarding assessment-as-learning and re-positions it in relation to education reform. He is also the co-author of the 4th edition of the book, Applying the Rasch Model: Fundamental Measurement in the Human Sciences. This book is a classic and bestseller in the field.

Beyond research, Professor Yan is committed to knowledge transfer, teacher training, and school support. He has conducted over 100 training workshops on educational assessment and Rasch measurement for various educational institutions locally and internationally.