City U Macau, led by Professor Li Ying Cheng, Dean of the School of Education, and Dr Zhang Jiawei, Assistant Professor, took a leading role in assessment reform by conducting pivotal workshops in Selangor, Malaysia.

Invited by the Examinations Syndicate, Ministry of Education (MOE) Malaysia and University Sains Malaysia (USM), they conducted a three-day international workshop series on Learning-Oriented Assessment (LOA) for more than 50 selected core education officials and key teachers from across Malaysia.

By introducing AI-driven assessment methods, City U Macau set a benchmark for educational transformation throughout the Asia-Pacific.

Reshaping a “Learning-Centered” Educational Landscape

As the keynote leader of the workshop, Dean Li Ying Cheng delivered a presentation entitled “The Paradigm Shift: From High-Stakes to Learning-Oriented Assessment”.

She profoundly stated:

“Assessment is the bridge between teaching and learning.”

In the workshops, Professor Cheng introduced the LOA framework. This directly contributed to Malaysia’s ongoing Classroom-Based Assessment (CBA) reform by providing educators with clear, actionable strategies and effective practical tools that are now being used to improve assessment in Malaysian classrooms.

Participating teachers commented that the ICE (Ideas, Connection, Extension) Pyramid introduced by Dean Cheng offered them a new perspective for optimizing students’ learning pathways.

GenAI: A “Microphone” for Teacher-Student Dialogue

Dr Zhang Jiawei, Assistant Professor of the School of Education, led an interactive workshop on Formative Assessment with GenAI Tools.

He translated cutting-edge technology into practical applications, noting:

“GenAI provides the power and the pace; Teachers provide the direction and the heart.”

The team guided teachers in using GenAI to design “I Can” learning checklists and strategies to predict learning difficulties.

Dr Zhang emphasized that formative assessment is essentially a dialogue between people, and GenAI serves as a microphone, ensuring every student’s voice is heard.

This integration of technology and humanity received strong praise from MOE officials and participating teachers.

Scholars from top Malaysian universities and expert teams from the Ministry of Education also contributed extensively, sharing insights on integrating formative and summative assessment, as well as challenges and practices in local educational reform, making the workshop a truly international and cross-sectoral academic event. One teacher reflected: “My deepest ‘Aha!’ moment was realizing that the power of GenAI is not in faster grading, but in optimizing the entire learning process.” Teachers reported that strategies such as “Two Stars and a Wish” and the TAG approach made designing and delivering feedback accessible and inspiring.

 Building an Asia-Pacific Educational Professional Community Special thanks are extended to the International Language Testing Association (ILTA) for its professional support, funded by the Duolingo/ILTA Collaboration, Outreach and Professional Development Grant. The workshop fostered collaboration and knowledge exchange among participating institutions, reinforcing City U Macau’s role in the development of global educational assessment. Dean Li Ying Cheng’s team translated expertise into direct, practical advances in regional education reform. Ongoing international training has established the school as a catalyst for educational innovation across Asia-Pacific. The "Bridge of Assessment" highlights City U Macau’s central role in shaping regional excellence in education.