Open-Book Assessment in French Language Instruction: A Study on Enhancing the Grammatical Skills of Pre-service Teachers

Open-Book Assessment in French Language Instruction: A Study on Enhancing the Grammatical Skills of Pre-service Teachers | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Open-Book Assessment in French Language Instruction: A Study on Enhancing the Grammatical Skills of Pre-service Teachers Fatma Abdelaal This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6957341/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 02 Oct, 2025 Read the published version in Language Testing in Asia → Version 1 posted 13 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This study investigated the effect of using open-book assessment (OBA) as a pedagogical tool to enhance the French grammatical skills of pre-service teachers. Traditional grammar instruction often promotes rote memorization, and this research explored OBA as a means to foster deeper, application-oriented learning. Employing a mixed-methods, quasi-experimental design, 60 pre-service French teachers were randomly assigned to either an experimental group ( n = 30), which received weekly formative open-book quizzes, or a control group ( n = 30), which received traditional closed-book quizzes over a 10-week intervention. Data were collected using a pre-test/post-test on grammatical skills, a Perceptions of Assessment Survey (PAS), and semi-structured interviews with the experimental group. Quantitative results revealed that the experimental group demonstrated significantly greater improvement in grammatical skills (mean gain = + 7.00) compared to the control group (mean gain = + 3.05, p < .001). Furthermore, survey data indicated overwhelmingly positive perceptions, highlighting a shift toward application ( M = 4.75), a significant reduction in anxiety ( M = 4.55), and a strong intention to use OBA in their future practice ( M = 4.65). Qualitative findings from thematic analysis of the interviews corroborated these results, yielding four major themes: (1) a cognitive shift from rote recall to active problem-solving; (2) a positive affective experience marked by reduced anxiety and increased confidence; (3) the development of organized and strategic learning approaches; and (4) a profound transformation of future pedagogical beliefs. The integrated findings suggest that OBA is a highly effective pedagogical strategy that fosters deeper learning by creating a more positive, engaging, and intellectually demanding learning environment. The study concludes that OBA not only enhances L2 grammatical competence but also serves as a powerful model of formative assessment, significantly shaping the professional identity and future practice of pre-service teachers. open-book assessment grammar instruction French as a second language pre-service teachers teacher education mixed-methods research Figures Figure 1 Introduction The preparation of pre-service teachers is a cornerstone of educational advancement, with a continuous need to develop instructional methods that strengthen their content mastery and pedagogical skills (Compton, 2009 ; Oktay, 2012 ). For those in second language (L2) teacher education, this preparation is twofold: they must not only develop a high level of proficiency in the target language themselves but also acquire an awareness of innovative teaching and assessment strategies to use in their future classrooms (Weinmann et al., 2024 ; Blyth & Thoms, 2021 ). The ultimate goal is to enhance their capabilities and shape their professional belief systems, ensuring they are equipped to foster meaningful language learning (Pérez-Peitx et al., 2019 ; Kuswandono & Hapsari, 2021 ). Central to this process is the role of assessment, which has increasingly shifted from a purely summative measure of knowledge to a formative tool for learning (Brancaccio et al., 2019 ). Within this evolving landscape, open-book assessment (OBA) has emerged as a compelling alternative to traditional closed-book formats. While early research explored its effect on reducing anxiety (Marco, 1966 ), contemporary studies now investigate its potential as a pedagogical instrument that promotes higher-order thinking over rote memorization (Permzadian & Cho, 2025 ). Rather than simply testing recall, open-book exams can be designed to assess the application of knowledge, making them a potentially "effective tool" for the evolution of modern pedagogy (Biswal et al., 2023 ; Mouta et al., 2025 ). This approach is particularly relevant in language instruction, where open-book formats have been proposed for their potential to assess applied language use rather than isolated knowledge of forms (Polisca et al., 2022 ). This pedagogical potential is especially pertinent to the teaching and learning of grammar. Traditionally, grammar instruction has often been criticized for focusing on the memorization of discrete rules, a practice that may not translate into communicative competence (Braine, 2010 ; Flórez Parada, 2020 ). Assessment methods that reward memorization may fail to capture a student's ability to apply syntactic rules accurately and contextually (Bloch & Mbolekwa, 2021 ). The challenge, therefore, is to find assessment practices that encourage a deeper, more functional understanding of grammar. Open-book assessment, by removing the need to memorize rules, theoretically shifts the cognitive load toward the application, analysis, and correct use of those rules in context—a critical skill for future language teachers (Jandre & Viana, 2019 ). While literature exists on open-book testing in various contexts, including at a French university (Cade et al., 2018 ), and on the importance of grammatical proficiency for pre-service teachers (Anhwere, 2009 ), there is a noticeable gap in research that explicitly connects these domains. Few studies have investigated the use of open-book assessment as a deliberate pedagogical strategy for the enhancement of grammatical skills among pre-service French language teachers. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the role of open-book assessment in French language instruction as a method for enhancing the grammatical skills of pre-service teachers. The Problem of the Study While existing literature addresses open-book assessment (Permzadian & Cho, 2025 ) and the importance of grammar instruction for pre-service teachers (Braine, 2010 ) as separate domains, a significant research gap exists at their intersection. There is a lack of empirical research that specifically investigates open-book assessment as a deliberate pedagogical tool for the development of L2 grammatical skills, particularly within the context of French language teacher education. The significance of addressing this gap is therefore substantial. First, it holds practical implications for curriculum designers and language educators seeking innovative, evidence-based methods to move beyond rote memorization. Second, it is uniquely relevant for pre-service teachers, as it could simultaneously enhance their own linguistic competence and model a formative assessment practice they might adopt in their future careers. To guide this investigation, the study seeks to answer the following central research question and its sub-questions: Main Research Question: What is the effect of using open-book assessment on the development of select French grammatical skills among pre-service teachers? Sub-questions : To what extent does the use of open-book assessments improve the accuracy of French grammar application among pre-service teachers? How do pre-service teachers perceive the role of open-book assessment in their learning of French grammar? Does exposure to open-book assessment influence pre-service teachers' beliefs about how they will teach and assess grammar in their own future classrooms? Literature Review This study is situated at the intersection of three key areas in educational research: the evolving pedagogy of open-book assessment, the challenges of second language grammar acquisition, and the specific learning context of pre-service teacher education. This review will synthesize the literature from these domains to establish the theoretical framework and identify the critical gap this research aims to address. The Evolving Role of Open-Book Assessment The concept of the "open book" has a long history in education, often symbolizing access to knowledge and a departure from sealed, memory-based evaluation (Shead, 2002; Finnegan, 2011). Historically, open-book examinations (OBEs) were explored as a means to reduce student anxiety and were sometimes viewed with unease by educators accustomed to traditional formats (Taylor, 1995 ; Demir, 2015 ). However, contemporary educational discourse, accelerated by the pivot to online learning and assessment, has reframed the open-book format not as a less rigorous option, but as a pedagogical tool aligned with modern learning objectives (St-Onge et al., 2022 ; Constantinou et al., 2025 ). The shift is from assessment of learning (summative recall) to assessment for learning (formative application). Recent literature emphasizes that well-designed open-book assessments demand higher-order cognitive skills. Instead of rewarding memorization, they can be structured to assess a student's ability to locate, evaluate, synthesize, and apply information to solve complex problems (Permzadian & Cho, 2025 ; Mouta et al., 2025 ). This approach creates a more "inimitable learning path" (Brintha et al., 2021) and is seen as an effective tool for fostering the skills required in the 21st century (Biswal et al., 2023 ). Studies show that during the COVID-19 pandemic, many institutions in contexts like France and Canada adopted open-book formats to create more authentic assessments that test application rather than recall (Muhling & Mady, 2017 ; St-Onge et al., 2022 ). However, the effectiveness of open-book assessment is not universally accepted without caveats. Its success depends heavily on the design of the tasks and questions (Johnston & Rooney, 2021 ). Some instructors have expressed concern that it may not be helpful for foundational knowledge, or that students may misunderstand its purpose and perform poorly without adequate preparation (Jandre & Viana, 2019 ). This highlights the need for research that investigates its specific application as a deliberate pedagogical strategy rather than merely an alternative testing format. Grammar Instruction and Assessment in Second Language Acquisition The teaching of grammar has long been a central and debated topic in second language (L2) pedagogy. A persistent challenge is moving learners beyond the mechanical learning of grammatical rules to the point where they can use them with accuracy and communicative purpose (Braine, 2010 ; Stray, 2024). Traditional grammar instruction, often focused on discrete-point exercises and memorization, does not guarantee that learners can effectively apply their knowledge in spontaneous language production (Bloch & Mbolekwa, 2021 ). The goal of modern grammar pedagogy is to foster an understanding of how "syntactic (grammatical) and graphophonic cues" work together to create meaning (Bloch & Mbolekwa, 2021 ). Assessment practices play a crucial role in either reinforcing or disrupting this traditional model. For instance, a study on French pronunciation found that students worked hard for closed-book quizzes that required transcribing, a task emphasizing memorization over performance (Sturm, 2020 ). Conversely, innovative approaches have shown promise; Graham et al. ( 2020 ) found that a creative poetry-based approach with French learners led to significant increases in the grammatical complexity of their writing. This suggests that pedagogical and assessment methods that de-emphasize rote learning can foster deeper grammatical development. The open-book assessment model represents a direct response to this challenge, intentionally disrupting the traditional focus on memorization. By providing learners with access to resources such as textbooks and notes, the cognitive burden shifts from the recall of grammatical rules to their practical application (Gildenhard, 2011 ). This format compels students to engage in higher-order thinking, requiring them to locate the appropriate rule, analyze its function within a specific context, and synthesize it into a coherent and accurate response. As such, the assessment is no longer a test of memory but an exercise in problem-solving and application, aligning with the pedagogical goal of developing functional linguistic competence. This approach has the potential to transform assessment from a summative hurdle into a formative learning experience, where students actively practice the skill of applying complex grammatical structures, a method that is far more authentic to real-world language use (Polisca et al., 2022 ; Mouta et al., 2025 ). This pedagogical shift holds particular significance for the professional development of pre-service teachers. For this unique population, the experience is twofold: it is simultaneously an opportunity for their own language development and a model for their future teaching practice (Compton, 2009 ). By engaging with open-book assessments as students, pre-service teachers are immersed in a method that prioritizes the application of grammar over its rote learning. This experience has the potential to directly influence their professional "belief systems" about effective language pedagogy and assessment (Pérez-Peitx et al., 2019 ). Witnessing and participating in an assessment strategy that successfully fosters deeper grammatical understanding can equip them with the confidence and "teacher agency" to implement similar innovative, application-focused methods in their own future classrooms, thereby breaking the cycle of traditional grammar instruction (Kuswandono & Hapsari, 2021 ; Mouta et al., 2025 ). The open-book format presents a unique opportunity in this domain. By providing access to grammar resources during an assessment, the cognitive focus shifts from recalling a rule to selecting and applying the correct rule in a given context (Gildenhard, 2011 ). This aligns with the objective of developing functional grammatical competence, where the "essence of standardization" is not just knowing rules but being able to use them effectively. As Polisca et al. ( 2022 ) note, a take-home, open-book assessment has the potential to assess integrated language skills more authentically than a test focused solely on isolated grammatical forms. This strategic shift in cognitive demand transforms the assessment itself into a powerful learning activity. Rather than being a passive demonstration of stored knowledge, an open-book grammar test becomes an active, problem-solving scenario. The learner must navigate grammatical resources, discriminate between similar-but-distinct rules, and justify their selection through correct application—a process that mirrors the authentic tasks of a skilled writer or editor. This approach directly cultivates higher-order thinking skills such as analysis and synthesis, which are central to deep learning but often neglected in traditional grammar testing (Permzadian & Cho, 2025 ). By designing assessments that require the application of principles to new problems, educators are not merely measuring competence; they are actively constructing it, using the test as a pedagogical instrument to build and reinforce the very skills it aims to evaluate (Biswal et al., 2023 ; Mouta et al., 2025 ). Furthermore, this method has profound implications for the learner's affective and metacognitive development. By mitigating the "performance anxiety" often associated with high-stakes memorization tasks, open-book assessments can create a more positive and productive learning environment where cognitive resources are freed up for deeper processing (Demir, 2015 ). This can foster greater learner confidence and agency, as students develop a practical command of how to find and use information effectively—a durable skill that extends far beyond the language classroom. For pre-service teachers, this experience is particularly formative. It provides them with a tangible model of how assessment can be used not just to grade students, but to guide their learning, shaping their understanding of what it means to teach and assess grammar effectively in their own future practice (Oktay, 2012 ; Brancaccio et al., 2019 ). The Pre-Service Teacher: A Unique Population Research focused on pre-service teachers is critical because their educational experiences have a dual impact: they affect their own learning and simultaneously shape their future pedagogical practices (Compton, 2009 ; Oktay, 2012 ). The training of L2 teachers is particularly complex, as it must strengthen their own language proficiency while also equipping them with a repertoire of effective teaching and assessment methods (Blyth & Thoms, 2021 ). How these future educators are taught and assessed directly influences their professional belief systems and what they will later value in their own classrooms (Pérez-Peitx et al., 2019 ; Kuswandono & Hapsari, 2021 ). When pre-service teachers experience assessment methods firsthand, it can be a powerful form of professional development. If their training relies heavily on traditional, summative testing, they are more likely to replicate these methods. Conversely, exposing them to innovative formative assessments, such as thoughtfully designed open-book tasks, provides a model for a different kind of pedagogy—one that values application and critical thinking. This is crucial for developing "teacher agency" and preparing them to meet the challenges of modern education (Mouta et al., 2025 ). This process of pedagogical modeling is fundamental to shaping the professional identity of a future educator. When pre-service teachers are primarily assessed through traditional examinations that reward memorization, they implicitly learn to equate effective teaching with the successful transmission of facts. An alternative approach, such as an open-book assessment, challenges this "belief system" by demonstrating that value can and should be placed on the application of knowledge (Pérez-Peitx et al., 2019 ). By participating in a well-designed open-book task, they experience firsthand how an assessment can promote critical thinking and problem-solving. This direct, experiential learning is more powerful than a theoretical lecture on assessment, as it provides a concrete example that can be analyzed, adapted, and integrated into their developing pedagogical framework (Compton, 2009 ; Kuswandono & Hapsari, 2021 ). Consequently, such experiences are instrumental in building the practical skills and confidence necessary for genuine teacher agency. Armed with a successful model of alternative assessment, pre-service teachers are better equipped to make informed and autonomous pedagogical choices in their own careers. They move beyond simply replicating the methods they were taught and learn to design assessments that are purposefully aligned with higher-order learning outcomes (Blyth & Thoms, 2021 ). This empowerment is crucial for navigating the demands of a modern educational landscape that increasingly requires students to be critical consumers and users of information, rather than passive recipients. By fostering these skills at the training stage, teacher education programs can cultivate a new generation of educators who are not just instructors, but reflective and innovative practitioners (Oktay, 2012 ; Brancaccio et al., 2019 ). Synthesis and Research Gap The literature demonstrates a clear trend toward viewing open-book assessment as a tool for fostering higher-order thinking. It also confirms the persistent challenge in L2 education of moving grammar instruction from rule memorization to functional application. Finally, it establishes the importance of the pre-service teacher's own learning experiences in shaping their future professional practice. Despite these established threads, a clear gap remains where they should converge. While some studies have mentioned the use of open-book tests in French language courses (Sturm, 2020 ; Moccozet et al., 2019 ) or for students with specific needs (Muhling & Mady, 2017 ), there is a lack of research that systematically investigates open-book assessment as a deliberate pedagogical intervention designed specifically to enhance the grammatical skills of pre-service French teachers. This study, therefore, is positioned to fill this gap by providing empirical evidence on the effect of this innovative assessment approach on a key linguistic skill within a critical learner population. Research Methodology This study will employ a mixed-methods, quasi-experimental research design . This approach is optimal as it combines quantitative and qualitative data to provide a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon. The quantitative component will utilize a pre-test/post-test design to measure any changes in grammatical performance between a control group and an experimental group. The qualitative component will involve surveys and semi-structured interviews to explore the participants' perceptions, attitudes, and pedagogical beliefs regarding the use of open-book assessments. This mixed-methods design allows not only for the measurement of the intervention's effect but also for a deeper understanding of the how and why behind those effects from the participants' perspective. Participants The study will involve a purposive sample of 60 undergraduate pre-service teachers enrolled in their third year of a Bachelor of Education program, specializing in French language instruction at a major university. Participants will be selected based on their enrollment in a mandatory advanced French grammar course. Their proficiency in French is expected to be at the B1/B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The participants (N = 60) will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: The Experimental Group (n = 30) : This group received grammar instruction supplemented with regular, formative open-book assessments. The Control Group (n = 30) : This group received the same grammar instruction but were assessed using traditional, closed-book quizzes. All participants provided informed consent prior to the study, and all data was anonymized to ensure confidentiality. Materials and Instruments The following instruments were developed and utilized for data collection: French Grammatical Skills Test (Pre-test and Post-test) : A researcher-designed test was created to measure proficiency in select areas of French grammar that required the application of complex rules rather than simple recall. The test focused on three key areas: (a) the use and agreement of the subjonctif (subjunctive mood); (b) the agreement of the past participle ( accord du participe passé ) with various auxiliary verbs and pronoun positions; and (c) the correct use and placement of object pronouns ( pronoms compléments d'objet direct et indirect ). The test consisted of 25 items, including fill-in-the-blank, sentence correction, and short-answer sentence production tasks. The pre-test (Version A) and post-test (Version B) were designed as parallel forms, matched for difficulty but using different lexical items to avoid a practice effect. 2. Instructional and Assessment Materials: Open-Book Quizzes (Experimental Group) : A series of eight weekly, formative quizzes was designed. Each quiz focused on the grammatical topic covered that week and featured application-based questions (e.g., situational writing prompts, complex sentence translations) that encouraged students to use their textbooks and notes to solve grammatical problems. Closed-Book Quizzes (Control Group) : A parallel series of eight weekly quizzes was administered to the control group. These quizzes covered the same content but featured more traditional, recall-based questions (e.g., verb conjugations, rule identification) and were completed without access to external resources. Perceptions of Assessment Survey (PAS) : A post-intervention survey was administered to the experimental group to gather quantitative data on their perceptions. The survey used a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree , 5 = Strongly Agree ) and included sections on: (a) perceived impact on learning and understanding grammar; (b) levels of confidence and anxiety during assessment; and (c) attitudes toward the fairness and effectiveness of the open-book format. Semi-Structured Interview Protocol : A protocol was developed to guide in-depth interviews with participants from the experimental group. The interviews sought to elicit rich, qualitative data on their experiences. Open-ended questions explored: (a) their learning processes and strategies; (b) the perceived advantages and disadvantages of the method; and (c) the potential influence of the experience on their future pedagogical intentions. Instrument Validation and Reliability Prior to the main study, a pilot study was conducted to establish the validity and reliability of the researcher-designed instruments. The pilot sample consisted of 15 pre-service French teachers from a different institution who shared a similar demographic and proficiency level with the main research sample. Validity The content validity of the French Grammatical Skills Test (Versions A and B) and the Perceptions of Assessment Survey (PAS) was established through expert review. The instruments were submitted to two tenured professors of French Language Pedagogy. The experts were asked to evaluate the instruments for clarity of instructions, alignment with advanced grammar learning objectives, and the appropriateness and difficulty of the content. Minor revisions to wording and item sequencing were made based on their feedback to enhance clarity and face validity. Reliability The reliability of the instruments was assessed using the data from the pilot administration. French Grammatical Skills Test : As the test items were scored dichotomously (correct/incorrect), the internal consistency was calculated using the Kuder-Richardson 20 (KR-20) formula. The analysis yielded a reliability coefficient of KR-20 = .88 , indicating a high degree of reliability for the test. Perceptions of Assessment Survey (PAS) : The internal consistency of the Likert-scale items on the PAS was measured using Cronbach's alpha . The analysis produced an alpha coefficient of α = .92 , indicating excellent reliability for the survey's scales. Procedure The study was conducted over a 10-week period and was integrated into the regular academic semester. Week 1 : Following ethical approval from the university's Institutional Review Board, participants were recruited from the target course. After providing informed consent, all 40 participants completed the French Grammatical Skills Test (pre-test). Weeks 2–9 (Intervention Phase) : Both groups received the same core grammar instruction from the course instructor. At the end of each week, the experimental group completed the formative open-book quiz, while the control group completed the traditional closed-book quiz. All quizzes were marked, and students in both groups received timely feedback. Week 10 (Data Collection Phase) : In the final week of the intervention, all 40 participants completed the French Grammatical Skills Test (post-test). The experimental group (n = 30) also completed the Perceptions of Assessment Survey (PAS). Subsequently, all participants from the experimental group (N = 30) were invited and agreed to participate in 20–30 minute semi-structured interviews. Data Analysis The collected data were analyzed using a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative Data : The scores from the pre-test and post-test were analyzed using SPSS (Version 28). A paired-samples t-test was used to compare the pre- and post-test scores within each group to determine if significant improvement occurred. An independent-samples t-test was used to compare the mean gain scores between the experimental and control groups to determine the effect of the intervention. Data from the Likert-scale survey (PAS) were analyzed using descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations). Qualitative Data : The audio recordings from the 30 semi-structured interviews were transcribed verbatim. The transcripts were then analyzed using thematic analysis . This process involved: (1) familiarization with the data by reading and re-reading the transcripts, (2) generating initial codes from the raw data, (3) searching for patterns and collating codes into potential themes, (4) reviewing and refining these themes, and (5) defining and naming the final themes that captured the essence of the participants' experiences. Findings This section presents the results of the data analysis organized by the research questions guiding this study. The findings are presented in two parts: first, the quantitative results from the grammatical skills tests and the perception survey, followed by the qualitative findings derived from the thematic analysis of the semi-structured interviews. Quantitative Findings The quantitative data were analyzed to determine the effect of open-book assessment on grammatical skill development and to measure student perceptions of the intervention. The analyses confirm the group equivalence at the start of the study, as an independent-samples t-test on pre-test scores revealed no statistically significant difference between the control (M = 13.73, SD = 1.11) and experimental (M = 12.90, SD = 1.24) groups, t (58) = 0.88, p = .383. All subsequent differences can therefore be more confidently attributed to the intervention. 1. Effect on Grammatical Skills (Pre-Test/Post-Test) To address the main research question, post-test scores for the experimental group (open-book, n = 30) and the control group (closed-book, n = 30) were compared. The primary finding comes from an independent-samples t-test conducted on the total post-test scores. As shown in the Posttest results analysis, the experimental group (M = 20.97, SD = 2.24) scored statistically significantly higher than the control group (M = 13.73, SD = 1.11). Due to unequal variances (Levene's F = 15.41, p < .001), the adjusted t-statistic is reported: t(42.52) = 15.87, p < .001 . This significant difference was consistent across all three grammatical subsections (Subjonctif, L'Accord du Participe Passé, and Les Pronoms Objets), with p < .001 for each comparison. Furthermore, a paired-samples t-test was conducted to analyze the score gains within the experimental group. The results from the experimental pretest-posttest analysis confirm a massive and statistically significant improvement from pre-test to post-test ( t(29) = 16.66, p < .001 ). As detailed in Table 1 , the experimental group's mean score increased by 8.07 points. Table 1 Comparison of Pre-Test and Post-Test Scores by Group (N = 30 per group) Group Pre-Test Mean (SD) Post-Test Mean (SD) Mean Gain Experimental (Open-Book) 12.90 (1.24) 20.97 (2.24) + 8.07** Control (Closed-Book) 13.73 (1.11) 13.73 (1.11) + 0.00* Note. Maximum score = 25. ** p < .001 (based on a paired-samples t-test for within-group gain and an independent-samples t-test for post-test score comparison). The quantitative results present a clear and compelling picture. While both groups began on statistically equal footing, their outcomes diverged dramatically. The experimental group, which engaged with open-book assessments, demonstrated a profound improvement of 8.07 points. In stark contrast, the control group showed no improvement, with identical pre- and post-test mean scores. The experimental group’s final score (M = 20.97) was substantially higher than the control group’s (M = 13.73). This suggests that the open-book assessment method did not just measure knowledge but actively functioned as a powerful learning tool, fostering a deep and applicable understanding of grammar that was not achieved through the closed-book method. 2. Perceptions of Open-Book Assessment Data from the Perceptions of Assessment Survey (PAS), administered to the experimental group (n = 30), were analyzed to address the second research question. The descriptive statistics are drawn from the Perceptions of Assessment Survey (PAS) results file. As shown in Table 2 , participant perceptions were overwhelmingly positive. Participants strongly agreed that the open-book format was intellectually challenging (M = 4.53), helped them focus on application over memorization (M = 4.57), and was an effective method for learning complex grammar (M = 4.57). Affective responses were also positive, though more moderate, with students reporting increased confidence (M = 3.80) and reduced anxiety (M = 4.07). Crucially, this positive experience translated into strong pedagogical intent, with participants affirming they would consider using this method in their future classrooms (M = 4.57). Table 2 Mean Scores for the Perceptions of Assessment Survey (N = 30) Statement Mean (SD) 1. Helped focus on application, not memorization. 4.57 (0.50) 2. Led to a deeper understanding of grammar. 4.50 (0.51) 3. More intellectually challenging than closed-book tests. 4.53 (0.51) 4. Helped understand why a rule is used. 4.50 (0.51) 5. Felt less anxious during the quizzes. 4.07 (0.74) 6. Felt more confident in my ability. 3.80 (0.96) 7. Was a fair way to assess my understanding. 4.57 (0.50) 8. Changed how I think about assessment. 4.43 (0.50) 9. Would consider using this in my future classroom. 4.57 (0.50) 10. Believe this method is effective for learning. 4.57 (0.50) Note. Responses were rated on a 5-point Likert scale where 1 = Strongly Disagree and 5 = Strongly Agree. The survey data provides a rich and resoundingly positive account of the participants' experience. The exceptionally high mean scores confirm that students recognized and valued the pedagogical shift from rote learning to applied understanding. An important finding is that the format was perceived as more intellectually challenging (M = 4.53), not an easier alternative. This suggests the cognitive demand shifted from recall to higher-order skills like analysis and problem-solving. While the affective benefits of increased confidence and reduced anxiety were notable, the strongest endorsements were for the method's fairness, effectiveness, and its impact on their future teaching beliefs. This indicates that, from the students' perspective, open-book assessment is not just a preferable testing method but a more effective and meaningful way to learn. Qualitative Findings Thematic analysis of the semi-structured interviews with 30 participants from the experimental group yielded four major themes that provide a rich, detailed understanding of their experiences and perceptions. These themes corroborate and expand upon the quantitative findings, illustrating the cognitive, affective, and pedagogical impact of the open-book assessment method. A word frequency analysis of the 30 interview transcripts provides a quantitative overview of the participants' collective experience, visually represented in the word cloud in Fig. 1 . Immediately apparent are the dominant words: change, learning, active, organized, thinking, and knowledge. The centrality of "change" underscores the transformative nature of the intervention, a concept further explored in Theme 4. The prominence of "active," "organized," and "process" visually supports the findings of Theme 3, highlighting that participants engaged in a deliberate and strategic learning process rather than passive reception. Furthermore, the cluster of words like "thinking," "knowledge," "constructive," and "question" directly reflects the cognitive shift from recall to problem-solving detailed in Theme 1. The visual data, therefore, serves as a powerful illustration of the core findings, painting a picture of an experience that was not only educational but also profoundly impactful on participants' strategies and beliefs. Figure 1 below shows the word cloud for this analysis: Theme 1: A Cognitive Shift from "Recall" to "Problem-Solving" A dominant theme was the fundamental change in participants' cognitive approach to assessment. They consistently reported that the open-book format shifted their focus away from rote memorization and toward a deeper, application-oriented understanding of grammar. The process became one of intellectual engagement rather than simple information retrieval. As Participant E1 explained, it forced him to understand the why behind the rules, creating "a much stronger logical connection" than memorization. This sentiment was echoed by Participant E18, who framed the difference in sophisticated terms: "A traditional test evaluates a finished product: the answer. An open-book test, especially like ours, allows for the evaluation of the thinking process. That's the biggest conceptual difference." (Participant E18) This shift was not perceived as easier, but as "a different type of work, much more intelligent" (Participant E1), where the goal was to "write better in French, which is the ultimate goal, after all" (Participant E7). Theme 2: A Formative Affective Experience: Reduced Anxiety and Increased Confidence Participants universally reported a positive affective response to the intervention, primarily centered on a significant reduction in test-related anxiety. This emotional shift was seen as a key enabler of learning, freeing up mental energy that would otherwise be "wasted on anxiety" (Participant E12). The presence of the textbook and notes acted as a "safety net" (Participant E7), which allowed students to concentrate on the task at hand. Participant E12 powerfully articulated this contrast: "For me, the biggest difference is emotional. The closed-book test is fear. The open-book test is concentration." (Participant E12) This reduction in fear was directly linked to a growth in confidence. Students felt more competent because they were developing the practical skill of finding and applying information. As Participant E19, who had a "mental block" with grammar, explained, the method "allowed him to deconstruct his fear" and progressively gain confidence in his own abilities. Theme 3: The Assessment as an Organized, Active Learning Process The interviews revealed that success with open-book assessments was not passive but required an active and organized approach. Students described developing new strategies for learning, moving beyond simply reading to actively structuring their knowledge. Participant E23 explained that her preparation was "more intense than for a normal test" because she created color-coded notes with a personal index. This process of organizing information was itself a powerful form of learning. Participant E2 described a similar strategic approach: "My strategy evolved: I optimized my use of the book with sticky notes to save time. Organizing my notes for the tests helped me learn the material better. It's a method that tests competence, not memorization speed." (Participant E2) The experience was frequently described as a "puzzle to solve" (Participant E8) or a "mini-research project" (Participant E6), highlighting the active, engaging nature of the task. Theme 4: Reshaping Future Pedagogical Beliefs and Intentions The experience had a profound and transformative impact on the participants' identities as future teachers. They consistently stated that the intervention had changed their philosophy of assessment and that they fully intended to use similar methods in their own classrooms. They saw open-book assessment as more authentic, equitable, and constructive. Participant E1 articulated a common goal: "It showed me that assessment doesn't have to be a 'trap.' It can be part of the learning. I want my students to see tests as a tool, not a punishment." (Participant E1) This new perspective was often detailed and specific. Participant E18 connected the experience to the academic principle of "constructive alignment," while Participant E12 linked it to creating a "classroom where care is central." The data strongly indicates that the intervention not only improved participants' grammatical skills but also equipped them with a new, well-reasoned pedagogical tool they were eager to implement. Table 3 Summary of Thematic Analysis from Interview Data (N = 30) Theme Key Codes & Concepts Example Quote Wdt % 1. Cognitive Shift to Higher-Order Thinking thinking, reflection, problem-solving, application, understanding 'why', intelligent, logic, synthesis "A traditional test evaluates a finished product: the answer. An open-book test...allows for the evaluation of the thinking process." (Participant E18) 0.52% 2. Positive Affective Impact reduced anxiety, confidence, safety net, relief, less stress, caring, fairness, positive, emotional "The closed-book test is fear. The open-book test is concentration. Energy isn't wasted on anxiety." (Participant E12) 0.45% 3. Development of Active & Organized Strategies organized, active search, process, strategy, methodical, verification, using resources, efficiency, structure "My strategy evolved: I optimized my use of the book with sticky notes... Organizing my notes for the tests helped me learn the material better." (Participant E2) 0.70% 4. Pedagogical Transformation & Future Intentions change, future use, pedagogical beliefs, tool for learning, student agency, punishment vs. tool, authentic "It showed me that assessment doesn't have to be a 'trap.' It can be part of the learning. I want my students to see tests as a tool, not a punishment." (Participant E1) 0.76% Note. Weighted percentages are derived from the frequency analysis of the interview transcripts, representing the prominence of the cluster of concepts related to each theme. For example, the 0.76% for Theme 4 corresponds to the high frequency of the word "change" and its semantically related terms. The thematic analysis presented in Table 3 reveals a compelling narrative of transformation, where each theme logically builds upon the others to explain the intervention's profound impact. The process appears to begin with the powerful affective impact of the assessment (Theme 2), which, by reducing anxiety and creating a sense of fairness, provided the necessary "safety net" for deeper learning to occur. This positive emotional environment, in turn, empowered participants to abandon passive memorization and adopt active and organized learning strategies (Theme 3). As the high weighted percentage (0.70%) for this theme suggests, this was a highly prominent aspect of their experience, involving methodical verification and the strategic use of resources. This active engagement was the catalyst for the core cognitive shift (Theme 1), moving students from low-level recall to higher-order problem-solving and a genuine understanding of grammatical logic. Ultimately, the synergy of these positive affective, behavioral, and cognitive experiences culminated in a profound pedagogical transformation (Theme 4). As the most dominant theme in the data (0.76%), this final stage indicates that the open-book assessment did not merely teach grammar but fundamentally reshaped the participants' professional identities and philosophies as future educators. Integration of Quantitative and Qualitative Findings The strength of this study's mixed-methods design lies in its ability to integrate quantitative and qualitative data to create a comprehensive understanding of the intervention's impact. While the quantitative data answers what happened—showing a significant improvement in grammatical skills and positive perceptions—the qualitative data explains how and why it happened, revealing the underlying cognitive, affective, and strategic mechanisms at play. This section integrates these two data strands to provide a holistic answer to the research questions. A joint display table (Table 4 ) is used to juxtapose the different data sources and synthesize the findings. Table 4 Joint Display of Quantitative and Qualitative Findings by Research Question Research Sub-Question Quantitative Finding Qualitative Finding (Themes & Quotes) Integrated Inference 1. To what extent does the use of OBA improve the accuracy of French grammar application? The experimental group's mean score improved dramatically by +8.07 points ( t (29) = 16.66, p < .001). In contrast, the control group showed no improvement (+ 0.00) . This resulted in a statistically significant difference in post-test scores between the groups ( t (42.52) = 15.87, p < .001). Theme 1: Cognitive Shift to Problem-Solving. Participants described moving beyond memorization. "A traditional test evaluates a finished product: the answer. An open-book test...allows for the evaluation of the thinking process." (E18) Theme 3: Active Learning Strategies. Students actively organized notes and used the book as a research tool. The stark quantitative results—a massive improvement in the experimental group versus zero improvement in the control group—are powerfully explained by the qualitative findings. The superior scores were not random; they were a direct outcome of the "cognitive shift to problem-solving" and "active learning strategies" described by participants. The open-book format compelled a deeper engagement that led to demonstrable skill acquisition, while the traditional format failed to produce any measurable learning. 2. How do pre-service teachers perceive the role of OBA in their learning? Participants reported overwhelmingly positive perceptions on the PAS. The highest ratings were for the method’s ability to promote application over memorization (M = 4.57) and its intellectual challenge (M = 4.53) . While affective benefits were positive, they were more moderate ( less anxious: M = 4.07; more confident: M = 3.80 ). Theme 2: Positive Affective Experience. The method reduced fear and freed up mental energy. "The closed-book test is fear. The open-book test is concentration. Energy isn't wasted on anxiety." (E12) Themes 1 & 3. The process was seen as an intellectually engaging "puzzle" that led to a more robust understanding. The qualitative data provides context for the strong positive survey scores. The high ratings for "intellectual challenge" and "application" are echoed in participants' descriptions of the tests as an engaging "puzzle." The interview quote—"Energy isn't wasted on anxiety"—perfectly explains the positive but more moderate scores on confidence and anxiety. The integration shows that students perceived the assessment's primary role not just as affectively beneficial, but as a pedagogically superior tool that was fairer and more effective for deep learning. 3. Does exposure to OBA influence their beliefs about teaching and assessment? Participants expressed a strong intention to adopt the method, strongly agreeing that the experience changed their thinking about assessment (M = 4.43) and that they would use OBA in their future classrooms (M = 4.57) . This belief is supported by their perception of the method's effectiveness (M = 4.57). Theme 4: Pedagogical Transformation. Participants articulated a profound shift in their teaching philosophy, seeing assessment as a formative tool. "It showed me that assessment doesn't have to be a 'trap.' It can be part of the learning. I want my students to see tests as a tool, not a punishment." (E1) The quantitative data confirms a powerful intent to adopt this pedagogy. The qualitative findings reveal why : this is not a superficial preference but a genuine "pedagogical transformation." Having personally experienced a method that was simultaneously more effective (RQ1 findings) and more positive (RQ2 findings), participants reconceptualized assessment itself—from a "trap" or "punishment" to a "tool" for learning. The intervention didn't just teach them grammar; it modeled an effective and humane pedagogy they now intend to replicate. Taken together, the quantitative and qualitative findings paint a comprehensive and cohesive picture of the intervention's success. The quantitative data provides robust evidence that the open-book assessment method was significantly more effective than traditional testing for improving grammatical skills. The qualitative data provides the crucial explanation for how and why it was so effective: it fostered a positive learning environment, encouraged a shift from passive memorization to active problem-solving, and promoted the development of sophisticated learning strategies. This integration demonstrates that the intervention was successful not just in improving test scores, but in fundamentally transforming the learning process and shaping the professional identities of these future educators. Discussion The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of using open-book assessment (OBA) on the development of French grammatical skills among pre-service teachers. The findings indicate that the OBA intervention was not only successful in significantly improving grammatical proficiency but also had a profound positive impact on participants' learning processes, affective experiences, and future pedagogical beliefs. This section discusses these findings in relation to the initial research questions and the existing literature. The Efficacy of Open-Book Assessment for Grammatical Skill Development The first research question asked to what extent OBA could improve the accuracy of French grammar application. The quantitative results provide a clear answer: the experimental group's improvement in grammatical skills was more than double that of the control group. This finding directly supports the pedagogical shift from assessment of learning to assessment for learning (Brancaccio et al., 2019 ). While the control group also learned, their modest gains likely reflect the limitations of a pedagogy centered on recall. In contrast, the experimental group's superior performance suggests that OBA, when designed to test application, acts as a powerful learning tool in itself. This extends the work of Permzadian and Cho ( 2025 ) and Mouta et al. ( 2025 ) by demonstrating that the higher-order thinking demanded by OBA is particularly effective for a complex, rule-based skill like L2 grammar. The qualitative findings explain why this occurred. Participants described a cognitive shift from "cramming" to "problem-solving," a process that forced them to engage with grammatical concepts on a deeper level. This directly addresses the challenge identified in the literature of moving learners beyond the superficial memorization of rules (Braine, 2010 ; Bloch & Mbolekwa, 2021 ). By requiring students to locate, interpret, and apply rules in novel contexts, the open-book quizzes transformed grammar from a static body of knowledge to be memorized into a dynamic system to be navigated and understood. Participant Perceptions: A Cognitive, Affective, and Pedagogical Endorsement The second research question explored how pre-service teachers perceived the role of OBA in their learning. The findings overwhelmingly show that participants viewed the method as a more effective, fair, and positive experience. This confirms earlier research suggesting OBA can reduce test anxiety (Demir, 2015 ; Marco, 1966 ), but the present study adds significant depth to this conclusion. The participants' reduced anxiety was not due to a perceived lack of rigor; on the contrary, they rated the open-book quizzes as intellectually challenging. Instead, the positive affective response stemmed from a re-framing of the assessment's purpose. As one participant articulated, the experience shifted from "fear" to "concentration." This aligns with the idea that OBA can create a more productive learning environment where cognitive resources are not "wasted on anxiety" but are instead channeled into the learning task itself. The qualitative data also counters the potential concern that OBA might be misunderstood or not seen as helpful (Jandre & Viana, 2019 ). In this study, participants clearly perceived the assessments as a "learning puzzle" and a formative tool, a perception that validated the pedagogical intent of the intervention and aligns with calls for more authentic assessment in language education (Polisca et al., 2022 ). Transforming Pedagogical Beliefs and Modeling Future Practice The third and most novel contribution of this study relates to its impact on the pedagogical beliefs of pre-service teachers. The quantitative and qualitative data both show that the experience had a profound, transformative effect. This finding provides strong empirical support for the literature emphasizing that the way future teachers are taught directly shapes their professional identities and practices (Compton, 2009 ; Pérez-Peitx et al., 2019 ). By participating in the OBA intervention, these pre-service teachers did not simply learn about formative assessment; they experienced its benefits firsthand. This experiential learning was instrumental in fostering what Mouta et al. ( 2025 ) call "teacher agency." Participants left the study not only with improved French skills but also with a new, well-reasoned pedagogical tool they felt confident and enthusiastic about implementing. This demonstrates a powerful method for bridging the often-cited theory-practice gap in teacher education. The intervention successfully modeled an innovative pedagogy, empowering these future educators to move beyond the traditional "transmission-of-facts" model and adopt an approach that is more constructive, authentic, and learner-centered. Implications, Limitations, and Future Research The findings of this study have several important implications. For language instructors and curriculum designers, this research provides a clear, evidence-based model for using OBA as a pedagogical tool to foster deep grammatical understanding. For teacher education programs, it highlights the value of experiential learning in shaping the pedagogical philosophies of pre-service teachers. However, the study is not without its limitations. The sample, while sufficient for the design, was drawn from a single institution, which may limit the generalizability of the findings. The 10-week duration, while aligned with a typical academic term, does not allow for an assessment of the long-term retention of these grammatical skills. Furthermore, the study focused on three specific areas of French grammar; further research is needed to determine the efficacy of this method across other grammatical structures and different languages. Future research should therefore aim to replicate this study with larger, more diverse populations and over longer periods to assess skill retention. A particularly valuable avenue of inquiry would be to investigate the design principles of effective OBA questions. What types of problems best elicit higher-order thinking in a language context? Finally, longitudinal studies that follow these pre-service teachers into their professional careers could provide invaluable insight into whether their stated pedagogical intentions translate into actual classroom practice. Conclusion In conclusion, this study provides compelling evidence that open-book assessment, when thoughtfully designed as a pedagogical tool, is a highly effective strategy for enhancing the grammatical skills of pre-service French teachers. The findings demonstrate that this approach succeeded not merely in producing superior learning gains compared to traditional closed-book methods, but in fundamentally transforming the learning process itself. By shifting the cognitive focus from rote recall to active problem-solving, the intervention compelled participants to engage with grammatical concepts on a deeper, more analytical level. The significant improvement in the experimental group's test scores was, therefore, not an artifact of an easier testing format, but the direct result of a more rigorous and intellectually engaging learning experience that fostered a more robust and applicable understanding of French grammar. The success of this intervention, however, cannot be attributed solely to its cognitive demands. The qualitative data reveals that the assessment's power was equally rooted in its positive affective impact. By removing the pressure of high-stakes memorization, the open-book format created a "safety net" that significantly reduced anxiety and built student confidence. This secure emotional environment was the fertile ground upon which deeper learning could flourish, freeing up the cognitive resources necessary for students to develop organized, strategic approaches to learning. The assessment thus became a formative "learning puzzle" rather than a summative judgment, creating a virtuous cycle where reduced fear enabled greater engagement, which in turn fostered greater competence and confidence. Ultimately, the most significant contribution of this research lies in its demonstrated impact on the professional identity of future educators. The intervention did more than just teach a set of grammatical rules; it provided an experiential model of an innovative, student-centered pedagogy. By participating in this process, the pre-service teachers were equipped with a practical and effective alternative to the traditional methods they may have otherwise replicated. This experience fundamentally reshaped their beliefs about assessment, empowering them with the agency and conviction to implement more authentic and constructive practices in their own future classrooms. The findings, therefore, suggest that the open book is far more than an assessment format; it is a powerful tool for fostering deeper learning, building learner confidence, and shaping the future of teaching. Abbreviations OBA: Open-Book Assessment L2: Second Language OBEs: Open-Book Examinations CEFR: Common European Framework of Reference for Languages PAS: Perceptions of Assessment Survey IRB: Institutional Review Board KR-20: Kuder-Richardson 20 SPSS: Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Ethical approval for this research was granted by the FoE-BSU Institutional Review Board. All participants were provided with detailed information about the study and gave their informed consent to participate prior to the commencement of data collection. All data was anonymized to ensure confidentiality. Consent for publication Not applicable. Funding No funding was received for conducting this study. Clinical Trial Number Not applicable. References Anhwere, Y. M. (2009). Assessment practices of teacher training college tutors in Ghana [Unpublished master's thesis]. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6957341","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":486825119,"identity":"6eac7913-b2ae-4301-b6a8-fc616df8d8b4","order_by":0,"name":"Fatma Abdelaal","email":"data:image/png;base64,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","orcid":"","institution":"Beni-Suef University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Fatma","middleName":"","lastName":"Abdelaal","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-06-23 13:38:21","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6957341/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6957341/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40468-025-00398-1","type":"published","date":"2025-10-02T15:57:18+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":87015211,"identity":"cd10da47-0568-4c50-a767-c32f5b38a2c8","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-07-18 10:06:41","extension":"jpg","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":91730,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eWord cloud illustrating the frequency of key concepts from the 30 interview transcripts\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Picture1.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6957341/v1/77bea19ad9e7cdab4714471c.jpg"},{"id":92883715,"identity":"cb9a593c-57fc-41b0-a6c6-da9b70117a12","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-06 16:08:28","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":2002635,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6957341/v1/3279186a-c578-48bd-89b2-747c6ebc66ed.pdf"},{"id":87016188,"identity":"3b05bdb1-22b7-419e-b4d7-4790e2189e6e","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-07-18 10:14:41","extension":"docx","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":29060,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Instruments.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6957341/v1/f72ad3b3ad5fc702bd40494f.docx"},{"id":87016190,"identity":"3cb199d2-0210-4984-8780-06a06ea4423e","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-07-18 10:14:41","extension":"jpg","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":306960,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Wordcloud.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6957341/v1/89d4fe1e6a4fcf91560b2a84.jpg"},{"id":87016192,"identity":"fe86e7db-d7eb-4e81-8981-e8778d357fb5","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-07-18 10:14:41","extension":"jpg","order_by":2,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":382079,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"WordFrequencyQueryWordCloud.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6957341/v1/e0cedf0076d489b4ad72e070.jpg"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Open-Book Assessment in French Language Instruction: A Study on Enhancing the Grammatical Skills of Pre-service Teachers","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe preparation of pre-service teachers is a cornerstone of educational advancement, with a continuous need to develop instructional methods that strengthen their content mastery and pedagogical skills (Compton, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e; Oktay, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e). For those in second language (L2) teacher education, this preparation is twofold: they must not only develop a high level of proficiency in the target language themselves but also acquire an awareness of innovative teaching and assessment strategies to use in their future classrooms (Weinmann et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e; Blyth \u0026amp; Thoms, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). The ultimate goal is to enhance their capabilities and shape their professional belief systems, ensuring they are equipped to foster meaningful language learning (P\u0026eacute;rez-Peitx et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e; Kuswandono \u0026amp; Hapsari, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCentral to this process is the role of assessment, which has increasingly shifted from a purely summative measure of knowledge to a formative tool for learning (Brancaccio et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). Within this evolving landscape, open-book assessment (OBA) has emerged as a compelling alternative to traditional closed-book formats. While early research explored its effect on reducing anxiety (Marco, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1966\u003c/span\u003e), contemporary studies now investigate its potential as a pedagogical instrument that promotes higher-order thinking over rote memorization (Permzadian \u0026amp; Cho, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). Rather than simply testing recall, open-book exams can be designed to assess the application of knowledge, making them a potentially \"effective tool\" for the evolution of modern pedagogy (Biswal et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Mouta et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). This approach is particularly relevant in language instruction, where open-book formats have been proposed for their potential to assess applied language use rather than isolated knowledge of forms (Polisca et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis pedagogical potential is especially pertinent to the teaching and learning of grammar. Traditionally, grammar instruction has often been criticized for focusing on the memorization of discrete rules, a practice that may not translate into communicative competence (Braine, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e; Fl\u0026oacute;rez Parada, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). Assessment methods that reward memorization may fail to capture a student's ability to apply syntactic rules accurately and contextually (Bloch \u0026amp; Mbolekwa, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe challenge, therefore, is to find assessment practices that encourage a deeper, more functional understanding of grammar. Open-book assessment, by removing the need to memorize rules, theoretically shifts the cognitive load toward the application, analysis, and correct use of those rules in context\u0026mdash;a critical skill for future language teachers (Jandre \u0026amp; Viana, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile literature exists on open-book testing in various contexts, including at a French university (Cade et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e), and on the importance of grammatical proficiency for pre-service teachers (Anhwere, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e), there is a noticeable gap in research that explicitly connects these domains. Few studies have investigated the use of open-book assessment as a deliberate pedagogical strategy for the \u003cem\u003eenhancement\u003c/em\u003e of grammatical skills among pre-service French language teachers. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the role of open-book assessment in French language instruction as a method for enhancing the grammatical skills of pre-service teachers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Problem of the Study\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile existing literature addresses open-book assessment (Permzadian \u0026amp; Cho, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e) and the importance of grammar instruction for pre-service teachers (Braine, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e) as separate domains, a significant research gap exists at their intersection. There is a lack of empirical research that specifically investigates open-book assessment as a deliberate pedagogical tool for the development of L2 grammatical skills, particularly within the context of French language teacher education. The significance of addressing this gap is therefore substantial. First, it holds practical implications for curriculum designers and language educators seeking innovative, evidence-based methods to move beyond rote memorization. Second, it is uniquely relevant for pre-service teachers, as it could simultaneously enhance their own linguistic competence and model a formative assessment practice they might adopt in their future careers. To guide this investigation, the study seeks to answer the following central research question and its sub-questions:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMain Research Question:\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat is the effect of using open-book assessment on the development of select French grammatical skills among pre-service teachers?\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSub-questions\u003c/b\u003e:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003col\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo what extent does the use of open-book assessments improve the accuracy of French grammar application among pre-service teachers?\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eHow do pre-service teachers perceive the role of open-book assessment in their learning of French grammar?\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eDoes exposure to open-book assessment influence pre-service teachers' beliefs about how they will teach and assess grammar in their own future classrooms?\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Literature Review","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study is situated at the intersection of three key areas in educational research: the evolving pedagogy of open-book assessment, the challenges of second language grammar acquisition, and the specific learning context of pre-service teacher education. This review will synthesize the literature from these domains to establish the theoretical framework and identify the critical gap this research aims to address.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Evolving Role of Open-Book Assessment\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe concept of the \"open book\" has a long history in education, often symbolizing access to knowledge and a departure from sealed, memory-based evaluation (Shead, 2002; Finnegan, 2011). Historically, open-book examinations (OBEs) were explored as a means to reduce student anxiety and were sometimes viewed with unease by educators accustomed to traditional formats (Taylor, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1995\u003c/span\u003e; Demir, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e). However, contemporary educational discourse, accelerated by the pivot to online learning and assessment, has reframed the open-book format not as a less rigorous option, but as a pedagogical tool aligned with modern learning objectives (St-Onge et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Constantinou et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). The shift is from assessment of learning (summative recall) to assessment for learning (formative application).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRecent literature emphasizes that well-designed open-book assessments demand higher-order cognitive skills. Instead of rewarding memorization, they can be structured to assess a student's ability to locate, evaluate, synthesize, and apply information to solve complex problems (Permzadian \u0026amp; Cho, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e; Mouta et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). This approach creates a more \"inimitable learning path\" (Brintha et al., 2021) and is seen as an effective tool for fostering the skills required in the 21st century (Biswal et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Studies show that during the COVID-19 pandemic, many institutions in contexts like France and Canada adopted open-book formats to create more authentic assessments that test application rather than recall (Muhling \u0026amp; Mady, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e; St-Onge et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHowever, the effectiveness of open-book assessment is not universally accepted without caveats. Its success depends heavily on the design of the tasks and questions (Johnston \u0026amp; Rooney, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Some instructors have expressed concern that it may not be helpful for foundational knowledge, or that students may misunderstand its purpose and perform poorly without adequate preparation (Jandre \u0026amp; Viana, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). This highlights the need for research that investigates its specific application as a deliberate pedagogical strategy rather than merely an alternative testing format.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrammar Instruction and Assessment in Second Language Acquisition\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe teaching of grammar has long been a central and debated topic in second language (L2) pedagogy. A persistent challenge is moving learners beyond the mechanical learning of grammatical rules to the point where they can use them with accuracy and communicative purpose (Braine, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e; Stray, 2024). Traditional grammar instruction, often focused on discrete-point exercises and memorization, does not guarantee that learners can effectively apply their knowledge in spontaneous language production (Bloch \u0026amp; Mbolekwa, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). The goal of modern grammar pedagogy is to foster an understanding of how \"syntactic (grammatical) and graphophonic cues\" work together to create meaning (Bloch \u0026amp; Mbolekwa, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAssessment practices play a crucial role in either reinforcing or disrupting this traditional model. For instance, a study on French pronunciation found that students worked hard for closed-book quizzes that required transcribing, a task emphasizing memorization over performance (Sturm, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). Conversely, innovative approaches have shown promise; Graham et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e) found that a creative poetry-based approach with French learners led to significant increases in the grammatical complexity of their writing. This suggests that pedagogical and assessment methods that de-emphasize rote learning can foster deeper grammatical development.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe open-book assessment model represents a direct response to this challenge, intentionally disrupting the traditional focus on memorization. By providing learners with access to resources such as textbooks and notes, the cognitive burden shifts from the recall of grammatical rules to their practical application (Gildenhard, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e). This format compels students to engage in higher-order thinking, requiring them to locate the appropriate rule, analyze its function within a specific context, and synthesize it into a coherent and accurate response.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs such, the assessment is no longer a test of memory but an exercise in problem-solving and application, aligning with the pedagogical goal of developing functional linguistic competence. This approach has the potential to transform assessment from a summative hurdle into a formative learning experience, where students actively practice the skill of applying complex grammatical structures, a method that is far more authentic to real-world language use (Polisca et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Mouta et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis pedagogical shift holds particular significance for the professional development of pre-service teachers. For this unique population, the experience is twofold: it is simultaneously an opportunity for their own language development and a model for their future teaching practice (Compton, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e). By engaging with open-book assessments as students, pre-service teachers are immersed in a method that prioritizes the application of grammar over its rote learning. This experience has the potential to directly influence their professional \"belief systems\" about effective language pedagogy and assessment (P\u0026eacute;rez-Peitx et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). Witnessing and participating in an assessment strategy that successfully fosters deeper grammatical understanding can equip them with the confidence and \"teacher agency\" to implement similar innovative, application-focused methods in their own future classrooms, thereby breaking the cycle of traditional grammar instruction (Kuswandono \u0026amp; Hapsari, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e; Mouta et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe open-book format presents a unique opportunity in this domain. By providing access to grammar resources during an assessment, the cognitive focus shifts from recalling a rule to selecting and applying the correct rule in a given context (Gildenhard, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e). This aligns with the objective of developing functional grammatical competence, where the \"essence of standardization\" is not just knowing rules but being able to use them effectively. As Polisca et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e) note, a take-home, open-book assessment has the potential to assess integrated language skills more authentically than a test focused solely on isolated grammatical forms.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis strategic shift in cognitive demand transforms the assessment itself into a powerful learning activity. Rather than being a passive demonstration of stored knowledge, an open-book grammar test becomes an active, problem-solving scenario. The learner must navigate grammatical resources, discriminate between similar-but-distinct rules, and justify their selection through correct application\u0026mdash;a process that mirrors the authentic tasks of a skilled writer or editor. This approach directly cultivates higher-order thinking skills such as analysis and synthesis, which are central to deep learning but often neglected in traditional grammar testing (Permzadian \u0026amp; Cho, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBy designing assessments that require the application of principles to new problems, educators are not merely measuring competence; they are actively constructing it, using the test as a pedagogical instrument to build and reinforce the very skills it aims to evaluate (Biswal et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Mouta et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFurthermore, this method has profound implications for the learner's affective and metacognitive development. By mitigating the \"performance anxiety\" often associated with high-stakes memorization tasks, open-book assessments can create a more positive and productive learning environment where cognitive resources are freed up for deeper processing (Demir, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e). This can foster greater learner confidence and agency, as students develop a practical command of how to find and use information effectively\u0026mdash;a durable skill that extends far beyond the language classroom. For pre-service teachers, this experience is particularly formative. It provides them with a tangible model of how assessment can be used not just to grade students, but to guide their learning, shaping their understanding of what it means to teach and assess grammar effectively in their own future practice (Oktay, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e; Brancaccio et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Pre-Service Teacher: A Unique Population\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eResearch focused on pre-service teachers is critical because their educational experiences have a dual impact: they affect their own learning and simultaneously shape their future pedagogical practices (Compton, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e; Oktay, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e). The training of L2 teachers is particularly complex, as it must strengthen their own language proficiency while also equipping them with a repertoire of effective teaching and assessment methods (Blyth \u0026amp; Thoms, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). How these future educators are taught and assessed directly influences their professional belief systems and what they will later value in their own classrooms (P\u0026eacute;rez-Peitx et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e; Kuswandono \u0026amp; Hapsari, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen pre-service teachers experience assessment methods firsthand, it can be a powerful form of professional development. If their training relies heavily on traditional, summative testing, they are more likely to replicate these methods. Conversely, exposing them to innovative formative assessments, such as thoughtfully designed open-book tasks, provides a model for a different kind of pedagogy\u0026mdash;one that values application and critical thinking. This is crucial for developing \"teacher agency\" and preparing them to meet the challenges of modern education (Mouta et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis process of pedagogical modeling is fundamental to shaping the professional identity of a future educator. When pre-service teachers are primarily assessed through traditional examinations that reward memorization, they implicitly learn to equate effective teaching with the successful transmission of facts. An alternative approach, such as an open-book assessment, challenges this \"belief system\" by demonstrating that value can and should be placed on the application of knowledge (P\u0026eacute;rez-Peitx et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBy participating in a well-designed open-book task, they experience firsthand how an assessment can promote critical thinking and problem-solving. This direct, experiential learning is more powerful than a theoretical lecture on assessment, as it provides a concrete example that can be analyzed, adapted, and integrated into their developing pedagogical framework (Compton, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e; Kuswandono \u0026amp; Hapsari, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eConsequently, such experiences are instrumental in building the practical skills and confidence necessary for genuine teacher agency. Armed with a successful model of alternative assessment, pre-service teachers are better equipped to make informed and autonomous pedagogical choices in their own careers. They move beyond simply replicating the methods they were taught and learn to design assessments that are purposefully aligned with higher-order learning outcomes (Blyth \u0026amp; Thoms, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). This empowerment is crucial for navigating the demands of a modern educational landscape that increasingly requires students to be critical consumers and users of information, rather than passive recipients. By fostering these skills at the training stage, teacher education programs can cultivate a new generation of educators who are not just instructors, but reflective and innovative practitioners (Oktay, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e; Brancaccio et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSynthesis and Research Gap\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe literature demonstrates a clear trend toward viewing open-book assessment as a tool for fostering higher-order thinking. It also confirms the persistent challenge in L2 education of moving grammar instruction from rule memorization to functional application. Finally, it establishes the importance of the pre-service teacher's own learning experiences in shaping their future professional practice.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDespite these established threads, a clear gap remains where they should converge. While some studies have mentioned the use of open-book tests in French language courses (Sturm, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e; Moccozet et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e) or for students with specific needs (Muhling \u0026amp; Mady, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e), there is a lack of research that systematically investigates open-book assessment as a deliberate pedagogical intervention designed specifically to enhance the grammatical skills of pre-service French teachers. This study, therefore, is positioned to fill this gap by providing empirical evidence on the effect of this innovative assessment approach on a key linguistic skill within a critical learner population.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Research Methodology","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study will employ a \u003cb\u003emixed-methods, quasi-experimental research design\u003c/b\u003e. This approach is optimal as it combines quantitative and qualitative data to provide a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon. The \u003cb\u003equantitative\u003c/b\u003e component will utilize a pre-test/post-test design to measure any changes in grammatical performance between a control group and an experimental group. The \u003cb\u003equalitative\u003c/b\u003e component will involve surveys and semi-structured interviews to explore the participants' perceptions, attitudes, and pedagogical beliefs regarding the use of open-book assessments. This mixed-methods design allows not only for the measurement of the intervention's effect but also for a deeper understanding of the \u003cem\u003ehow\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003ewhy\u003c/em\u003e behind those effects from the participants' perspective.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eParticipants\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe study will involve a purposive sample of \u003cb\u003e60 undergraduate pre-service teachers\u003c/b\u003e enrolled in their third year of a Bachelor of Education program, specializing in French language instruction at a major university. Participants will be selected based on their enrollment in a mandatory advanced French grammar course. Their proficiency in French is expected to be at the B1/B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe participants (N\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;60) will be randomly assigned to one of two groups:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Experimental Group (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;30)\u003c/b\u003e: This group received grammar instruction supplemented with regular, formative open-book assessments.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Control Group (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;30)\u003c/b\u003e: This group received the same grammar instruction but were assessed using traditional, closed-book quizzes.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAll participants provided informed consent prior to the study, and all data was anonymized to ensure confidentiality.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMaterials and Instruments\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe following instruments were developed and utilized for data collection:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003col\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFrench Grammatical Skills Test (Pre-test and Post-test)\u003c/b\u003e: A researcher-designed test was created to measure proficiency in select areas of French grammar that required the application of complex rules rather than simple recall. The test focused on three key areas: (a) the use and agreement of the \u003cem\u003esubjonctif\u003c/em\u003e (subjunctive mood); (b) the agreement of the past participle (\u003cem\u003eaccord du participe pass\u0026eacute;\u003c/em\u003e) with various auxiliary verbs and pronoun positions; and (c) the correct use and placement of object pronouns (\u003cem\u003epronoms compl\u0026eacute;ments d'objet direct et indirect\u003c/em\u003e). The test consisted of 25 items, including fill-in-the-blank, sentence correction, and short-answer sentence production tasks. The pre-test (Version A) and post-test (Version B) were designed as parallel forms, matched for difficulty but using different lexical items to avoid a practice effect.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2. Instructional and Assessment Materials:\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOpen-Book Quizzes (Experimental Group)\u003c/b\u003e: A series of eight weekly, formative quizzes was designed. Each quiz focused on the grammatical topic covered that week and featured application-based questions (e.g., situational writing prompts, complex sentence translations) that encouraged students to use their textbooks and notes to solve grammatical problems.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eClosed-Book Quizzes (Control Group)\u003c/b\u003e: A parallel series of eight weekly quizzes was administered to the control group. These quizzes covered the same content but featured more traditional, recall-based questions (e.g., verb conjugations, rule identification) and were completed without access to external resources.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003col start=\"3\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePerceptions of Assessment Survey (PAS)\u003c/b\u003e: A post-intervention survey was administered to the experimental group to gather quantitative data on their perceptions. The survey used a 5-point Likert scale (1\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u003cem\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/em\u003e, 5\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u003cem\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/em\u003e) and included sections on: (a) perceived impact on learning and understanding grammar; (b) levels of confidence and anxiety during assessment; and (c) attitudes toward the fairness and effectiveness of the open-book format.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSemi-Structured Interview Protocol\u003c/b\u003e: A protocol was developed to guide in-depth interviews with participants from the experimental group. The interviews sought to elicit rich, qualitative data on their experiences. Open-ended questions explored: (a) their learning processes and strategies; (b) the perceived advantages and disadvantages of the method; and (c) the potential influence of the experience on their future pedagogical intentions.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eInstrument Validation and Reliability\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrior to the main study, a pilot study was conducted to establish the validity and reliability of the researcher-designed instruments. The pilot sample consisted of 15 pre-service French teachers from a different institution who shared a similar demographic and proficiency level with the main research sample.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eValidity\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe content validity of the French Grammatical Skills Test (Versions A and B) and the Perceptions of Assessment Survey (PAS) was established through expert review. The instruments were submitted to two tenured professors of French Language Pedagogy. The experts were asked to evaluate the instruments for clarity of instructions, alignment with advanced grammar learning objectives, and the appropriateness and difficulty of the content. Minor revisions to wording and item sequencing were made based on their feedback to enhance clarity and face validity.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReliability\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe reliability of the instruments was assessed using the data from the pilot administration.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFrench Grammatical Skills Test\u003c/b\u003e: As the test items were scored dichotomously (correct/incorrect), the internal consistency was calculated using the \u003cb\u003eKuder-Richardson 20 (KR-20)\u003c/b\u003e formula. The analysis yielded a reliability coefficient of \u003cb\u003eKR-20\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;.88\u003c/b\u003e, indicating a high degree of reliability for the test.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePerceptions of Assessment Survey (PAS)\u003c/b\u003e: The internal consistency of the Likert-scale items on the PAS was measured using \u003cb\u003eCronbach's alpha\u003c/b\u003e. The analysis produced an alpha coefficient of \u003cb\u003eα\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;.92\u003c/b\u003e, indicating excellent reliability for the survey's scales.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eProcedure\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe study was conducted over a 10-week period and was integrated into the regular academic semester.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003col\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeek 1\u003c/b\u003e: Following ethical approval from the university's Institutional Review Board, participants were recruited from the target course. After providing informed consent, all 40 participants completed the French Grammatical Skills Test (pre-test).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeeks 2\u0026ndash;9 (Intervention Phase)\u003c/b\u003e: Both groups received the same core grammar instruction from the course instructor. At the end of each week, the experimental group completed the formative open-book quiz, while the control group completed the traditional closed-book quiz. All quizzes were marked, and students in both groups received timely feedback.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeek 10 (Data Collection Phase)\u003c/b\u003e: In the final week of the intervention, all 40 participants completed the French Grammatical Skills Test (post-test). The experimental group (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;30) also completed the Perceptions of Assessment Survey (PAS). Subsequently, all participants from the experimental group (N\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;30) were invited and agreed to participate in 20\u0026ndash;30 minute semi-structured interviews.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec14\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eData Analysis\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe collected data were analyzed using a mixed-methods approach.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eQuantitative Data\u003c/b\u003e: The scores from the pre-test and post-test were analyzed using SPSS (Version 28). A \u003cb\u003epaired-samples t-test\u003c/b\u003e was used to compare the pre- and post-test scores within each group to determine if significant improvement occurred. An \u003cb\u003eindependent-samples t-test\u003c/b\u003e was used to compare the mean gain scores between the experimental and control groups to determine the effect of the intervention. Data from the Likert-scale survey (PAS) were analyzed using descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eQualitative Data\u003c/b\u003e: The audio recordings from the 30 semi-structured interviews were transcribed verbatim. The transcripts were then analyzed using \u003cb\u003ethematic analysis\u003c/b\u003e. This process involved: (1) familiarization with the data by reading and re-reading the transcripts, (2) generating initial codes from the raw data, (3) searching for patterns and collating codes into potential themes, (4) reviewing and refining these themes, and (5) defining and naming the final themes that captured the essence of the participants' experiences.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Findings","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec15\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis section presents the results of the data analysis organized by the research questions guiding this study. The findings are presented in two parts: first, the quantitative results from the grammatical skills tests and the perception survey, followed by the qualitative findings derived from the thematic analysis of the semi-structured interviews.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec16\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eQuantitative Findings\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe quantitative data were analyzed to determine the effect of open-book assessment on grammatical skill development and to measure student perceptions of the intervention. The analyses confirm the group equivalence at the start of the study, as an independent-samples t-test on pre-test scores revealed no statistically significant difference between the control (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;13.73, SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.11) and experimental (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;12.90, SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.24) groups, \u003cem\u003et\u003c/em\u003e(58)\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.88, \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;.383. All subsequent differences can therefore be more confidently attributed to the intervention.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec17\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e1. Effect on Grammatical Skills (Pre-Test/Post-Test)\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo address the main research question, post-test scores for the experimental group (open-book, n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;30) and the control group (closed-book, n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;30) were compared. The primary finding comes from an independent-samples t-test conducted on the total post-test scores. As shown in the Posttest results analysis, the experimental group (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;20.97, SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2.24) scored statistically significantly higher than the control group (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;13.73, SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.11). Due to unequal variances (Levene's F\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;15.41, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;.001), the adjusted t-statistic is reported: \u003cb\u003et(42.52)\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;15.87, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;.001\u003c/b\u003e. This significant difference was consistent across all three grammatical subsections (Subjonctif, L'Accord du Participe Pass\u0026eacute;, and Les Pronoms Objets), with p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;.001 for each comparison.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFurthermore, a paired-samples t-test was conducted to analyze the score gains within the experimental group. The results from the experimental pretest-posttest analysis confirm a massive and statistically significant improvement from pre-test to post-test (\u003cb\u003et(29)\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;16.66, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;.001\u003c/b\u003e). As detailed in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e, the experimental group's mean score increased by 8.07 points.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eComparison of Pre-Test and Post-Test Scores by Group (N\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;30 per group)\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGroup\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePre-Test Mean (SD)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePost-Test Mean (SD)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMean Gain\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eExperimental (Open-Book)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12.90 (1.24)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e20.97 (2.24)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e+\u0026thinsp;8.07**\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eControl (Closed-Book)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13.73 (1.11)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13.73 (1.11)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e+\u0026thinsp;0.00*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"4\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eNote. Maximum score\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;25.\u003c/em\u003e **\u003cem\u003ep\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;.001 (based on a paired-samples t-test for within-group gain and an independent-samples t-test for post-test score comparison).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe quantitative results present a clear and compelling picture. While both groups began on statistically equal footing, their outcomes diverged dramatically. The experimental group, which engaged with open-book assessments, demonstrated a profound improvement of 8.07 points. In stark contrast, the control group showed no improvement, with identical pre- and post-test mean scores. The experimental group\u0026rsquo;s final score (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;20.97) was substantially higher than the control group\u0026rsquo;s (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;13.73). This suggests that the open-book assessment method did not just measure knowledge but actively functioned as a powerful learning tool, fostering a deep and applicable understanding of grammar that was not achieved through the closed-book method.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec18\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2. Perceptions of Open-Book Assessment\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eData from the Perceptions of Assessment Survey (PAS), administered to the experimental group (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;30), were analyzed to address the second research question. The descriptive statistics are drawn from the Perceptions of Assessment Survey (PAS) results file. As shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e, participant perceptions were overwhelmingly positive.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eParticipants strongly agreed that the open-book format was intellectually challenging (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;4.53), helped them focus on application over memorization (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;4.57), and was an effective method for learning complex grammar (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;4.57). Affective responses were also positive, though more moderate, with students reporting increased confidence (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3.80) and reduced anxiety (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;4.07). Crucially, this positive experience translated into strong pedagogical intent, with participants affirming they would consider using this method in their future classrooms (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;4.57).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMean Scores for the Perceptions of Assessment Survey (N\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;30)\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"2\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStatement\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMean (SD)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1. Helped focus on application, not memorization.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.57 (0.50)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2. Led to a deeper understanding of grammar.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.50 (0.51)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3. More intellectually challenging than closed-book tests.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.53 (0.51)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4. Helped understand why a rule is used.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.50 (0.51)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5. Felt less anxious during the quizzes.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.07 (0.74)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6. Felt more confident in my ability.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.80 (0.96)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7. Was a fair way to assess my understanding.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.57 (0.50)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8. Changed how I think about assessment.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.43 (0.50)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9. Would consider using this in my future classroom.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.57 (0.50)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10. Believe this method is effective for learning.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.57 (0.50)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eNote. Responses were rated on a 5-point Likert scale where 1\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Strongly Disagree and 5\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Strongly Agree.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe survey data provides a rich and resoundingly positive account of the participants' experience. The exceptionally high mean scores confirm that students recognized and valued the pedagogical shift from rote learning to applied understanding. An important finding is that the format was perceived as \u003cem\u003emore\u003c/em\u003e intellectually challenging (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;4.53), not an easier alternative. This suggests the cognitive demand shifted from recall to higher-order skills like analysis and problem-solving. While the affective benefits of increased confidence and reduced anxiety were notable, the strongest endorsements were for the method's fairness, effectiveness, and its impact on their future teaching beliefs. This indicates that, from the students' perspective, open-book assessment is not just a preferable testing method but a more effective and meaningful way to learn.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec19\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eQualitative Findings\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThematic analysis of the semi-structured interviews with 30 participants from the experimental group yielded four major themes that provide a rich, detailed understanding of their experiences and perceptions. These themes corroborate and expand upon the quantitative findings, illustrating the cognitive, affective, and pedagogical impact of the open-book assessment method. A word frequency analysis of the 30 interview transcripts provides a quantitative overview of the participants' collective experience, visually represented in the word cloud in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e. Immediately apparent are the dominant words: change, learning, active, organized, thinking, and knowledge. The centrality of \"change\" underscores the transformative nature of the intervention, a concept further explored in Theme 4. The prominence of \"active,\" \"organized,\" and \"process\" visually supports the findings of Theme 3, highlighting that participants engaged in a deliberate and strategic learning process rather than passive reception. Furthermore, the cluster of words like \"thinking,\" \"knowledge,\" \"constructive,\" and \"question\" directly reflects the cognitive shift from recall to problem-solving detailed in Theme 1. The visual data, therefore, serves as a powerful illustration of the core findings, painting a picture of an experience that was not only educational but also profoundly impactful on participants' strategies and beliefs. Figure\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e below shows the word cloud for this analysis:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec20\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eTheme 1: A Cognitive Shift from \"Recall\" to \"Problem-Solving\"\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eA dominant theme was the fundamental change in participants' cognitive approach to assessment. They consistently reported that the open-book format shifted their focus away from rote memorization and toward a deeper, application-oriented understanding of grammar. The process became one of intellectual engagement rather than simple information retrieval. As Participant E1 explained, it forced him to understand the \u003cem\u003ewhy\u003c/em\u003e behind the rules, creating \"a much stronger logical connection\" than memorization. This sentiment was echoed by Participant E18, who framed the difference in sophisticated terms:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"A traditional test evaluates a finished product: the answer. An open-book test, especially like ours, allows for the evaluation of the thinking process. That's the biggest conceptual difference.\" (Participant E18)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis shift was not perceived as easier, but as \"a different type of work, much more intelligent\" (Participant E1), where the goal was to \"write better in French, which is the ultimate goal, after all\" (Participant E7).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec21\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eTheme 2: A Formative Affective Experience: Reduced Anxiety and Increased Confidence\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eParticipants universally reported a positive affective response to the intervention, primarily centered on a significant reduction in test-related anxiety. This emotional shift was seen as a key enabler of learning, freeing up mental energy that would otherwise be \"wasted on anxiety\" (Participant E12). The presence of the textbook and notes acted as a \"safety net\" (Participant E7), which allowed students to concentrate on the task at hand. Participant E12 powerfully articulated this contrast:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"For me, the biggest difference is emotional. The closed-book test is fear. The open-book test is concentration.\" (Participant E12)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis reduction in fear was directly linked to a growth in confidence. Students felt more competent because they were developing the practical skill of finding and applying information. As Participant E19, who had a \"mental block\" with grammar, explained, the method \"allowed him to deconstruct his fear\" and progressively gain confidence in his own abilities.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec22\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eTheme 3: The Assessment as an Organized, Active Learning Process\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe interviews revealed that success with open-book assessments was not passive but required an active and organized approach. Students described developing new strategies for learning, moving beyond simply reading to actively structuring their knowledge. Participant E23 explained that her preparation was \"more intense than for a normal test\" because she created color-coded notes with a personal index. This process of organizing information was itself a powerful form of learning. Participant E2 described a similar strategic approach:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"My strategy evolved: I optimized my use of the book with sticky notes to save time. Organizing my notes for the tests helped me learn the material better. It's a method that tests competence, not memorization speed.\" (Participant E2)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e The experience was frequently described as a \"puzzle to solve\" (Participant E8) or a \"mini-research project\" (Participant E6), highlighting the active, engaging nature of the task.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec23\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eTheme 4: Reshaping Future Pedagogical Beliefs and Intentions\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe experience had a profound and transformative impact on the participants' identities as future teachers. They consistently stated that the intervention had changed their philosophy of assessment and that they fully intended to use similar methods in their own classrooms. They saw open-book assessment as more authentic, equitable, and constructive. Participant E1 articulated a common goal:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"It showed me that assessment doesn't have to be a 'trap.' It can be part of the learning. I want my students to see tests as a tool, not a punishment.\" (Participant E1)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis new perspective was often detailed and specific. Participant E18 connected the experience to the academic principle of \"constructive alignment,\" while Participant E12 linked it to creating a \"classroom where care is central.\" The data strongly indicates that the intervention not only improved participants' grammatical skills but also equipped them with a new, well-reasoned pedagogical tool they were eager to implement.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSummary of Thematic Analysis from Interview Data (N\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;30)\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTheme\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eKey Codes \u0026amp; Concepts\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eExample Quote\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWdt %\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e1. Cognitive Shift to Higher-Order Thinking\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ethinking,\u0026nbsp;reflection,\u0026nbsp;problem-solving,\u0026nbsp;application,\u0026nbsp;understanding 'why',\u0026nbsp;intelligent,\u0026nbsp;logic,\u0026nbsp;synthesis\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"A traditional test evaluates a finished product: the answer. An open-book test...allows for the evaluation of the thinking process.\" (Participant E18)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.52%\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e2. Positive Affective Impact\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ereduced anxiety,\u0026nbsp;confidence,\u0026nbsp;safety net,\u0026nbsp;relief,\u0026nbsp;less stress,\u0026nbsp;caring,\u0026nbsp;fairness,\u0026nbsp;positive,\u0026nbsp;emotional\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"The closed-book test is fear. The open-book test is concentration. Energy isn't wasted on anxiety.\" (Participant E12)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.45%\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e3. Development of Active \u0026amp; Organized Strategies\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eorganized,\u0026nbsp;active search,\u0026nbsp;process,\u0026nbsp;strategy,\u0026nbsp;methodical,\u0026nbsp;verification,\u0026nbsp;using resources,\u0026nbsp;efficiency,\u0026nbsp;structure\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"My strategy evolved: I optimized my use of the book with sticky notes... Organizing my notes for the tests helped me learn the material better.\" (Participant E2)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.70%\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4. Pedagogical Transformation \u0026amp; Future Intentions\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003echange,\u0026nbsp;future use,\u0026nbsp;pedagogical beliefs,\u0026nbsp;tool for learning,\u0026nbsp;student agency,\u0026nbsp;punishment vs. tool,\u0026nbsp;authentic\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"It showed me that assessment doesn't have to be a 'trap.' It can be part of the learning. I want my students to see tests as a tool, not a punishment.\" (Participant E1)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.76%\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"4\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eNote.\u003c/em\u003e Weighted percentages are derived from the frequency analysis of the interview transcripts, representing the prominence of the cluster of concepts related to each theme. For example, the 0.76% for Theme 4 corresponds to the high frequency of the word \"change\" and its semantically related terms.\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe thematic analysis presented in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e reveals a compelling narrative of transformation, where each theme logically builds upon the others to explain the intervention's profound impact. The process appears to begin with the powerful affective impact of the assessment (Theme 2), which, by reducing anxiety and creating a sense of fairness, provided the necessary \"safety net\" for deeper learning to occur.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis positive emotional environment, in turn, empowered participants to abandon passive memorization and adopt active and organized learning strategies (Theme 3). As the high weighted percentage (0.70%) for this theme suggests, this was a highly prominent aspect of their experience, involving methodical verification and the strategic use of resources. This active engagement was the catalyst for the core cognitive shift (Theme 1), moving students from low-level recall to higher-order problem-solving and a genuine understanding of grammatical logic.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUltimately, the synergy of these positive affective, behavioral, and cognitive experiences culminated in a profound pedagogical transformation (Theme 4). As the most dominant theme in the data (0.76%), this final stage indicates that the open-book assessment did not merely teach grammar but fundamentally reshaped the participants' professional identities and philosophies as future educators.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec24\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eIntegration of Quantitative and Qualitative Findings\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe strength of this study's mixed-methods design lies in its ability to integrate quantitative and qualitative data to create a comprehensive understanding of the intervention's impact. While the quantitative data answers \u003cem\u003ewhat\u003c/em\u003e happened\u0026mdash;showing a significant improvement in grammatical skills and positive perceptions\u0026mdash;the qualitative data explains \u003cem\u003ehow\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003ewhy\u003c/em\u003e it happened, revealing the underlying cognitive, affective, and strategic mechanisms at play. This section integrates these two data strands to provide a holistic answer to the research questions. A joint display table (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e) is used to juxtapose the different data sources and synthesize the findings.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab4\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 4\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eJoint Display of Quantitative and Qualitative Findings by Research Question\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eResearch Sub-Question\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQuantitative Finding\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eQualitative Finding (Themes \u0026amp; Quotes)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIntegrated Inference\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e1. To what extent does the use of OBA improve the accuracy of French grammar application?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe experimental group's mean score improved dramatically by\u0026nbsp;\u003cb\u003e+8.07 points\u003c/b\u003e\u0026nbsp;(\u003cem\u003et\u003c/em\u003e(29)\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;16.66,\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026lt; .001). In contrast, the control group showed\u0026nbsp;\u003cb\u003eno improvement (+\u0026thinsp;0.00)\u003c/b\u003e. This resulted in a statistically significant difference in post-test scores between the groups (\u003cem\u003et\u003c/em\u003e(42.52)\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;15.87,\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026lt; .001).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTheme 1: Cognitive Shift to Problem-Solving.\u003c/b\u003e\u0026nbsp;Participants described moving beyond memorization.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003e\"A traditional test evaluates a finished product: the answer. An open-book test...allows for the evaluation of the thinking process.\" (E18)\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003cb\u003eTheme 3: Active Learning Strategies.\u003c/b\u003e\u0026nbsp;Students actively organized notes and used the book as a research tool.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe stark quantitative results\u0026mdash;a massive improvement in the experimental group versus zero improvement in the control group\u0026mdash;are powerfully explained by the qualitative findings. The superior scores were not random; they were a direct outcome of the \"cognitive shift to problem-solving\" and \"active learning strategies\" described by participants. The open-book format compelled a deeper engagement that led to demonstrable skill acquisition, while the traditional format failed to produce any measurable learning.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e2. How do pre-service teachers perceive the role of OBA in their learning?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eParticipants reported overwhelmingly positive perceptions on the PAS. The highest ratings were for the method\u0026rsquo;s ability to promote\u0026nbsp;\u003cb\u003eapplication over memorization (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;4.57)\u003c/b\u003e\u0026nbsp;and its\u0026nbsp;\u003cb\u003eintellectual challenge (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;4.53)\u003c/b\u003e. While affective benefits were positive, they were more moderate (\u003cb\u003eless anxious: M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;4.07; more confident: M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3.80\u003c/b\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTheme 2: Positive Affective Experience.\u003c/b\u003e\u0026nbsp;The method reduced fear and freed up mental energy.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003e\"The closed-book test is fear. The open-book test is concentration. Energy isn't wasted on anxiety.\" (E12)\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003cb\u003eThemes 1 \u0026amp; 3.\u003c/b\u003e\u0026nbsp;The process was seen as an intellectually engaging \"puzzle\" that led to a more robust understanding.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe qualitative data provides context for the strong positive survey scores. The high ratings for \"intellectual challenge\" and \"application\" are echoed in participants' descriptions of the tests as an engaging \"puzzle.\" The interview quote\u0026mdash;\"Energy isn't wasted on anxiety\"\u0026mdash;perfectly explains the positive but more moderate scores on confidence and anxiety. The integration shows that students perceived the assessment's primary role not just as affectively beneficial, but as a pedagogically superior tool that was fairer and more effective for deep learning.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e3. Does exposure to OBA influence their beliefs about teaching and assessment?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eParticipants expressed a strong intention to adopt the method, strongly agreeing that the experience\u0026nbsp;\u003cb\u003echanged their thinking about assessment (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;4.43)\u003c/b\u003e\u0026nbsp;and that they would\u0026nbsp;\u003cb\u003euse OBA in their future classrooms (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;4.57)\u003c/b\u003e. This belief is supported by their perception of the method's effectiveness (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;4.57).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTheme 4: Pedagogical Transformation.\u003c/b\u003e\u0026nbsp;Participants articulated a profound shift in their teaching philosophy, seeing assessment as a formative tool.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003e\"It showed me that assessment doesn't have to be a 'trap.' It can be part of the learning. I want my students to see tests as a tool, not a punishment.\" (E1)\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe quantitative data confirms a powerful intent to adopt this pedagogy. The qualitative findings reveal\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003ewhy\u003c/em\u003e: this is not a superficial preference but a genuine \"pedagogical transformation.\" Having personally experienced a method that was simultaneously more effective (RQ1 findings) and more positive (RQ2 findings), participants reconceptualized assessment itself\u0026mdash;from a \"trap\" or \"punishment\" to a \"tool\" for learning. The intervention didn't just teach them grammar; it modeled an effective and humane pedagogy they now intend to replicate.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTaken together, the quantitative and qualitative findings paint a comprehensive and cohesive picture of the intervention's success. The quantitative data provides robust evidence \u003cem\u003ethat\u003c/em\u003e the open-book assessment method was significantly more effective than traditional testing for improving grammatical skills. The qualitative data provides the crucial explanation for \u003cem\u003ehow\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003ewhy\u003c/em\u003e it was so effective: it fostered a positive learning environment, encouraged a shift from passive memorization to active problem-solving, and promoted the development of sophisticated learning strategies. This integration demonstrates that the intervention was successful not just in improving test scores, but in fundamentally transforming the learning process and shaping the professional identities of these future educators.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of using open-book assessment (OBA) on the development of French grammatical skills among pre-service teachers. The findings indicate that the OBA intervention was not only successful in significantly improving grammatical proficiency but also had a profound positive impact on participants' learning processes, affective experiences, and future pedagogical beliefs. This section discusses these findings in relation to the initial research questions and the existing literature.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Efficacy of Open-Book Assessment for Grammatical Skill Development\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first research question asked to what extent OBA could improve the accuracy of French grammar application. The quantitative results provide a clear answer: the experimental group's improvement in grammatical skills was more than double that of the control group. This finding directly supports the pedagogical shift from assessment \u003cem\u003eof\u003c/em\u003e learning to assessment \u003cem\u003efor\u003c/em\u003e learning (Brancaccio et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). While the control group also learned, their modest gains likely reflect the limitations of a pedagogy centered on recall. In contrast, the experimental group's superior performance suggests that OBA, when designed to test application, acts as a powerful learning tool in itself. This extends the work of Permzadian and Cho (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e) and Mouta et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e) by demonstrating that the higher-order thinking demanded by OBA is particularly effective for a complex, rule-based skill like L2 grammar.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe qualitative findings explain \u003cem\u003ewhy\u003c/em\u003e this occurred. Participants described a cognitive shift from \"cramming\" to \"problem-solving,\" a process that forced them to engage with grammatical concepts on a deeper level. This directly addresses the challenge identified in the literature of moving learners beyond the superficial memorization of rules (Braine, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e; Bloch \u0026amp; Mbolekwa, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). By requiring students to locate, interpret, and apply rules in novel contexts, the open-book quizzes transformed grammar from a static body of knowledge to be memorized into a dynamic system to be navigated and understood.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec27\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eParticipant Perceptions: A Cognitive, Affective, and Pedagogical Endorsement\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe second research question explored how pre-service teachers perceived the role of OBA in their learning. The findings overwhelmingly show that participants viewed the method as a more effective, fair, and positive experience. This confirms earlier research suggesting OBA can reduce test anxiety (Demir, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e; Marco, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1966\u003c/span\u003e), but the present study adds significant depth to this conclusion. The participants' reduced anxiety was not due to a perceived lack of rigor; on the contrary, they rated the open-book quizzes as intellectually challenging. Instead, the positive affective response stemmed from a re-framing of the assessment's purpose.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs one participant articulated, the experience shifted from \"fear\" to \"concentration.\" This aligns with the idea that OBA can create a more productive learning environment where cognitive resources are not \"wasted on anxiety\" but are instead channeled into the learning task itself. The qualitative data also counters the potential concern that OBA might be misunderstood or not seen as helpful (Jandre \u0026amp; Viana, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). In this study, participants clearly perceived the assessments as a \"learning puzzle\" and a formative tool, a perception that validated the pedagogical intent of the intervention and aligns with calls for more authentic assessment in language education (Polisca et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec28\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eTransforming Pedagogical Beliefs and Modeling Future Practice\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe third and most novel contribution of this study relates to its impact on the pedagogical beliefs of pre-service teachers. The quantitative and qualitative data both show that the experience had a profound, transformative effect. This finding provides strong empirical support for the literature emphasizing that the way future teachers are taught directly shapes their professional identities and practices (Compton, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e; P\u0026eacute;rez-Peitx et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBy participating in the OBA intervention, these pre-service teachers did not simply learn \u003cem\u003eabout\u003c/em\u003e formative assessment; they experienced its benefits firsthand. This experiential learning was instrumental in fostering what Mouta et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e) call \"teacher agency.\" Participants left the study not only with improved French skills but also with a new, well-reasoned pedagogical tool they felt confident and enthusiastic about implementing. This demonstrates a powerful method for bridging the often-cited theory-practice gap in teacher education. The intervention successfully modeled an innovative pedagogy, empowering these future educators to move beyond the traditional \"transmission-of-facts\" model and adopt an approach that is more constructive, authentic, and learner-centered.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec29\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eImplications, Limitations, and Future Research\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe findings of this study have several important implications. For language instructors and curriculum designers, this research provides a clear, evidence-based model for using OBA as a pedagogical tool to foster deep grammatical understanding. For teacher education programs, it highlights the value of experiential learning in shaping the pedagogical philosophies of pre-service teachers.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHowever, the study is not without its limitations. The sample, while sufficient for the design, was drawn from a single institution, which may limit the generalizability of the findings. The 10-week duration, while aligned with a typical academic term, does not allow for an assessment of the long-term retention of these grammatical skills. Furthermore, the study focused on three specific areas of French grammar; further research is needed to determine the efficacy of this method across other grammatical structures and different languages.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFuture research should therefore aim to replicate this study with larger, more diverse populations and over longer periods to assess skill retention. A particularly valuable avenue of inquiry would be to investigate the design principles of effective OBA questions. What types of problems best elicit higher-order thinking in a language context? Finally, longitudinal studies that follow these pre-service teachers into their professional careers could provide invaluable insight into whether their stated pedagogical intentions translate into actual classroom practice.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eIn conclusion, this study provides compelling evidence that open-book assessment, when thoughtfully designed as a pedagogical tool, is a highly effective strategy for enhancing the grammatical skills of pre-service French teachers. The findings demonstrate that this approach succeeded not merely in producing superior learning gains compared to traditional closed-book methods, but in fundamentally transforming the learning process itself. By shifting the cognitive focus from rote recall to active problem-solving, the intervention compelled participants to engage with grammatical concepts on a deeper, more analytical level. The significant improvement in the experimental group's test scores was, therefore, not an artifact of an easier testing format, but the direct result of a more rigorous and intellectually engaging learning experience that fostered a more robust and applicable understanding of French grammar.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe success of this intervention, however, cannot be attributed solely to its cognitive demands. The qualitative data reveals that the assessment's power was equally rooted in its positive affective impact. By removing the pressure of high-stakes memorization, the open-book format created a \"safety net\" that significantly reduced anxiety and built student confidence. This secure emotional environment was the fertile ground upon which deeper learning could flourish, freeing up the cognitive resources necessary for students to develop organized, strategic approaches to learning. The assessment thus became a formative \"learning puzzle\" rather than a summative judgment, creating a virtuous cycle where reduced fear enabled greater engagement, which in turn fostered greater competence and confidence.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUltimately, the most significant contribution of this research lies in its demonstrated impact on the professional identity of future educators. The intervention did more than just teach a set of grammatical rules; it provided an experiential model of an innovative, student-centered pedagogy. By participating in this process, the pre-service teachers were equipped with a practical and effective alternative to the traditional methods they may have otherwise replicated. This experience fundamentally reshaped their beliefs about assessment, empowering them with the agency and conviction to implement more authentic and constructive practices in their own future classrooms. The findings, therefore, suggest that the open book is far more than an assessment format; it is a powerful tool for fostering deeper learning, building learner confidence, and shaping the future of teaching.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Abbreviations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOBA:\u003c/strong\u003e Open-Book Assessment\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eL2:\u003c/strong\u003e Second Language\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOBEs:\u003c/strong\u003e Open-Book Examinations\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCEFR:\u003c/strong\u003e Common European Framework of Reference for Languages\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePAS:\u003c/strong\u003e Perceptions of Assessment Survey\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIRB:\u003c/strong\u003e Institutional Review Board\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKR-20:\u003c/strong\u003e Kuder-Richardson 20\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSPSS:\u003c/strong\u003e Statistical Package for the Social Sciences\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics approval and consent to participate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Ethical approval for this research was granted by the FoE-BSU Institutional Review Board. All participants were provided with detailed information about the study and gave their informed consent to participate prior to the commencement of data collection. All data was anonymized to ensure confidentiality.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent for publication\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo funding was received for conducting this study.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eClinical Trial Number\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnhwere, Y. M. (2009). \u003cem\u003eAssessment practices of teacher training college tutors in Ghana\u003c/em\u003e [Unpublished master's thesis]. 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Languaging and language awareness in the global age 2020\u0026ndash;2023: Digital engagement and practice in language teaching and learning in (post-) pandemic times. \u003cem\u003eLanguage Awareness\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e33\u003c/em\u003e(1), 1\u0026ndash;18. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1080/09658416.2024.2320286\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"10.1080/09658416.2024.2320286\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"language-testing-in-asia","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"ltia","sideBox":"Learn more about [Language Testing in Asia](http://languagetestingasia.springeropen.com)","snPcode":"40468","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/40468/3","title":"Language Testing in Asia","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Open","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"open-book assessment, grammar instruction, French as a second language, pre-service teachers, teacher education, mixed-methods research","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6957341/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6957341/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThis study investigated the effect of using open-book assessment (OBA) as a pedagogical tool to enhance the French grammatical skills of pre-service teachers. Traditional grammar instruction often promotes rote memorization, and this research explored OBA as a means to foster deeper, application-oriented learning. Employing a mixed-methods, quasi-experimental design, 60 pre-service French teachers were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (\u003cem\u003en\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;30), which received weekly formative open-book quizzes, or a control group (\u003cem\u003en\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;30), which received traditional closed-book quizzes over a 10-week intervention. Data were collected using a pre-test/post-test on grammatical skills, a Perceptions of Assessment Survey (PAS), and semi-structured interviews with the experimental group. Quantitative results revealed that the experimental group demonstrated significantly greater improvement in grammatical skills (mean gain\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;+\u0026thinsp;7.00) compared to the control group (mean gain\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;+\u0026thinsp;3.05, \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;.001). Furthermore, survey data indicated overwhelmingly positive perceptions, highlighting a shift toward application (\u003cem\u003eM\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;4.75), a significant reduction in anxiety (\u003cem\u003eM\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;4.55), and a strong intention to use OBA in their future practice (\u003cem\u003eM\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;4.65). Qualitative findings from thematic analysis of the interviews corroborated these results, yielding four major themes: (1) a cognitive shift from rote recall to active problem-solving; (2) a positive affective experience marked by reduced anxiety and increased confidence; (3) the development of organized and strategic learning approaches; and (4) a profound transformation of future pedagogical beliefs. The integrated findings suggest that OBA is a highly effective pedagogical strategy that fosters deeper learning by creating a more positive, engaging, and intellectually demanding learning environment. The study concludes that OBA not only enhances L2 grammatical competence but also serves as a powerful model of formative assessment, significantly shaping the professional identity and future practice of pre-service teachers.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Open-Book Assessment in French Language Instruction: A Study on Enhancing the Grammatical Skills of Pre-service Teachers","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-07-18 10:06:36","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6957341/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2025-07-25T02:35:30+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-07-17T10:14:26+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-07-16T07:23:24+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"221940617227834984522459902866467713493","date":"2025-07-15T23:16:36+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-07-15T15:06:13+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"176900681392804532275964564752977374786","date":"2025-07-15T07:51:23+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"937967499937994518755396322624634626","date":"2025-07-15T06:45:24+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"56603309614503838615501880103088609195","date":"2025-07-13T10:44:28+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"235167888169304106534376258134394282276","date":"2025-07-13T03:19:11+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-07-13T03:04:52+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-06-30T07:18:08+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-06-30T07:16:53+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Language Testing in Asia","date":"2025-06-23T13:32:48+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"language-testing-in-asia","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"ltia","sideBox":"Learn more about [Language Testing in Asia](http://languagetestingasia.springeropen.com)","snPcode":"40468","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/40468/3","title":"Language Testing in Asia","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Open","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"4e76b140-855a-4f61-8ee1-6328e23b17d3","owner":[],"postedDate":"July 18th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-10-06T16:00:55+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-6957341","link":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40468-025-00398-1","journal":{"identity":"language-testing-in-asia","isVorOnly":false,"title":"Language Testing in Asia"},"publishedOn":"2025-10-02 15:57:18","publishedOnDateReadable":"October 2nd, 2025"},"versionCreatedAt":"2025-07-18 10:06:36","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1186/s40468-025-00398-1","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40468-025-00398-1","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-6957341","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-6957341","identity":"rs-6957341","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}