The bearing of macro and micro culture on digital activity: EFL teachers' perception of computer-based matriculation oral language test reform

- EFL teachers' perception of CMEOT was studied via the activity theory.
- CMEOT received a majority acknowledgment from EFL teachers as a qualified test.
- Six principal obstacles were identified and causes of the conflicts were discussed.
- Reform in tools alone won't necessarily produce the expected educational change.
- Impact from cultural construct elements at macro and micro levels was modeled.

Among the worldwide trend of computer application in the educational arena, there have been few attempts to examine the teachers' perception of face-to-computer high-stake matriculation language testing although college acceptance issues have been one of the top priorities all around the world. This article reports a case study on the face-to-computer matriculation EFL oral proficiency test reform in Guangdong (Canton), China. The goal of this research is to investigate the high school EFL teachers' perception of the testing reform on teaching and learning and provide the face-to-computer language testing designers some practical implications and suggestions for future development. Two hundred and twenty-three high school teachers in twelve high schools took a survey with closed and open-ended questions. It is found that the testing reform received a major acknowledgment for its necessity and impacts on teaching. Six principal obstacles in this reform are identified. Furthermore, change in tools alone will not suffice in our educational reforms assisted by computers. This article discusses the often-overlooked construct---culture at macro and micro levels in the testing context. The impact of cultural artifacts on the face-to-computer testing is modeled by connecting the ideas of culture to the framework of activity theory.