形成性評估是教育評價研究領域的前沿課題，然而對它的研究近年來出現瓶頸。曹榮平在其作品中指出，突破瓶頸的關鍵在於對形成性評估的理論建構。據此，曹榮平編著的《形成性評估的概念重構》從控制論視角對形成性評估進行了概念重構，繼而推出了以評估和學習之間關繫作為紐帶的形成性評估理論模型。作品的理論貢獻已經引起該領域國際學者的重視，推動了相關研究的發展；作品的寬闊學術視野不僅展現了作者對學習理論、課程理論、（語言）評測理論、繫統論與控制論等跨學科研究領域的基礎理論和專業知識的良好把握，而且指出了形成性評估理論等

●Introduction
Chapter 1 Assessment and Learning
1.1 The relationships between assessment and learning
1.2 Mastery Learning aligned with Psychometrics
1.2.1 The objectives model of curriculum
1.2.2 Psychometrics
1.3 Learning as a process: Assessment as research
1.3.1 The progressive philosophy of learning
1.3.2 The reconstructionism philosophy of learning
1.3.3 Curriculum design in learning as a process
1.3.4 Teacher as researcher. What about assessment？
1.4 Towards integrating assessment with instruction
1.4.1 The invention of the formative concept
1.4.2 Towards integrating assessment and instruction
1.4.3 Behaviorist connections of the formative concept
1.5 Integrating assessment with learning
1.5.1 The constructivist claim
1.5.2 AlL- Its ups and downs
1.5.3 Advocating AfL
1.6 Chapter summary and discussion
Chapter 2 Re-conceptualization of the formative role of assessment
2.1 Redefining the relationship between FA and SA
2.2 Redefining FA and AlL: Two different visions
2.3 The formative role of assessment: A double-edged sword
2.4 Summary-of the chapter
Chapter 3 Assessment as a cybernetic system
3.1 Revisiting the meta-disciplinary character of cybernetics
3.2 Control and feedback
3.3 The features of assessment as a cybernetic system
3.3.1 Assessment as an open, probabilistic system
3.3.2 Assessment as a complex system
3.3.3 Assessment as a self-regulatory system
3.3.4 The implications of assessment being a cybernetic system
3.4 Linking Chinese philosophy to cybernetics
3.4.1 The Yin-Yang Doctrine
3.4.2 The Doctrine of the Mean
3.4.3 Discussion
3.5 Towards a cybernetic model of assessment
3.5.1 Theoretical assumptions
3.5.2 The model
3.6 Chapter summary
Chapter 4 Accommodating the cybernetic model in China's assessment in education. A historical perspective
4.1 The rationale and research methodology
4.2 A cybernetic understanding of China's assessment system
4.2.1 Major themes in China's ancient assessment history
4.2.2 China's assessment system since 1949
4.2.3 The EFL education
4.3 Discussion
4.3.1 Assessment: A control system
4.3.2 Assessment: A non-deterministic system
4.4 Chapter summary
Chapter 5 Accommodating the model in classroom settings
5.1 Cross-case analysis
5.1.1 A general description of sources of data
5.1.2 Unit of analysis
5.1.3 Issue-based analyses
5.2 Fitting the model in China's EFL tertiary education
5.3 Chapter summary
Chapter 6 Winding up the research
References
Appendices
Appendix 1a Letter of Consent （for the IOE courses）
Appendix 1b Letters for informant review （some samples）
Appendix 2 Sample session notes for Course 2/SPSS
Appendix 3 Lecturer's post-session email to CDD students
Appendix 4 C1 Course materials
Appendix 5 An investigative questionnaire for C1, C2, C3 and C4

本書《形成性評估的控制論視角》的作者曹榮平近十年來專注於形成性評估的研究，在國內相關領域，優選在這一課題的理論和實踐上有突破性的進展，並且與國際研究接軌，得到了國際同行的關注。本書通過建立一個形成性評估的理論模型來彌補形成性評估理論研究的不足。該模型的認識論基礎是控制論（cybernetics）框架下評估和學習之間的關繫，即評估既是學習的重要方式和手段，通過其調控功能作用於學習，對學習有形成性作用，同時評估又是一個復雜的控制繫統，遵循自律式發展規律。該模型建立的前提是對形成性評估概念的重構：現有主流文獻把形成性評估等同於促學評估，將形成性評估與終結性評估對立，並忽略評估對學習可以產生正負面影響的兩面性，這實際上阻礙了對形成性評估的理論研究的深入。借鋻控制論有關復雜繫統的思想，本書推出的形成性評估模型可用於解釋評估與學習的關繫和評估的形成性工作機理，"對形成性評估從體繫和機制角度做出了可貴的等