In this study, the investigator sought to explore the perceptions and attitudes of Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners towards the use of Socially Mediated Testing (SMT) in their English learning process. The primary aim was to identify the factors that significantly influence their learning experience when using SMT. The research process began with in-depth interviews of 50 EFL learners, aiming to gain a qualitative understanding of their thoughts and experiences with SMT. Based on the insights obtained from these interviews, the researcher developed a questionnaire tailored to capture the nuances of these learners' experiences. This questionnaire, consisting of 25 items, was then distributed to a larger sample of 475 EFL students. In the end, the researcher was able to identify four variables after using exploratory factor analysis to identify the factors. The 25-item questionnaire was then given to 785 EFL students, who chose each item on a Likert scale. The factor structure of the instrument was verified by the researcher using structural equation modeling (SEM). To determine if the suggested model matched the data, the researcher used the measurement with the best fit. The fit indices were estimated using the original EFA structure, which contained four factors and 25 elements. As a result, the researcher created a model that can be used as a respectable foundation for SMT research that will take place in Iran in the future, where such specific insights are unavailable in this politically distinct EFL setting. Manuscript profile

This study tries to investigate the most, and the least influential socially-mediated testing factors on learning among university students. The necessity to understand these socially-mediated testing to foster language learning in the Islamic Republic of Iran gets bolder where English as a foreign language learning, in political and social aspects fulfills a considerable role in different parts of daily life. The researcher used the quantitative method. The participants included 375 EFL learners studying or completing their Ph.D. The sample included 183 males and 192 females. The age range was from 29 to 37. The instrument applied in this study was a researcher-constructed questionnaire. It consists of two parts. The first part was a demographic question, and the second part consisted of questions about factors that affect on socially mediated testing. The reliability of this questionnaire was 0.804. The mean values of the four variables showed which factor have the most, and which one has the least impact on SMT based on the participants point of view who answered the questionnaires. The most effective factor is the ‘Positive points of SMT’, ‘Goals of the teacher in SMT’ can reach the second level. ‘Learning measurement of SMT’ can reach third level, and the last level is for ‘Negative points of SMT’. The results of this study can help teachers, students, parents, and all the people who are part of educational system, and make decisions to improve the system of the education in schools, and universities based on the findings of the articles. Manuscript profile

This study aimed at investigating the socially-mediated testing factors affecting Iranian university EFL students. The necessity to understand these factors to foster language learning gets bolder when one attempts to investigate them in settings, like that of the Islamic Republic of Iran, where English as a foreign language has witnessed great ups and downs due to political and social changes. For this purpose, the researcher used a qualitative design. The participants in this study comprised 30 EFL university learners (15 males and 15 females) studying or having finished language teaching discipline. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to elicit data. The recorded interviews were transcribed, and each participant was assigned a fictitious name to protect their privacy. The transcripts as well as the researcher’s notes and memos were then returned to the participants to confirm that the data was genuine and reflected their viewpoints. The transcripts were read and reviewed a couple of times for the sake of familiarity. Then, they were transferred to a computer software called MAXQDA. As a result, a long list of codes emerged which was reduced to a smaller list of tentative categories (4 themes with 25 categories) through a constant comparative method. These four themes are, 1) positive points of socially mediated testing, 2) negative points of socially mediated testing, 3). learning measurement of socially mediated testing, and 4) goals of teachers in socially mediated testing. Manuscript profile