Students' conceptions of assessment purposes in a low stakes secondary-school context: A mixed methodology approach

- Students' assessment conceptions relate to their learning and achievement.
- Sequential mixed methods design with questionnaire and group interview data.
- Assessment conceptions and definitions aligned with formative views of assessment.
- Students valued alternative assessment methods and feedback mechanisms.

Though assessment in its early history was conceived as a measurement device, alternative approaches to assessment of student achievement have appeared the past few decades. In this context, studies have been conducted to investigate students' conceptions of assessment approaches and purposes, as there is evidence that these will affect their learning and ultimately their achievement. This study uses a sequential mixed methods design to investigate students' conceptions about the purposes of assessment and their definitions of assessment. A questionnaire was administered to 599 lower secondary school students in Cyprus, followed by group interviews with 15 students to explain and build upon initial quantitative findings. Results show that students' perceptions are in alignment with the current shift in assessment to be used primarily for enhancing teaching and learning. Students seem to agree with the legitimate purposes of assessment and realize that it is an ongoing procedure linked with teaching and learning.