Primary and secondary teachers’ conceptions of assessment: A qualitative study

A particular framework of teachers’ conceptions about assessment in school is presented. Fifty teachers of primary and secondary school were interviewed. Results of a qualitative analysis allowed building a model of conceptions of assessment. This model comprises four dimensions about the effects of assessment on: teaching, learning, accountability of teachers and schools to different audiences and stakeholders, and the certification of achievement. These conceptions, unequally distributed, show some tendencies that might be linked to the intrinsic tension between the by-default co-occurrence of both pedagogic and societal functions of assessment in school, and to difficulties of implementing assessment for learning practices.

Research highlights
► The functions of assessment in school (improving educational processes and accountability of teachers’ and learners’) are in a constant, inherent and inevitable tension.
► Teachers’ conceptions about assessment must be a point of departure for any proposal of teacher education for assessment.
► Teachers’ conceptions about assessment of assessment consider assessment effects on teaching as something separated from assessment effects on learning.
► Teachers’ conceptions about assessment differ with regard to the external evaluation established in the educational system.