The contribution of assessment experiences to student teachers' self-efficacy in competence-based education

•We studied how assessment experiences contribute to student teachers' self-efficacy.•This research focuses on the assessment characteristics authenticity and feedback.•Authenticity and feedback positively influence student teachers self-efficacy.•Student teacher self-efficacy is influenced during all portfolio assessment phases.•Results provide a fine-grained view of several types of self-efficacy information.

Earlier research argues that educational programmes based on social cognitive theory are successful in improving students' self-efficacy. Focussing on some formative assessment characteristics, this qualitative research intends to study in-depth how student teachers' assessment experiences contribute to their self-efficacy. We interviewed 15 s year student teachers enrolled in a competence based teacher educational programme. Thematic content analysis results reveal that the assessment characteristics ‘authenticity’ and ‘feedback’ exert a positive influence on student teachers self-efficacy during all phases of the portfolio competence assessment. The results provide a fine-grained view of several types of self-efficacy information connected with these assessment phases.