Developing assessment expertise: a study of current teachers’ conceptions of assessment to inform university-level teacher education

Abstract

This contribution offers a descriptive analysis of secondary school teachers’ conceptions of assessment (Thompson,
1992; Ciani, Rosa, 2022; Scierri, 2023). The analysis demonstrates a pronounced inclination towards summative
assessment, underscoring the imperative for interventions to address this limitation (Scriven, 1967;
Barbier, 1977; Falcinelli, 1999). The evidence presented in this study supports the proposal of a university
training course on assessment. The course aims to address misconceptions and promote assessment for/as learning
(Earl, 2003; Sambell, McDowell, Montgomery, 2012). This initiative is part of a broader faculty development
programme, with the objective of developing university lecturers as reflective practitioners (Schön, 1987).