Assessment literacy and lifelong learning: the evaluative postures of teaching staff

Abstract

Assessment plays a central role in teaching professionalism, evolving from models focused on measuring results (assessment of learning) to formative (assessment for learning) and reflective (assessment as learning) models. This study explores the assessment attitudes of 12,384 Italian teachers, considering their conceptions of assessment, feedback practices and specific training. Cluster analyses identified four profiles for each area, showing a significant relationship between conceptions and feedback practices. The distribution of profiles varies according to school level, age and length of service, with a greater orientation towards assessment as learning in pre-school and primary school and among more experienced teachers. Certification approaches favour summative tools, while formative and reflective approaches adopt participatory and metacognitive practices. The results highlight the urgent need for integrated training courses capable of developing technical skills and pedagogical awareness, promoting student-centred assessments oriented towards self-regulation and the shared construction of meaning.