An exploratory study on summative assessment practices in universities

Abstract

Since the 1970s, coinciding with the introduction of initial teacher education programs, the need to explore assessment practices in higher education has become increasingly evident. Today, the challenges of contemporary society call for a thorough revision of educational processes to meet the demands of new stakeholders and enhance the attractiveness of university education. Assessment, in its role as a scientific discipline, is tasked with both defining and monitoring quality, supporting a rethinking of outcomes, processes, and systems, and with verifying, measuring, and expressing a value judgment on student learning. This contribution presents an exploratory study aimed at providing an overview of the summative assessment practices adopted in Master's Degree Programs in Primary Teacher Education, through the analysis of course syllabi published on the official web pages of the study programs.