Professional Judgment of Teachers in Malaysia Based on Score Modelling Diagnostic

Abstract

Teachers' professional judgment in classroom-based assessment (CBA) is a critical component of Malaysia's educational transformation, moving from exam-centric evaluations to more holistic, student-centered approaches. This shift underscores the importance of understanding and enhancing teachers' decision-making processes in student assessment. Despite its significance, the analysis of professional judgment practice using strategic models remains understudied, particularly in the Malaysian context. This concept paper employs the SCORE (Strengths, Challenges, Options, Responses, Effectiveness) model to investigate strategy-based assessment in teachers' professional judgment practice in Malaysia. The SCORE model was chosen for its comprehensive and positive action-oriented approach, offering a fresh perspective compared to traditional SWOT analyses. The study's major findings reveal that the implementation of CBA through teachers' professional judgment has several strengths, including more holistic student assessment and increased teacher autonomy. However, it also faces challenges such as inconsistency in assessment practices and the need for extensive teacher training. The analysis identifies opportunities for innovation in educational practices and improved teacher-student relationships. Stakeholder responses indicate mixed reactions, with some embracing the change while others express concerns about subjectivity and fairness. This paper proposes further research in several areas such as empirical assessments of the efficacy of teachers' professional judgment, comparative analyses between countries implementing similar systems, and the development of assessment tools to measure teachers' proficiency in making professional judgments. Additionally, it suggests the potential for integrating the SCORE model with existing educational theories, proposing a new SCORES model (adding 'Synthesis' to SCORE) for a more comprehensive framework in assessing and improving teachers' professional judgment 525 practices. This study contributes to the understanding of professional judgment in the Malaysian education system and offers insights for policymakers and educators in implementing and refining CBA practices. It also highlights the potential of the SCORE model in educational strategy analysis, opening avenues for its application in other educational contexts.