Traditional assessment and its consequences. A case in the hegemonic Physical Education

Abstract

The discourse of performance in Physical Education continues to perpetuate a multitude of techniques and decisions for student assessment and grading. Physical fitness tests are commonly employed in the school context, often without due consideration of the resulting consequences. This current case study, using a qualitative methodology, aims to illustrate the experiences and interpret the consequences of using physical tests among 1st year Baccalaureate students and the respective teacher. Data collection involved a total of 14 semi-structured interviews and two-month participant observation recorded in a field diary. As the findings illustrate, the expressed emotions reveal a dichotomy between students who feel motivated by assessment tests and those who experience frustration after completing them, largely influenced by their skill level. Conversely, the teacher exhibits an urgent need to standardize the tests and shelter behind its presumed neutrality. The conclusions highlight the necessity of reflecting on the consequences of these persistently replicated practices, in order to progress towards more formative and participatory assessment processes.