Assessment in Secondary Education, is it formative and shared? Exploring perceptions of professionals and future professionals in Education

Abstract

The aim of this research was to explore the perceptions of education professionals and future professionals on the existence of formative assessment in secondary education. A qualitative and quantitative convergent parallel mixed method study was designed. The participants were 8 Secondary Education teachers who collaborate as tutors in the Teaching Master’s Degree at the Spanish public university.and who took part in a focus group, and 60 pre-service students who were completing a practicum in schools for this same Master’s Degree and who answered a questionnaire. The results showed a great diversity in perceptions of the implementation of formative assessment. However, the use of summative assessment seemed to be perceived as predominant in the high schools studied, as well as performance tests and examinations. In conclusion, these means of assessment are still consolidated by traditionalist conceptions, both of teachers and of students and families, that are limiting the progress of formative assessment in schools, while innovating and engaged teachers try to foment their implementation.