Assessment systems in Physical Education teacher training: A case study in Chilean context

Abstract

Assessment has ceased to be an instance that only certifies the achievement reached through a qualification, but is currently understood as a fundamental element to favour the teaching-learning processes. The aim of this study is: To identify the cognitive abilities, the elements of the subject syllabus and the assessment procedures and instruments used during the Initial Physical Education Teacher Training at three university campuses in the south of Chile, based on the perception of students and university professors. Under a quantitative approach and a descriptive and comparative cross-sectional case study design, the «Questionnaire for the study the assessment system in training of pre-service physical education teachers» was applied. The sample consisted of 162 pre-service teachers and 44 university professors. The main results show a marked presence of traditional assessment methodologies and instruments, as well as a differentiated appreciation between preservices teachers vs. university professors; for example, when professors indicate that they focus their assessment methodologies on cognitive skills such as «application and understanding», students have a significantly different appreciation. In conclusion, we note the presence of formative intentionality in the delivery of information on learning through assessment systems, with the task of moving towards didactic planning, where assessment is coherent with the methodologies that are deployed in the classroom.