The Focus of Assessment in Teacher Education: Control or Learning?

Abstract

This article aims to characterize the self-reported assessment practices of university professors participating in initial teacher training and to contrast them with students’ perceptions. The article distinguishes between two assessment approaches: Assessment of Learning, associated with control and grading, and Assessment for Learning, associated with deep and meaningful learning. The analysis is quantitative and descriptive-comparative, based on responses from teacher educators and a sample of education students about assessment practices at the university. The results show that teacher educators tend to develop discourses and report practices that favor Assessment for Learning. However, when these self-reports are contrasted with students’ aggregate perceptions, a significant discrepancy emerges: students’ perspectives suggest that elements associated with Assessment of Learning (control) still predominate, emphasizing aspects related to the accreditation or certification of declarative knowledge. Finally, the scope and influence of this perceptual gap in constructing conceptualizations and beliefs developed by future teachers are discussed.