Preparing assessment literate teachers: A cross-national trend analysis

Abstract

Preparing teachers for assessment (i.e., assessment literacy) represents a contested issue, both at the educational policy and practice levels. Entering this debate, we explored patterns of initial teacher education (ITE), continuous professional development (CPD), assessment practices, and teachers’ learning needs in the assessment domain. Using data from the IEA-PIRLS teacher questionnaire (2011–2021) and the OECD-TALIS (2008–2018), a cross-national trend analysis was performed. Variability across countries and over time was found in both ITE and CPD. Furthermore, a mismatch emerged between perceived professional needs in the assessment domain and ITE and CPD paths. Teachers’ use of assessment strategies also varies, with homework being the most common practice among primary teachers - often in summative forms - while formative feedback and self-assessment are more frequent in lower secondary schools. Highlighting limitations in current large-scale survey instruments, this study calls for better alignment between teacher preparation and current models of assessment literacy.