Collaborative assessment in design-based technology education

In design-based technology education, collaborative assessment between pupils and teachers has been shown to be a key element in facilitating learning. Previous studies have focused on formative, diagnostic, and summative forms of assessment limited to pupils' learning. However, it remains unknown how these forms are manifested in design-based technology projects that involve collaborative assessment between teachers and pupils. This study takes a longitudinal perspective on collaborative assessment by examining classroom interactions in a board game design project implemented in a Finnish primary school. The participants were two experienced craft teachers and six pupils who worked on collaborative designing in two small groups. The video data were analyzed by following a three-level approach, including macro, meso, and micro levels. The results were visualized with Process-Rugs, which showed assessment connected to verbal and embodied design activities. The findings revealed that pupils' and teachers' collaboration in assessment varied at different stages of the technology project. Peer assessment was most common after the project's midpoint, while teacher–pupil collaboration focused on the beginning and end parts. Formative and summative assessment were prevalent in collaboration between pupils, while teachers led the diagnostic assessment activities.