Assessment literacy: The process of evaluating early-career teachers and its association with assessment self-efficacy

Oct 15, 2026

Assessment is a key higher-education competency, particularly in teacher education. This pilot study evaluates how formative assessment processes affect early-career teachers, examining their views on student evaluation, their perceived assessment self-efficacy, and the assessment approaches they select. Among 152 elementary school interns, 98 completed questionnaires at both mid- and end-of-year points. Results show assessment self-efficacy rose 9.6% and perceptions of assessment as formative increased by 10%. Formative assessment during internships should be strengthened to improve classroom assessment use and maximize benefits.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages14

Reading Time35 min

AccessFree to download

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION

Constructivist paradigm and evaluation

Formative vs summative assessment

Teachers’ assessment beliefs and early training

Induction year effects and research gaps

Learning analytics and AI support

Implications for teacher education

Teacher induction programs worldwide

African EducaƟonal Research Journal Vol. 12(3), pp. 210-223, August 2024 DOI: 10. 30918/AERJ.123.24.039 ISSN: 2354-2160 Full Length Research Paper Assessment literacy: The process of evaluating earlycareer teachers and its association with assessment self-efficacy Keren Tal-Amsili, Avidan Milevsky, Aleksandra Gerkerova* and Nitza Davidovitch Education Studies, Ariel University, POB 3 , Kiryat Hamada, Ariel, Israel 40700, Israel. Accepted 30 July, 2024 | ABSTRACT
Assessment is an important skill acquired by graduates of higher education, especially those from teacher education programs. This pilot study examined the effects of formative assessment processes on earlycareer teachers, focusing on their perspectives on student evaluation, their perceived self-efficacy in assessment, and the assessment methods they chose for their students. Participants, who were 152 teachers interning at elementary schools, completed self-report questionnaires midway through and at the end of their internship year. Out of these, 98 teachers completed the questionnaire at both time points. Key findings showed that assessment self-efficacy increased by 9.6% and perceptions of assessment as a formative process also rose significantly by 10% . The study suggests that formative assessment during teacher internships should be reinforced to enhance teachers' use of assessment in their classrooms. Additionally, it highlights the importance of improving assessment processes during internships, enabling teachers to maximize the benefits of assessments. This improvement not only optimizes their professional skills but also enhances their ability to conduct formative assessments among their students.
Keywords: Assessment, higher education, self-efficacy, early-career teachers, teaching internships. | | --- | | *Corresponding author. E-mail: [gerkerova@ukr.net.](gerkerova@ukr.net.) . | INTRODUCTION In recent decades, educational approaches have shifted from traditional teacher-led instruction to a constructivist paradigm, where teachers guide students in constructing knowledge (Libman, 2013; Levy-Feldman, 2020) . Research by Vygotsky (1983) and Bruner (1987) emphasizes the importance of social interaction and discovery learning, which are central to constructivist theories. However, the application of constructivist approaches to student evaluation has received less attention. Summative assessment, aligned with the traditional-positivist approach, remains widely used to grade and report student performance (Birenbaum, 2018) . In contrast, formative assessment focuses on providing feedback to enhance learning, promoting student motivation and self-efficacy (Yan and Brown, 2021) . Despite its benefits, formative assessment is not widely utilized. Teachers' use of formative assessment is influenced by their beliefs about student evaluation. Research identifies four main beliefs: 1) formative assessment improves learning efficiency; 2) summative assessment fosters accountability (Opre, 2015); 3) summative assessment allows for comparison of achievements; 4) assessment is irrelevant to teaching and learning, potentially causing anxiety and detracting from self-esteem (Harris et al. , 2008) . Teachers' assessment conceptions are shaped during their early training. In Israel, after completing academic studies, teachers undergo a one-year internship with mentorship and peer workshops. Midway through the Tal-Amsili et al. 211 their licensure (Ministry of Education, 2020) . Interns also self-evaluate their achievements. While there is considerable research on teachers' beliefs about assessment, empirical studies specifically examining how these beliefs evolve during the early stages of teachers' careers are scarce. Furthermore, little is known about the impact of formative feedback received during the induction year on teachers' assessment selfefficacy. This pilot study examines how formative assessment during the induction year affect

FAQs

What does the study investigate about assessment literacy?

It examines evaluating early-career teachers and how that process is associated with assessment self-efficacy, focusing on interns’ perceptions and their chosen assessment methods.

How was the pilot study conducted?

It involved 152 elementary school interns who completed self-report questionnaires midway through and at the end of their internship year; 98 completed at both time points.

What were the main findings regarding teachers’ assessment self-efficacy?

Assessment self-efficacy increased by 9.6%, and perceptions of assessment as a formative process increased significantly by 10%.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by eBook King