Teachers’ orientations towards selecting assessment strategies

Background: The literature suggests two main types of orientations influencing teachers’ choice of assessment strategies – “Knowledge acquisition and retention (K orientation)” and “Understanding and Conceptual change (U orientation)” with the former more directly related to surface learning types of assessment strategies and the latter more to do with strategies which encourage deep learning. Aims: The study aimed to investigate what kinds of strategies teachers used to assess their students and how teachers’ self-reported assessment strategies reflected the orientations suggested in the current literature. In addition, it identified the governing forces that impacted on the orientations of the teachers in their assessment strategy selection. Sample: Ninety-four Hong Kong teachers from nine primary schools and six secondary schools took part in semi-structured interviews which focused on the strategies they used for assessing their students. Results: The teachers reported using many types of strategies including tests, exams, projects, etc. The results of the study showed that there were forces that drew teachers towards “Knowledge acquisition and retention” orientation while selecting assessment strategies for use. Conclusion: More effort has to be made to encourage teachers to attain a better balance between assessment aimed at measuring knowledge and assessment aimed at learning and understanding. Copyright © 2010 New Horizons in Education, Hong Kong Teachers' Association.