Assessment and Evaluation in Educational Contexts

For at least the past three decades, assessment, evaluation, and accountability have been major strands of educational policy and practice internationally. However, the available data on how exactly assessment- and evaluation-based policies are framed and implemented, or how they shape practices within schools, are still limited. This chapter addresses these issues with a broad focus that takes into account several perspectives on school evaluation and student assessment, together with everyday practices of teacher judgment and grading. First, we address assessment and evaluation practices for the purpose of educational system monitoring. Second, school evaluation practices, as well as the use of assessment and evaluation results at the school level, are discussed. A third perspective focuses on practices of teacher evaluation. Finally, practices of student assessment within schools and classrooms are examined. The instruments described and recommended in this chapter have implications for international research, as well as national studies.