Challenges with using formative and authentic assessment in physical education teaching from experienced teachers’ perspectives

ABSTRACT

The main purpose of this study was to identify the challenges of using formative assessment (FA) and authentic assessment (AA) in physical education (PE) teaching, based on some experienced teachers’ perspectives. Semi-structured interviews of four teachers were conducted and analysed. The results show how the teachers operationalised the FA and AA to support student learning. They emphasised that to obtain positive results for teachers and pupils, it is key that the teaching is organised with assessment in mind, and that the assessment is structured. The study concludes that with pedagogic knowledge and a positive attitude to use the FA and AA, it is possible to overcome the drawbacks revealed in the PE assessment literature. Nevertheless, these teachers belonged to communities of practice linked to the FA and AA in PE, which seems to be a key factor to achieve the desired ‘assessment literacy’ needed to initiate those changes in PE.

KEYWORDS:

• Self-assessment
• teacher education
• peer-assessment
• assessment for learning

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Emilio J. Barrientos Hernán

Emilio J. Barrientos-Hernán, is a Physical Education Primary Education teacher in Las Acacias school in Pozuelo de Alarcón (Madrid). He has had and active and long career in teacher on physical education in Primary Education. In 2019 he finished his PhD in Education and currently his research is focus on improving the physical education pedagogy in Primary Education.

Víctor M. López-Pastor

Víctor M. López-Pastor is a Professor in the Faculty of Education of Segovia (University of Valladolid).Author of numerous publications.Main lines of research: Formative and Shared Assessment in Physical Education, Formative and Shared Assessment in Higher Education, Didactics of Physical Education, Research-Action and Teacher Education.

Eloísa Lorente-Catalán

Eloísa Lorente-Catalán is a Senior Lecturer in the National Institute of Physical Education of Catalonia at University of Lleida, Spain. She has had an active and long career in teaching and researching on physical education and sport pedagogy. Currently her research interests range from Formative assessment in Physical Education Teacher Education programs to models-based practice, critical pedagogy and motivation and learning.

David Kirk

David Kirk is Professor of Education at the University of Strathclyde, Scotland. His current work is focused on precarity and pedagogies of affect in physical education. Kirk is Founding Editor of the journal Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy. His most recent book (with Ashley Casey) is Models-based Practice in Physical Education (Routledge, 2021).