Say Cheese! A Snapshot of Elementary Teachers’ Engagement and Motivation for Classroom Assessment

Abstract

Assessment is a complex function requiring an understanding of student learning, assessment principles, practices, and purposes of data to implement effective classroom assessment. The purpose of this study was to add to the growing base of knowledge about teachers’ engagement with assessment data and their motivation for classroom assessment. Four full-time elementary schoolteachers in diverse teaching contexts in Alberta and Ontario, Canada, participated in semistructured individual interviews. The results from this study settled into four main categories: (1) teachers use for learning assessment to improve student achievement, (2) an imbalance of formative assessment—assessment as learning was not used consistently, (3) inconsistent formalization of observation into meaningful assessment data, and (4) the tension between internal and external motivators for student assessment.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Glenda L. Black

Glenda L. Black is an assistant professor at Nipissing University, North Bay, Ontario. She teaches courses in curriculum development and assessment. Prior to joining Schulich School of Education, she was a classroom teacher and school administrator. Glenda’s academic interests include educational leadership, curriculum development, indigenous education, and international teaching practicums.