Students’ perceptions of assessment practices in upper secondary school during COVID-19

ABSTRACT

During COVID-19, distance learning has given students around the world unforeseen challenges, including the way their learning is being assessed. Assessment for learning (AfL) can contribute to the development of students’ strategies to meet unknown challenges as lifelong learners. The purpose of AfL is to inform learning, and it can play a significant role in achieving lifelong learning strategies, such as self-regulation, effectiveness and independent learning. This article presents qualitative findings from a study examining students’ perceptions (24 students) of teaching and assessment practices in upper secondary school in Norway in the spring of 2020. The findings show that students valued individual teacher feedback to support learning. The students experienced flexibility in teaching practices, and moreover, they were trusted to do the work they were told. However, regarding assessments, they felt it was unfair and that student involvement in assessment was lacking. There was little variation in the assignments, which were mostly individual, written assignments. An important message is that they missed collaborating with other students and that many of them were left alone with their schoolwork.

KEYWORDS:

• Assessment for learning
• self-regulation
• student involvement

Disclosure statement

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

Notes

1. The study has been approved by NSD, the Norwegian Centre for Research Data.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lise Vikan Sandvik

Lise Vikan Sandvik is Professor in education at the Department of Teacher Education, Norwegian University of Science and Technology. She has experience as school teacher in primary and secondary schools, holds a ph.d in foreign language didactics, and has served as deputy head of Department of Teacher Education. Her professional field of interest is mainly revolved around issues of educational assessment, professional development, foreign language didactics, teacher education and partnerships in education.

Kari Smith

Kari Smith has worked as a school teacher for 18 years, before she became a teacher educator. She has acted as the Head of Teacher Education programs abroad as well as at the University of Bergen in Norway. She is the Head of the Norwegian National Research School in Teacher Education (NAFOL) at NTNU. Kari Smith is one of the founders of the International Forum for Teacher Educator Professional Development (InFo-TED). She is a member of international editorial boards of several scientific journals. Her main research interests are teacher education, professional development, mentoring and doctoral supervision, and assessment for and of learning.

Alex Strømme

Alex Strømme is a professor of science didactics at the Department of Teacher Education, NTNU, and has been involved in teacher education at NTNU for a number of years. He is specialized in the use of digital tools and media in teaching science and biology. He has played an important role in the development of online teaching programs in science in Norway.

Bodil Svendsen

Bodil Svendsen is Associate Professor of science didactics at the Department of Teacher Education, NTNU. In addition to her work at NTNU, she also works as a school teacher in upper secondary school. Her doctoral thesis was about teachers' professional development in science.

Oda Aasmundstad Sommervold

Oda Aasmundstad Sommervold is a teacher of English in upper secondary school. Her master's thesis from 2019 was about student involvement in oral assessment. She is a research assistant for the research team in this study.

Stine Aarønes Angvik

Stine Aarønes Angvik is a teacher in upper secondary school and assistant professor at The Norwegian Centre for Writing Education and Research (The Writing Centre) at the Department of Teacher Education, NTNU. She is engaged in several continuing education courses in writing instruction for teachers.