An Examination of Early Childhood Teachers’ Views and Experiences on Assessment as Learning

Abstract

In recent years, assessment as learning, which is one of the formative assessment types, has attracted attention with its focus on the role of the child in the connection between learning and assessment. Assessment as learning which includes children's awareness of their own learning processes, what they want to learn and how they learn, is a critical component for young children’s self-regulation and metacognition. This study examines preschool teachers' views and self-reported experiences regarding assessment as learning. For this purpose, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten preschool teachers, ensuring maximum diversity. The findings of this study were analyzed with the themes of feedback, questioning, self-assessment, and peer assessment. The results indicated that although teachers have various practices in the context of feedback and asking questions, they give a more limited place to self-assessment and peer assessment in their practices. Although there are differences in teachers' experiences, providing support for some critical highlights regarding their practices is important for the effectiveness of assessment.