Classroom assessment in greek primary schools

Abstract

The investigator in this study aimed to explore and understand assessment in Greek primary classrooms and its potential impact on teaching and learning. Classroom observations, a questionnaire, and informal interviews with teachers and pupils provided rich data regarding teachers' views on assessment's utility and the ways they apply it. The findings confirmed what research says about theimportance of classroom assessment, how complex and multi-purpose powerful process it is, thus teachers need to be aware of its potential. Almost a decade after the introduction of progressive reforms it was found that Greek teachers, typically, were not fully applying them. The frequent changes of the assessment system combined with lack of assessment training, a long experience in a traditional pedagogy, pragmatic constraints such as class size, and shortage of time, eventually confused many teachers and caused undesirable impacts on children's learning. Typically, the teachers were interested in outcomes, instead of processes, they were conducting a whole class teaching, and they were inhibiting children's creativity. Though grading and homework were officially discontinued, teachers were widely applying them. All these show a traditional, teacher-centred pedagogy. These teachers were assessing in order to fulfil intellectual, psychological, managerial and social purposes. Explicitly they were intending to assess thebasics, and they were showing a strong commitment towards the children. Implicitly, however, they were imposing an absolute control on children's speech, knowledge and behaviour. Teachers' insufficient awareness of the potential of assessment to promote orinhibit learning, combined with a lack of differentiation often had undesirable effects, in particular on the less able children who were experiencing continuous failure and disappointment. Teachers had a vague idea of objectives. They focussed on the step by stepteaching activities. Overall, teachers were assessing unsystematically, spontaneously, without focussing on objectives, and were keeping mental records. Despite the highly centralised education system it seemed that the Government was unable to police their policies. As the discovery of the different assessment styles indicates teacher practices were derived from their habit and ideology rather than from the official directives.