Training Future Teachers in Formative Assessment. Document Analysis of Authentic Tasks

Although often described as a ‘problematic’ or even ‘neglected’ area, the training of pre-service teachers in assessment has nonetheless been the focus of studies that, over time, have identified increasingly specific components. These have supported the theoretical development of evaluative competence and a more nuanced understanding of trainee teachers’ assessment skills. Research on initial university teacher education has mainly examined the relationship between assessment and other curricular subjects, or the effectiveness of training activities (lectures, seminars, workshops, field experiences). However, few studies have addressed how to explicitly develop the assessment skills that constitute evaluative competence. This paper presents the design and methodology of a study within the Primary Education Sciences program at the University of Bergamo. It focuses on student-teachers’ ability to conduct performance assessments—defined as using hands-on tasks to evaluate and support learning. A documentary analysis of paper-and-pencil tools, created as ‘authentic tasks’, reveals their ability to identify learning processes within everyday problem situations.