Exploring assessment across cultures: Teachers’ approaches to assessment in the U.S., China, and Canada

Abstract

Classroom assessment dynamics are shaped by individual and local understandings of assessment (assessment micro-cultures), as well as common assessment beliefs and practices that stem from system-wide features, such as large-scale testing (assessment macro-cultures). Teachers’ approaches to assessment reveal how they navigate assessment micro- and macro-cultures to support student learning and achievement. Despite increasing migration of students between the U.S., China, and Canada, little research has examined the different approaches to assessment students encounter when they move between these contexts. Thus, the specific supports they need to adapt to their new assessment cultures and have equitable access to learning have remained unclear. This exploratory research compared teachers’ approaches to assessment in the U.S., China, and Canada. Latent class analysis identified five types of assessors across these contexts: teacher-centric assessors, hesitant assessors, moderately student-centric assessors, highly student-centric assessors, and eager assessors. Associations between assessor type and country were identified, revealing different patterns in how teachers approach assessment in each education context.

Keywords

• approaches to assessment
• assessment macro-culture
• assessment micro-culture
• latent class analysis
• assessment policy
• large-scale assessment
• assessment literacy