The Evolution of Student Assessment in Albania: Trends and Transitions

The evolution of educational assessment reflects the interplay between societal, cultural, and scientific developments. Historically, assessments emphasized practical skills and societal needs, as exemplified by civil service examinations in ancient China and the Socratic dialogue in ancient Greece, which fostered critical reasoning. The nineteenth century ushered in a more scientific orientation with the emergence of psychometrics, where pioneers such as Francis Galton and James McKeen Cattell developed methods to quantify intelligence and perceptual abilities. Subsequently, Alfred Binet and Théodore Simon introduced formal intelligence testing to identify children with special educational needs, laying the foundation for modern assessment practices. Understanding this historical trajectory provides valuable insight into contemporary assessment methodologies and their ongoing evolution in response to educational and societal demands.