Aligning the principles of assessment for learning to learning in physical education: A review of literature

Background: A comprehensive international literature review on alternative assessment in physical education has been provided by López-Pastor et al. (2013. “Alternative Assessment in Physical Education: A Review of International Literature.” Sport, Education published (open access and/or in print) in peer-reviewed, academic and professional journals; and limited to the period 2013–2019. Inclusion criteria required articles to report assessment being used to promote learning in physical education, regardless of making reference to ‘assessment for learning’.Findings: Fifty-two articles met the inclusion criteria. A thematic analysis of these articles resulted in four themes: i) traditional positioning of assessment in physical education; ii) AfL and physical education; iii) the constraints in enacting AfL in physical education; and iv) how to most effectively embed AfL in daily physical education practices.Conclusions: The main conclusions of this review are that i) AfL is a learning-oriented assessment based on socio constructivist theories and integrated into the teaching-learning process, ii) physical education teachers continue to use assessment solely to grade students; iii) physical education teachers do not have the necessary skillset to use AfL in physical education successfully; iv) physical education teachers need to be supported to implement AfL; and v) it is necessary to consider how best PETE programmes can infuse AfL across the programme.