Exploring primary teachers' perceptions and self-reported practices of formative assessment in Australian schools

Formative assessment is an important part of teaching and learning. Research suggests that primary school teachers' understanding and use of formative assessment is limited and teacher perceptions of formative assessment influence practice. To investigate this further, teachers' perceptions and self-reported practices of formative assessment were explored. Survey data were collected from 141 teachers across nine suburban Australian primary schools and analysed using exploratory factor analysis and descriptive statistics. Findings indicated teachers held positive perceptions of formative assessment, viewing it as: an ongoing, integrated process within teaching practice; a way to determine where students are in their learning; a valid and reliable way for tracking student progress and informing teaching; useful for improving teaching practice; a way to provide feedback to students and teachers; and valuable and useful. Teachers viewed formative assessment as occurring: before, during, and/or after teaching, in formal and informal, and planned and unplanned forms. Teaching experience, year level taught, and participation in professional learning did not significantly influence perceptions. However, professional learning was associated with more frequent implementation. These findings highlight the strong value teachers place on formative assessment, the use of informal strategies during teaching, and the importance of strengthening deliberate formative assessment practice.