The interplay between Finnish pre-service teachers’ assessment self-efficacy, assessment critical conceptions and assessment avoidance

In this survey study (N = 298 Finnish pre-service teachers), we investigated the relations between prior educational studies, teaching experience, assessment self-efficacy, assessment critical conceptions and assessment avoidance using structural equation modelling. The results indicated that prior educational studies and prior teaching experience positively predicted pre-service teacher assessment self-efficacy, which was negatively associated with assessment critical conceptions and assessment avoidance. These results suggest that, during teacher education, providing a wide range of assessment activities, successful assessment experiences as an assessor and support in unsuccessful assessment situations is essential to reinforce the development of adequate assessment self-efficacy and courage to implement assessment practices.