Formative Assessment in Higher Education: Perceptions of Students and Teachers

Resumo

Formative assessment understood as part of the teaching-learning process is a topic of growing interest in the field of higher education. This study analyzed the assessment process in a university Humanities program in Gipuzkoa (Basque Country) to determine its alignment with formative assessment. To this end, a qualitative design with content analysis was used to collect the perceptions of 122 students and 15 lecturers through interviews, discussion groups, observations and documentary analysis. The results show that both students and lecturers recognize the role of the teacher as a guide in evaluation, but students perceive limited participation. Feedback is provided primarily at the end of the process, mostly in written form by lecturers, showing a lack of alignment with the principles of formative assessment. The need for better planning and communication in the assessment process is highlighted, as is the need for the alignment of teaching and student roles with the principles of formative assessment. These findings suggest the importance of updating the official documentation of the program to reflect these principles. Likewise, improvement of the implementation of formative assessment could contribute significantly to a quality university education, as well as to the comprehensive development of students.