Exploring Assessment Literacy in Different Educational Contexts: Pre-Service, In-Service & Higher Education

Abstract

This is a three-paper dissertation that explores how assessment literacy is developed and used across K–12 and higher education. The first paper examines how pre-service teachers develop assessment literacy within a teacher residency program. It focuses on how new teachers learn to use assessments through program design, feedback, and mentorship. The second paper analyzes how assessments are actually used in K–12 schools. It uses a latent profile analysis to identify different ways teachers work with assessment data in practice. The third paper shifts to higher education and explores how faculty apply assessment literacy in their teaching, grading, and course planning. It looks at how their understanding of assessments is shaped by their department or institutional context. Together, these three studies give a broad look at how instructors across different educational settings build and use assessment knowledge. By exploring teacher preparation and real-world assessment practices, the dissertation highlights how professional learning, context, and systems-level factors influence how assessment literacy shows up in practice