Exploring the roles of coursework and field experience in teacher candidates' assessment literacy: A focus on approaches to assessment

Recognising that assessment literacy is a complex construct comprised of knowledge, skills, and dispositions, the authors sought to better understand how teacher candidates develop assessment literacy by focusing on the dispositional construct of approaches to assessment. Teacher candidates’ approaches to classroom assessment were analysed at three points in their preservice programme, and by way of comparison the assessment approaches of co-operating teachers were also analysed. Results indicated that teacher candidates’ approaches to assessment did not vary at different points in their development. Co-operating teachers’ and teacher candidates’ assessment approaches were closely aligned in terms of the dominant approaches each group reported. This study contributes understandings about the possible limitations and potential roles of teacher preparation programmes in the development of teacher candidates’ approaches to assessment.