Toward teacher inquiry when implementing classroom assessment

grantor: University of TorontoThe study examines the process teachers use to think about and inquire into the subtleties of classroom assessment currently applied to schools in Ontario. My study is intellectually grounded in the philosophy of Habermas and applies his levels of knowledge and human interests (technical, practical, emancipatory) theory as its conceptual framework. In doing so, this study advances the concept of the teacher as reflective practitioner and conceptualizes the teacher as an inquiring practitioner. A qualitative methodology was used in this study to investigate assessment from the perspectives of eight elementary teachers. The study uses a multi-paradigm approach to analyze challenges teachers experienced. The key findings revealed that teachers' actions were frequently confined to fulfilling external mandates. In addition, teachers were influenced by external classroom factors such as students' behavior, subject matter, school timetable; their own lack of assessment literacy; and their individual experience, intuition, morals and emotions. There were incongruous understandings that existed among teachers, students and parents about the purposes of assessment and teachers' roles changed as a result of new assessment strategies. A main argument in this study is that a multi-paradigm approach is not only necessary but an integral methodological and conceptual approach for understanding the implementation process of innovations in our complex society. The study has shown that the uncertain nature of the teachers' professional world as well at the problematic nature of assessment has led teachers to internalize a unique, elaborate and possibly contradictory knowledge base. Classroom assessment is not a completely rational process. Most teachers in the study acknowledge the disarray of classroom purposes, which in some cases affected them morally and emotionally. In other words, teachers were frustrated with conflicting messages, contradictions and paradoxes in their assessment practice. What this study hopes to contribute is the potential for teacher awareness on several issues involved in assessment that go beyond the technical. The study provides a way to organize various epistemological paradigms in order to gain the most benefit in achieving solutions and suggests forms of inquiry that might prove more useful for addressing assessment issues. The results suggest that innovations can and should be viewed and applied from a variety of different perspectives.Ph.D