Abstract:

More attention is focused on the assessment and improvement of pupils, teachers and schools in the education system to help students to learn better and achieve the desired learning outcomes. (OECD, 2013). The basis of the strategic education documents in many countries is the search of pupils’ achievements and progress. One of the factors that have and impact on achievements and progress of pupils is the formative assessment (Wiliam et al., 2004; Hattie, 2012; Wiliam, 2014).

The study of The National Agency for School Evaluation (Lithuania) (2015) has demonstrated that the majority of schools in Lithuania are unable to adapt quickly and their curricula is focused on students’ knowledge and development of academic abilities. Assessment and self-assessment of pupils’ attainments remain one of the most problematic components of lesson.

Researchers (Rabinowitz, 2010; Umar, 2018; Black, William, 1998; Hopfenbeck et al., 2013) have long offered to expand the scope of assessment which would include not only learning outcomes of the pupils’ (at the end of a specific period) but the learning could be improved in the process itself (apply formative assessment). This is the way to eliminate the gap between current status of learners and expected learning goals (Heritage, 2013). This is due to the fact that summative assessment is essentially passive and generally has no direct impact on learning (Sadler, 1989) and formative assessment improves learning significantly (Black, William, 1998; Lee et al., 2004; Hattie, 2012).

Any improvement of learning and teaching process must be based on efficient and appropriate practice of students’ evaluation according to Marzan (2003). The manifestation of such practice is regulated by the national documents. Schools of general education have created and self-confirmed procedures for assessing achievements and progress of the pupils.

The analysis of this document and the expression of the formative assessment that has emerged in its context: planning, course, purpose, strategies, etc. can become a positive impulse for designing the change of pupils teaching / learning. Therefore, in order to ensure long-term, sustainable solutions for the improvement of learning achievements of pupils and for school as an institution, it is important to evaluate the existing system of achievement and progress assessment of pupils in the institution. This will create the conditions to reveal the situation that determines the practical expression of the formative assessment in the process of education.

The method of content analysis of documents was chosen for the collection of the data. On the basis of this method the strategic documents of general education schools which regulate the procedure of assessing achievements and progress of the pupils were analyzed. 120 Lithuanian schools were randomly included into the study (2 schools from each of the 60 municipalities). The study was performed by these episodes: by the manifestation of teaching and learning evaluation types (diagnostic, formative, summative); by the manifestation of assessment attitudes (assessment of learning, assessment for learning and assessment as learning).

The analysis of the data suggests that the formative assessment in schools is fragmented, usually only a formal matter; schools do not consider this type of assessment as valuable; schools lack the competence to apply the formative assessment in the educational process.

Keywords:

Formative Assessment, Achievements and progress of learning.