Abstract:

Studies of condition of education show that global and local changes are ongoing. This gives and impetus to explore for new ways to improve the system of learning achievements and progress of Lithuanian pupils as it missmatches the expectations of the society. The study of The National Agency for School Evaluation (2015) demonstrated that the majority of Lithuanian schools are unable to adapt quickly and their curricula are focused on students’ knowledge and development of academic abilities. Assessment and self-assessment of pupils’ attainments remain the most problematic components of lesson. Meanwhile, studies have shown that higher educational attainments are more determined by these processes (The Teaching and Learning Toolkit, 2014; Hatie, 2012, Sousa, 2015). According to Marzan (2003), any improvement of learning and teaching must be based on efficient and appropriate practice of students teaching and learning evaluation. The manifestation of such practice is regulated by school-confirmed assessment rules (which are deliberated with students, parents and social partners).
This research analysed the strategic documents of secondary schools that regulate the assessment of teaching and learning process. The chosen approach was the analysis of documents content, that is based on manifest analysis type, has helped to “decode” the action of evaluation for students teaching and learning in the education practice. Researches have shown that students learning achievements are determined by the balanced assessment system. Researchers (Wiliam, 2015; Black and Wiliam,1998) have presented plentiful of proves that students’ achievements are affected by applied assessment system. The following episodes that are at the core of the whole assessment system were used in the analysis: the manifestation of teaching and learning evaluation types (diagnostic, formative, summative); the manifestation of assessment attitudes (assessment of learning, assessment for learning and assessment as learning); the manifestation of assessment orientation to all dimensions of personality growth (subject skills, general competences, maturity of personality); the manifestation of roles in the education participants evaluation process (students, teachers). In the practice of education in Lithuanian schools, in most cases, the priority is given to diagnostic assessment. Schools prioritize the traditional measures and methods of assessment (e.g. tests, control assignment, questionnaires) that most often states the students (self)learning. Such assessment has deeper traditions in the application of education practice because apparently they are clearer to the teacher and the procedures of evaluation requires less time etc. In the strategic documents of Lithuanian schools, the provisions assessment of learning and assessment for learning are dominating (the manifestation of later are noticed to be disproportionally fewer). The systems of schools’ assessment poorly meet the dimensions of personality growth. The most attention is given to the assessment of students’ subject skills. Only the minority of schools assessment the general competences of students (social, cognitive). In the schools’ documents of teaching and learning assessment the roles of participants are shared disproportionally: objectives, goals, principals, procedures and etc. of teaching and learning are focused to teachers’ activities.

Keywords:

Assessment, students' achievement and progress, personality growth.