This paper-to-be is going to focus possibilities for learning in relation to formative evaluation processes. Based on an empirical study the paper aims at explaining what, how and why students learn from evaluation processes from a theoretical point of view. It also aims at discussing possibilities for changing attitudes towards learning.BackgroundTraditionally, course evaluations in higher education are summative and maintained in the form of questionnaires. There is no doubt about the fact that questionnaires have their strengths, but there are also weaknesses. Answers are seldom explained, you do not get to know how students are thinking or why they think like they do. Neither does this method give students an actual influence on the content or the carrying through of their own course. At best their statements can have an impact on next year's course. Questionnaires in general do not cover the process of the course, which, in turn, diminishes the possibilities of using the results for development and learning purposes.Since 1997, lecturers at the Human Resource Program in the Department of Education, Lund University, Sweden have been using formative evaluation as an integrated part of a course in Organization, leadership and learning in working life. This course, which is based on group work, runs for 10 weeks during which group representatives gathers 4 times in order to discuss and evaluate the course in depth together with two lecturers or tutors. During later semesters the results has been documented on the web with possibilities for further interactive student-lecturer discussions. The latter was implemented as part of an improvement project.The purpose of the project mentioned above was twofold, namely to explore the possibilities to increase student benefits from a formative evaluation process by extended dialogue between students and lecturers through ICT, and to inquire into the impact of formative evaluation process on students' working, group- and learning processes. The empirical findings were presented in a paper at a Conference for Higher Education in Gavle, Sweden, autumn 2003 and are published in Proceedings from that same conference (in press).The main results showed that· The students tended to have changed their views on forms of learning, ways of studying, and group processes as a result of the evaluation discussions.· The dialogue possibilities, between students and lecturers, were valued by the students both as an information channel and as a possibility for feedback and influence on the course.· The evaluation meetings were viewed by the students to be central for group processes and working processes due to enhanced group "feeling" and stimulation of reflection and analysis. The impact on learning processes was described by the students as depending on spread between groups and between individuals. The students also considered the possibilities of influence on their own studies as increasing learning through enhanced motivation.PurposeBased on results from the empirical study the purpose of this paper can be formulated as follows: The purpose of this paper- to-be concern the theoretical implications derived from the empirical findings above and aim at increasing understanding of how student attitudes towards learning can be developed by interaction between students, between students and lecturers and betweens groups in a formative evaluation setting.ReferencesDixon, N. (1996). Perspectives on dialogue: making talk developmental for individuals and organizations. Greensboro, N.C.: Centre for creative leadershipDixon, N. (1999). The organization learning cycle: how we can learn collectively. Aldershot: GowerJaques, D. (2000). Learning in groups. London: Kogan: PagePatton, M.Q. (1996). Utilization-focused evaluation. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications