Problem statement and research questions

Insights into learning and teaching have undergone a drastic change recent decades. These changes also have direct implications for the pupil assessment methods to be used (Baartman, Bastiaens, Kirschner & van der Vleuten, 2006). In Flanders, schools and teachers have a large degree of autonomy with regard to the assessment of pupils. Despite these minor policy regulations, the government expects thoughtful assessment practices and assumes that schools develop an assessment policy (Penninckx et al , 2011). However, whether schools currently do come to thoughtful assessment practices  and do come to a common policy purpose, to in-depth communication, to collaboration and reflection on their assessment practices is unclear.

In order to investigate existing assessment practices and policies an appropriate measurement instrument is indispensable.  Hence, this study is focusing first on developing a tool that can measure evaluation practices of individual teachers and the policy around it in (Flemish ) secondary schools and on constructing a conceptual framework that sustains this instrument. Subsequently, this study describes the current quality of the assessment practices of teachers and the policy regarding pupil assessment in schools. Also a focus on the link between  school policies and classroom practices on pupil assessment is relevant from different perspectives.

Given the above, this study aims at providing answers to the following questions :

• OV1 ( Developmental ) : How can the quality of assessment practice and assessment policy be conceptualized and operationalized ?
• OV2 ( Descriptive ) : What are the characteristics of the existing assessment policy and the existing assessment practices in Flemish secondary schools ?
• OV3 (Explaining ) : What is the impact of assessment policy in schools on assessment practices of teachers?

Recently several authors developed criteria for judging assessment practices and school policies (Van Petegem & Vanhoof , 2002; Baartman et al , 2006; Tillema et al , 2011; Stokking et al , 2004; Birenbaum, 2007; Dochy & Gijbels , 2008). Based on the similarities and differences between these frameworks , a comprehensive framework of criteria is composed within this study. A total of ten criteria is put forward: ( 1 ) representativeness, ( 2 ) reproducibility, ( 3 ) fairness, ( 4 ) transparency, ( 5 ) accountability, ( 6) integrated assessment, ( 7 ) impact ( 8 ) involvement of students, ( 9 ) authenticity and ( 10 ) cognitive complexity. The first five evaluation criteria refer to classical - and still current – quality criteria, the final five are criteria that have sprouted from the evolution referred to as ‘assessment culture with focus on assessment for learning’. The assessment policy in this study is conceptualized on the basis of the insights on policy making capacity of schools. The following variables are put central: joint targeting on pupils' assessment, effective communication about student assessment , shared leadership on student assessment, supportive relationships on pupils' assessment and reflective ability on pupils' assessment.

Literature Baartman, L.K., Bastiaens, T.J., Kirschner, P.A. & van der Vleuten, C.P. (2006). The wheel of competency assessment: Presenting quality criteria for competency assessment programs. Studies in Education Evaluation, 32, 153-170. Birenbaum, M. (2007). Evaluating the assessment: Sources of evidence for quality assurance. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 33, 29-49. Dochy, F. & Gijbels, D. (2008). Evaluatie. In Janssens, S., Verschaffel, L., Van Dooren, W., Elen, J., Clarebaut, G., Dochy, F., Gijbels, D., Struyf, E., Van Damme, J., Goossens, L., Grieters, H., Gadeyne, E. & Ghesquiere, P. (2009). Leren en onderwijzen. Leuven: Acco. Penninckx, M., Vanhoof, J. & Van Petegem, P. (2011). Evaluatie in het Vlaams Onderwijs. Beleid en praktijk van leerling tot overheid. Antwerpen: Garant. Van Petegem, P. & Vanhoof, J. (2002). Evaluatie op de testbank. Een handboek voor het ontwikkelen van alternatieve evaluatievormen. Mechelen: Wolters Plantyn.