Humanistic formative assessment in secondary education: tensions between discourse and practice from a qualitative analysis.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62451/rep.v4i1.166Keywords:
Formative assessment, humanistic approach, teacher beliefs, secondary education, assessment culture, school technical council, teaching practiceAbstract
This study aimed to understand how secondary school teachers interpreted and applied formative assessment from a humanistic perspective, identifying the tensions between regulations, teachers' beliefs, and institutional practice. A qualitative, descriptive, and interpretive study was conducted in a public school in Hidalgo, Mexico. Fieldwork was carried out through document review, observations during School Technical Council meetings, the application of open-ended questionnaires, and reflective dialogues with teachers. Thematic analysis allowed for the recovery of meanings, experiences, and discursive patterns associated with the school's assessment culture. The results showed that most teachers maintained a traditional conception of assessment, focused on measuring learning, obtaining grades, and administrative accreditation. Although they used expressions linked to the formative approach, these were not articulated with humanistic principles such as student dignity, dialogic feedback, pedagogical support, or the recognition of diversity. It was also evident that the School Technical Council functioned primarily as a technical-administrative space, which limited collegial reflection on assessment practices. The study concluded that a significant gap persists between official discourse and teachers' conceptions, hindering the consolidation of the humanistic formative approach in secondary education. It is considered necessary to strengthen teacher training, promote situated support processes, and transform collegial spaces to redefine assessment as an ethical, inclusive, and learning-oriented practice. This work invites further reflection on school assessment culture and its potential for transformation.
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