Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

The primary purpose of this study is to examine pre-service teachers’ baseline conceptions of assessment, learning approaches and assessment literacy. In addition, the possible influence of their individual characteristics – including gender, educational qualification, alternative work experiences and previous training in assessment – on the three constructs were investigated. A secondary purpose of this study is to examine the possible influence of pre-service teachers’ conceptions of assessment and learning approaches on their assessment literacy. The participants were 477 pre-service teachers in Singapore. Three instruments, the Teachers’ Conceptions of Assessment Inventory – Abridged Version (COA-IIIA), the revised two-factor Study Process Questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F), and the Teacher Assessment Literacy Questionnaire (TALQ) were adapted for this study. A mean score above 3.5 (i.e., midpoint of a six-point Likert scale) indicates favourable on the COA and SAL Scales and a mean score below 3.5 indicates unfavourable. Using structural equation modeling, the structure of pre-service teachers’ COA were found to be non-hierarchical and consisted of seven first-order factors. The subjects responded favourably that: i) assessment is used to evaluate the worth of a school, ii) assessment is used to hold students accountable for their learning, iii) assessment is used to diagnose student learning, to improve students’ learning and quality of teaching, iv) assessment is error-prone and results should be treated cautiously. They were neutral in responding to the conception that assessment is valid and reliable measure of student performance. They responded unfavourably that i) assessment interferes with teaching and forces teachers to teach against their beliefs, and ii) assessment is ignored, where assessment data and results are filed and not use. Significant difference was found in their conceptions of assessment across the individual characteristics of gender, in two of the conceptions, and across alternative work experiences, in one of the conceptions. On Learning Approaches, the structure of pre-service teachers’ learning approaches were found to be non-hierarchical and consisted of five first-order factors. Pre-service teachers responded favourably that their approach to learning is characterised by: i) the deep personal satisfaction to want to learn, highly interested, self-directed. They were neutral in responding to the preparedness, learning ahead with inquisition approach. They responded unfavourably that they i) approach learning new knowledge in the fastest possible manner, usually associated with a disinterest in the subject; ii) extrinsic motivation, superficial learning, lack ownership towards learning, or iii) memorisation of knowledge, drill and practice. Significant difference was found in their learning approaches across the individual characteristics of gender, in two of the five approaches, and educational qualification. On Assessment Literacy, pre-service teachers displayed relatively low assessment literacy, lower than the benchmarked in-service teachers as reported in the literature. Pre-service teachers were most proficient in the administration, scoring and interpretation of assessment results. They are least skilled in developing assessment methods, communicating assessment results and using assessment in grading. Statistical significant differences were found in their assessment literacy across individual characteristics of education level and alternative work experiences. Some factors of pre-service teachers’ Conceptions of Assessment and Learning Approaches were found to be significant predictors of their Assessment Literacy. The implications of the findings arising from this study were discussed.