Preservice teachers’ assessment literacy: A systematic review

Key findings from this study

This research indicates that:

• researchers rely primarily on tests and questionnaires grounded in established assessment standards and contextual curricula to measure preservice teachers' assessment literacy
• assessment literacy develops through dynamic interactions among personal factors (beliefs and efficacy), contextual factors (training and institutional culture), and external factors (policy and supervising agencies)
• measurement approaches have shifted from traditional testing toward self-reported and scenario-based instruments
• preservice teachers' assessment literacy reflects a transitional professional status distinct from that of experienced practitioners

Overview

This systematic review examined 39 empirical studies investigating how researchers have operationalized and conceptualized assessment literacy in preservice teacher education. The analysis followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses protocols to synthesize measurement approaches and contributing factors. The review proposes a conceptual framework characterizing assessment literacy development as a dynamic process shaped by interacting personal, contextual, and external variables.

Methods and approach

The systematic review analyzed 39 empirical studies focused on preservice teachers' assessment literacy. Data extraction encompassed measurement instruments and identified factors influencing literacy development. The framework synthesized findings across personal dimensions (beliefs, efficacy, prior experience), contextual dimensions (training opportunities, institutional culture), and external dimensions (supervising agencies, policy).

Results

Researchers employed tests and questionnaires anchored in assessment standards, guidelines, or contextual curricula. Measurement approaches evolved from traditional testing instruments toward self-reported and scenario-based tools. The proposed conceptual framework demonstrates that preservice teachers' assessment literacy development emerges from the interaction of personal factors, institutional contexts, and external policy environments, accounting for the transitional professional status of preservice teachers.

The review identified increasing integration of information and communication technology knowledge within assessment literacy measurement. Tools grounded in established standards and contextual frameworks dominated the literature, reflecting efforts to ensure validity through recognized guidance documents and local curriculum alignment.

Implications

Teacher education programs require context-sensitive approaches to assessment literacy development, recognizing that institutional culture, available training opportunities, and policy environments substantially influence outcomes. Research and practice must account for the interplay among personal cognition, institutional support structures, and broader policy mandates when designing interventions or measuring literacy outcomes.

The field should advance methodological rigor by developing assessment literacy instruments that maintain validity across diverse contexts while remaining responsive to local institutional and policy conditions. Incorporating information and communication technology literacy into assessment frameworks reflects evolving professional demands and warrants systematic integration into teacher education curricula.

Scope and limitations

This summary is based on the study abstract and available metadata. It does not include a full analysis of the complete paper, supplementary materials, or underlying datasets unless explicitly stated. Findings should be interpreted in the context of the original publication.