Teacher Decision Making for Ethical Dilemmas in Classroom Assessment

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 12
  In Poster Session: Advancements, Issues, and Considerations in Classroom Assessment

Abstract

In this article, the authors examined the guidelines teachers used to resolve the ethical dilemmas in classroom assessment, and the impact of their decisions on instruction, assessment and student learning. Seven educators teaching different school levels participated in the study. Semi-structured interview was applied for data collection. The results of the analysis found four basic guidelines for resolving ethical dilemmas in classroom assessment: (1) follow school district’s grading policy; (2) weight factors unrelated to a student’s mastery of learning goal to the minimum; (3) inform students and parents of the grading policy; (4) accommodate students in ways that allow students demonstrate all they have mastered. Teachers’ decision making had both positive and negative impact on instruction, assessment and student learning.

Authors

• Ruiqin Gao, University of South Carolina - Columbia

• Jin Liu, University of South Carolina - Columbia

• Robert L. Johnson, University of South Carolina