Exploring the Relationship Between Teachers’ Formative Classroom Assessment Practices and Students’ Self-Regulation in Kindergarten Classrooms

Abstract

A concurrent mixed methods study design was used to explore possible relationships between teachers’ formative classroom assessment practices and students’ self-regulation in Kindergarten classrooms. A total of 8 female Kindergarten teachers and 80 students from diverse learning backgrounds were recruited to participate in this study. Data collection was conducted across two time periods (January through March 2019 and April through May 2019) and separated by 12 weeks. Data were collected using classroom observations, teacher ratings of students’ self-regulation, teacher interviews, field notes, and self-regulation tasks administered to students. A total of 448 hours were spent across eight classrooms with 56 hours in each classroom. All quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS through descriptive and inferential statistics. All qualitative data were analyzed thematically to identify emergent themes across the data. Results indicated that the most commonly observed and reported assessment practices included descriptive feedback, anecdotal notes, and observations. However, a greater volume of assessment practices conducted by teachers did not result in greater development of students’ self-regulation. Generally, self- regulation scores increased for students at Time 2 for all 3 self-regulation student measures. Teachers’ assessment practices tended to be teacher centric with little implementation of more contemporary practices, such as peer- and self-assessment and questioning. At times, teachers demonstrated using assessment to promote self-regulation, however, the focus was on behavioural and emotional regulation with little consideration for the cognitive domain. All teachers agreed that self-regulation required vast support, including strategies such as modelling and co-regulation. A reconceptualization of assessment at the Kindergarten level is necessary to support the development of self-regulation and encourage student agency to the greatest extent.