SWOT analysis on policies on formative assessment in CE in Slovenia

Prepared by: Lucija Grušovnik/AZ Ljudska univerza Velenje

Designed by: Socialiniu projektu institutas, Lithuania

The context of the Slovenia / Velenje / Ljudska univerza Velenje

In Slovenia, Slovenian Institute of Education develops and promotes formative assessment. However, it is mainly individual teachers who choose to use formative monitoring. Those who decide to introduce formative assessment into their work radically change their way of teaching, and at the same time they also change personally.
In educational environments where teachers enjoy a degree of autonomy in their instructional methods, formative assessment emerges as a prevalent practice within classroom lessons. This form of assessment involves ongoing evaluation of students' comprehension and skill development as instruction unfolds. Teachers are empowered to adapt their teaching strategies in real-time based on students' responses, misconceptions, and progress. Consequently, formative assessment becomes not only a tool for assessing learning but also a catalyst for effective pedagogy, promoting deeper engagement, mutual understanding and cooperation, creating stimulating learning environment.

SWOT analysis regarding policies on formative assessment in citizenship education in Slovenia / Velenje / Ljudska univerza Velenje

Strengths

What aspects of the current policies on formative assessment in citizenship education do you consider as strengths?

  • Promoting a culture of knowledge acquisition and fostering quality relationships through the implementation of formative assessment practices.
  • Self-evaluation, self-regulation of knowledge

Are there specific features or components of the policies that have been effective in promoting formative assessment practices in citizenship education?

  • Project work.
  • Self-evaluation

How have these strengths positively impacted the overall quality of citizenship education?

  • Students build on their knowledge, learn how to set goals, plan a path to a goal and self-evaluate.
  • Responsibility, mutual help, organization of learning are encouraged.
  • Students become more critical of themselves.

Weaknesses

What are the main weaknesses or limitations in the existing policies regarding formative assessment in citizenship education?

  • Most of the interviewed teachers use formative assessment at class lessons because they hardly find time to implement it in regular classes due to vast curriculum, parents’ expectations, schools and teaching are focused on information, students are used to attain numeric grades.
  • It requires a lot of engagement of the teacher and collaboration in subject working group.

Are there any gaps or areas where the policies could be improved to enhance formative assessment practices?

  • Numeric grades are each year more important for enrolment to the selected secondary school.

 

Opportunities

What opportunities exist that could be leveraged to enhance formative assessment in citizenship education?

  • Project work
  • Class lessons (games, role plays, discussions).
  • Experts on FA write and emphasize the necessity of changes in Slovenian education system – know what and know myself.
  • In September the extended primary school program will become obligatory and will include the subject ‘Learning how to learn’. The extended primary school program will provide a learning environment for pupils to get to know each other in depth and contributes to mutual cooperation and the development of quality relationships between educators and pupils, which is an important factor in increasing the motivation of both to achieve the objectives of the whole primary school program.
  • One of the principals of the extended primary school program is also formative assessment and enhancing self-regulation.

Are there emerging trends or innovations in education that could be incorporated into the policies to improve formative assessment practices?

  • The expanded primary school program, which includes the subject Learning on how to learn – this can create an opportunity to enhance formative assessment in more collectives and schools.

How can partnerships or collaborations with external organizations or experts contribute to strengthening these policies?

  • Preparing guidelines for creating school teams to collaborate on implementing formative assessment.

Threats

What factors or challenges pose threats to the successful implementation of formative assessment policies in citizenship education?

  • misinterpretation of the rules on assessment and evaluation (outdated legislation) – in the rules there is not specified how assessment should be
  • a comprehensive curriculum,
  • lack of expertise, lack of time
  • pupils and their parents expect grades,
  • society is used to numeric grades,Are there any legal or regulatory changes on the horizon, that may negatively impact these policies?

Are there any legal or regulatory changes on the horizon, that may negatively impact these policies?

  • Actually, there are expected novelties in the legislations in primary schools (the rules of assessment and evaluation is from 2014).
Posted in Slovenia, SWOT