Mental models applied in the evaluation of learning by teachers of the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Cuenca

Abstract

This study demonstrates the relationship between mental models of teacher educators and learning assessment of college students. Theoretically, the study is based on Cognitive Psychology, more on teacher thinking, and the study in particular considers the mental models. These models are composed of beliefs and conceptions that determine the actions of professors mostly based on their training experience, their subjectivities and less based on scientific theories regarding the assessment. The objectives were to establish the pedagogical approaches about academic assessment existing on teachers’ mental models on the one hand, and to identify them in relation to the assessment components: purpose, function, tools, time, agents and mental skills required, on the other hand. The methodology consisted of a mixed approach. For the first objective a quantitative design was used and a qualitative design for the second one, which was focused on the subjective experiences of professors about their practices of learning assessment. The findings confirm the presence of hybrids mental models. That is, ways of thinking about evaluation based on mixtures and combinations of elements of different theoretical origin and nature, which substantially affect the evaluation. Such mental hybrids are mostly traditional and behavioral and less focused on a critical view of the evaluation.