Formative assessment: higher education students' perceptions of self-directed learning skills/strategies

Abstract

Formative assessment is conceived as a complex activity that requires the awareness of teachers and students. Hence the interest in delving deeper into this issue from the students' perspective. This research aimed to analyze the perceptions of Nursing and Accounting and Auditing students regarding self-directed learning skills/strategies as part of the formative assessment process. To collect data, the instrument Student perceptions on formative assessments was used, developed, validated and published by Lim YS. 2019, which consists of four components. This instrument was applied to students from different majors at a public university, within the framework of the development of the research projects Innovative bimodal teaching for the development of competencies in university students and Bimodal teaching system for the development of learning and knowledge technologies. For the purposes of this study, the third component referring to the self-directed learning skill/strategy was taken into consideration. The research was carried out at a public university in the province of Manabí, Ecuador. The instrument was applied to students of the Nursing and Accounting and Auditing Degree, whose teachers participate in the Curriculum, Innovation, Education and Training Research Program. It is concluded that regardless of the degree, study modality and levels, formative assessment is seen by students as the space that allows the development of skills that improve critical and constructive performance.