Summativ bedömning. Biologilärares arbete och utmaningar i jakten på rättvisa och likvärdiga betyg

Abstract

Summative assessment and grading are central to teachers' professional practice. Although there is extensive research on assessment in general, research is more limited when it comes to summative assessment and the challenges related to fairness and equivalence, especially in upper secondary biology education. The purpose of this study is to deepen the understanding of how licensed upper secondary school biology teachers practically work with summative assessment for grading, and what challenges they experience in relation to fairness and equivalence. To collect data, six semi-structured interviews were conducted with licensed upper secondary school biology teachers. The collected material was analyzed using inductive thematic analysis, where three main themes were identified. The three main themes identified were: Summative assessment in practice, Internal and external challenges and Strategies for fairness and equivalence. The results show that there are considerable variations in how the teachers work with summative assessment. However, it appears that written formal assessment documents are used to the greatest extent. Furthermore, the results point out both internal and external challenges in ensuring fairness and equivalence in assessment. In summary, there is a tension between the teacher's professional autonomy and the need for equivalence assessment practices. This emphasizes the need for continued efforts to strengthen fairness and equivalence in assessment and grading.