University Students: Advantages and disavantatges of formative assessment

Abstract

The objective of this study is analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of university students who study subjects that develop systems of skills formative assessment. Following a quantitative, descriptive and non-competitive methodology, we have analyzed the opinions of 5,419 students who have studied 70 subjects at 16 Spanish universities in the years 1011-2012 and 2012-2013, through a Likert scale opinion. The results show the advantages of the student’s importance, the individualization of the teaching practice and the type of learning achievement, and some disadvantages referring to the student’s devotion, their individual and group commitment and the workload that formative assessment system involve. The findings suggest a more positive overall assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of less remarkable of implemented systems, which recommend the use of formative assessment systems more extended and strengthened and supported by the academic institutions concerned.