Modelos mentales aplicados en la evaluación de aprendizajes por docentes de la Facultad de Filosofía de la Universidad de Cuenca

Abstract

This study demonstrates the relationship between mental models of teacher educators and the assessment of learning to college students. Theoretically, the study is based on Cognitive Psychology, in the area of teacher thinking. In particular, the study 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 that are present on the mental models of teachers on the one hand, and to identify them in relation to the assessment components: object, function, instruments, 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 study answers the following questions: What assessment approach fits the mental models of the professors of the Faculty of Philosophy on its evaluation practices as teacher educators?, How mental models of teachers operate regarding the object, the role of evaluation, tools, time, agents and mental skills required in the assessment? The results 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 evaluative practice. Such mental hybrids are mostly traditional and behavioral and shortly consider a critical view of the evaluation.