Tracking response flexibility in high-stakes summative assessments: A longitudinal student perspective

The ability to perceive assessments as learning instruments calls upon flexible perspective taking and flexible responding. We investigated the maturation of the student perspective on assessment as learning and explored the (in)flexibility of student responses during their development towards graduation.

In a longitudinal study with an extensive 6-year timeframe, we tracked the development of 12 medical students. We used a mixed-methods research design with consecutive association tests, focus group interviews and a concluding open-ended questionnaire to obtain a balanced and comprehensive dataset. Results from discourse analysis were integrated and connected to explore existing viewpoints and applied behaviours.

During the first year of college, assessments often coincided with rigid perspective taking and inflexible responses. As students progressed, workplace-learning stimulated them to embrace assessment as a valuable tool for enhancing their learning experiences thereby broadening their behavioural repertoire. However, high-stakes summative assessments during the clinical rotations challenged this adaptive behaviour.

Undergraduate students tended to perceive their environment as controllable, avoiding or dismissing unwanted thoughts and feelings. In order to develop and maintain adaptive behaviour during high-stakes assessments, future research should focus on teaching our students skills for effective and flexible responding, enabling them to reach their full potential.