This article examines
the characteristics of teachers’ professional judgement
in assessment, conceptualised as a cognitive process and
as a social practice linked to several contexts. The multireferentiality
of professional judgement in assessment is described and
is shown to draw upon frameworks and references of different
kinds. The article presents a study of the summative and
predictive assessment procedures carried out by 10 sixth-grade
teachers in Geneva. The results describe the procedures used
by the teachers to determine the marks registered in the
school report card and the assessment adjustments undertaken
with respect to particular student situations. The social
and ethical dimensions of professional judgement in assessment
are emphasized. A four point model is proposed as a basis
for training activities and collegial collaborations that
can develop the coherence and rigor of teachers’ professional
judgement and thereby limit the biases affection their grading
practices.
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