Investigating student teachers' perceptions of authentic assessment: The influence of gender, field of study, and institutional context

This study explored Ethiopian student teachers' perceptions of authentic assessment and its association with demographic (gender) and institutional (field and college of study) factors through an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. A stratified random sample of 253 participants from three Colleges of Teacher Education: Hosana, Dilla, and Arba Minch completed an adapted Student Teachers' Perception of Authentic Assessment (STPAA) questionnaire, supplemented by interviews. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, MANOVA, ANOVA, and thematic analysis. Findings revealed predominantly low or negative perceptions (M = 2.56, SD = 1.11). Field of study and college significantly influenced perceptions (p < .05), while gender did not. Follow-up ANOVAs confirmed these effects across dependent variables. The study highlights a pressing need for teacher education programs to enhance awareness and implementation of authentic assessment, with differentiated strategies addressing institutional and disciplinary contexts. Reforms should align assessment practices with contemporary pedagogical standards.