Social representations of assessment among teachers: a systematic literature review

Pedagogical assessment is a core element of teachers’ professional activity, shaping how teaching is planned, enacted, and reviewed. Rather than serving solely as a tool for grading, assessment has increasingly been understood as an integral part of the teaching–learning process, with an emphasis on formative purposes, feedback, and professional judgement. Nevertheless, assessment continues to be a demanding and contested dimension of teachers’ work. Exploring how teachers conceptualise assessment is particularly important, as their professional beliefs, experiences, and shared understandings influence both the intentions behind assessment and its concrete application in educational contexts. From this perspective, the Theory of Social Representations provides a valuable analytical lens, as it allows assessment to be examined as a practice constructed through collective meanings, professional cultures, and institutional frameworks within the teaching profession. This project undertakes a systematic literature review aimed at mapping and analysing studies that address teachers’ social representations of pedagogical assessment. Specifically, it seeks to examine how assessment is defined, valued, and interpreted by teachers, as well as to identify the methodological approaches and data collection strategies employed in this line of research. By systematising the existing literature, the project aims to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of teachers’ perspectives on assessment and to inform discussions on assessment practices, professional development, and teacher education.