Reflection-in-and-on-Action in Participatory Action Research: Toward Assessment for Learning

This article is about the use of oral assessment for learning and was based on a reflection-in-and-on-action approach within a participatory action research framework. The purpose of this paper was to argue for the incorporation of oral assessment in tertiary science as a fair, reliable and valid approach to assessment. This study found that the interactive nature of the oral assessments led to improved learning of content for learners from their peers and assessors. Assessors too learnt about their students as individuals, their study habits and critiqued their teaching from the oral assessments. They also learned from their co-assessors. Valuable lessons were learned for collaborative team teaching and assessing for the benefit of assessors and learners alike. This study also found that action research afforded the assessors a new way of doing things empowering them to conduct research in their own classrooms, with their colleagues and their learners.