Assessment Related Pedagogical Beliefs of Teacher Educators in Public Sector Universities of Punjab: Traditional and Constructivist Perspectives

Abstract

This study investigated the pedagogical belief orientations of teacher educators regarding assessment practices in public sector universities of Punjab, Pakistan. Adopting a quantitative research design, data were collected from 73 teacher educators through a structured questionnaire designed to measure traditional and constructivist beliefs about assessment practices. Descriptive statistical techniques were employed to examine overall belief trends, while independent samples t-tests were used to explore gender-based differences. The findings indicate that teacher educators demonstrate a strong inclination toward constructivist assessment practices, particularly those emphasizing formative feedback, student participation in assessment processes, and authentic learning tasks. At the same time, certain traditional assessment practices continue to be retained. The analysis further revealed no statistically significant differences between male and female teacher educators in either traditional or constructivist assessment beliefs. These results point to an evolving assessment culture in higher education, where learner-centered assessment principles are increasingly valued alongside established accountability mechanisms. The study underscores the importance of institutional support and targeted professional development in strengthening constructivist assessment practices within teacher education programs.

Keywords: Assessment practices, teacher educators, pedagogical beliefs, traditional assessment, constructivist assessment

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18155101