Exploring New Avenues in Formative Assessment for School Teachers: An Engaging, Computer-Based, and Situated Design

The role of teachers has become increasingly important worldwide. In most countries, researchers and policymakers acknowledge the fundamental role of teachers in society, emphasizing the importance of their professionalism and quality, which is a result of the degree structure of higher education. In addition, contemporary education increasingly focuses on cooperative learning to better prepare learners for the demands of the modern workforce. Thus, this expertise is particularly relevant for teachers, as they can influence collaborative skills among students, which is a crucial goal for the future of education. The first step toward effectively improving specific skills is assessment, which allows a clear understanding of strengths and weaknesses and offers precise feedback to guide interventions. This study aims to investigate the acceptance and effectiveness of an online test designed to evaluate the skills and competencies of early primary education teachers in a non-evaluative setting. Specifically, the study examines whether interaction with the tool was perceived as a form of evaluation. In particular, we present a test for assessing soft skills in early primary education teachers, developed using Competence-based Knowledge Space Theory (CbKST) to precisely identify the skills that teachers already master and those they are ready to learn. The formative assessment was designed to capture and maintain the interest by engaging participants in typical role-play school scenarios. This approach ensured the tool’s success, making it appear neither evaluative nor stressful.