The Effects of the Observation of Dynamic and Static Assessment on Teachers’ Perceptions of Learners with Low Academic Results

Abstract

The study contrasts and compares the effect of the observation of dynamic and static assessment approaches on teachers’ perceptions in the changing context of the South African Education system. The study was implemented in two schools on the Cape Flats, in Cape Town, South Africa. The Cape Flats is a historically disadvantaged area of Cape Town. From the results of this study, it can be concluded that the teachers in the experimental group, who observed a dynamic assessment, developed a more optimistic stance towards the learners than the teachers in the comparison group, who observed the static assessment battery. The teachers in the experimental group responded positively towards the mediational teaching style and process related aspects of the dynamic assessment procedure, whereas in the comparison group the teachers concerns about their learners were reinforced as a result of their low performance on the static test battery. The outcome of the study provides support for the use of dynamic assessment approaches within the South African context and reinforces the limitations and possible dangers of the use of static testing approaches with learners with low academic results.