Evaluation in the teaching-learning process: some necessary reflections

Abstract

The student, the teacher, the development of skills, the environment where learning occurs, the contents, the teaching activities, the positive climate and the evaluation as a process have been essential elements of the teaching–educational process in any subject and level of education. One of the scariest aspects is the evaluation process that is feared by the students and by a great majority of teachers, due to the tension it causes. These tensions can be caused by the obligation to elaborate evaluative activities in accordance with the quality of the contents taught, to demonstrate what they know and for the fear of having a possible failure. This paper is intended to go deeper into the concept of evaluation, while providing vital elements to consider within the evaluation process, such as the types of evaluations, what elements to take into account when designing tests, some considerations about the concept of evaluation, as well as what actions to take or not to take. All of these, mainly based on a wide bibliographic search with the use of the Analytic–Synthetic and Historical–Logical methods. The research carried out allowed retaking concepts that although teachers have systematically treated, needed to be updated taking into account the changes operated during the last decade in Cuba, so that some novel terms such as construct and washback were approached. This update is helpful as a way to improve the pedagogical work in an effective and efficient evaluation process within the teaching–learning process.