Change is possible, but only when training genuinely aligns with lived realities
The study explored how Iranian English teachers responded to major assessment reforms introduced in Iran in 2010, especially the shift toward Assessment for Learning (AfL). One of the main issues in this regard was lack of training that teachers received little preparation to manage this pedagogical change.
The results pointed to the fact that change is possible, but only if teacher training aligns with the realities. In the Professional Development Program designed for this study, the participating teachers recorded improvements in their comprehension and use of AfL, especially in the way they combined the use of the principles of AfL with AoL requirements.
The findings also showed that there were systemic obstacles. Teachers’ practice was largely influenced, and in some cases constrained, by the broader education system that existed: top-down policies, a culture of high-stakes testing, and a lack of preparation for the move towards communicative approaches to teaching and learning. The findings showed that there were strong correlations between the current practices of teachers and their perceived needs in training.
Collectively, the findings suggest that whereas national reform initiatives can provide a foundation of intentions for change, actual and lasting changes in assessment practices require more than policy-level directives. It requires informed and sensitive teacher professional development that takes account of the co-existence of AfL and AoL, involves teachers as partners in change, and offers ongoing and collaborative opportunities for professional growth.
Opponent is Professor Karin Vogt (Pädagogische Hochschule Heidelberg) and custos is Senior Researcher Dmitri Leontjev (University of Jyväskylä). The event will be held in English, on the 28th of March 2026 at 12:00 noon, at the University of Jyväskylä, building Agora, Auditorio 3, and streamed online.
