Comparing university student conceptions of assessment: Brazilian and New Zealand beliefs

Abstract

Student conceptions of assessment are an aspect of self-regulation theory with adaptive and maladaptive factors. Responses to the Student Conceptions of Assessment inventory seem to be sensitive to the dominant uses of assessment within a society. A multi-group confirmatory factor analysis was conducted between Brazilian and New Zealand university students. A common, inter-correlated 8-factor solution was found, but was not invariant between samples. New Zealand students were positive about the predictive role of assessment, perhaps because opportunity to enter higher education is relatively equitable. Brazilian students had a more negative conception of assessment, perhaps reflecting the largely summative use of assessment in higher education. This study supports the notion that educational beliefs are ecologically rational.