Assessment for learning: technologies resources for assessment in the Philosophy class in secondary education in Portugal

Abstract

Based on the analysis of empirical situations, we intend to discuss the following question: “How can digital technologies support the systemic introduction of a formative dimension of evaluation to enhance learning in Philosophy?”.
The analysis of this issue will take as its starting point the current legal framework of curricular autonomy and flexibility and international guidelines such as those of the European Digital Competence Framework for Educators and will be carried out in a double dimension. The first dimension is pedagogical and seeks to reflect on the importance of the formative dimension of assessment, in what is meant by “assessment for learning”.
The second dimension is methodological, and it discusses how the design of activities in class, by including digital technologies, can enhance the learning of the skills of philosophizing.
The empirical accomplishment of this second dimension will be done through the description and analysis of two empirical excerpts implemented in the academic year 2019-2020 by the author of this article, with a class of 21 students from 10th grade in the science and technology course at a school in the Center Of Portugal.
Feedback and formative assessment were systematically introduced in conceptualization and argumentation exercises, developed by students in sequences of activity. The evaluated products were texts and graphic representations of arguments, developed using Google Drive digital technologies.
A final balance will highlight the gains achieved. Some constraints to a possible extension of these pedagogical processes to a more generalized practice of Philosophy teachers will also be mentioned.