A Review of South African Research in the Field of Dynamic Assessment

Abstract

Dynamic assessment, and in particular the learning potential approach, are receiving increasing attention from educators and research practitioners worldwide. This article reports on the status of dynamic assessment in South Africa, with particular reference to its use in higher education. A review of local studies and an informal survey of 36 institutions revealed that it is widely recognised that fair selection of students from a variety of different backgrounds requires assessment strategies that focus on future potential in addition to current ability. To this end, a number of South African learning potential instruments have been developed, empirical studies conducted (in most cases with positive results), and selection procedures implemented that make use of dynamic assessment techniques. The development and use of dynamic assessment in South Africa has been limited by misperceptions regarding the nature of dynamic assessment; a lack of a consistent definitions and research approaches; and perceptions regarding high costs of implementation.

Integrating Assessment and Instruction: Dynamic Assessment and Its Criticisms Examined

“…Lidz, 1978 as cited in Kozulin and Garb, 2002;Murphy and Maree, 2006;Poehner, 2008). The dynamic assessment website defines DA as "an interactive approach to conducting assessment with the domains of psychology, speech/ language, or education that focuses on the ability of the learner to respond to intervention" (cited in Birjandi and Sarem 2012, p. 750).…”

“…In the face of these criticisms challenging the adequacy of the dominated static test, the shift of paradigm towards the holistic-humanistic-transformation process and more significantly Vygotsky's sociocultural theory has led to the emergence of a novel orientation in the history of assessment known as Dynamic Assessment (Kozulin and Garb, 2002;Poehner, 2008;Murphy and Maree, 2006). In Dynamic Assessment, which is an instruction-assessment process, the learner is a meaning-inventor in a democratic community where the fairness and symmetric power are appreciated (Kozulin and Garb, 2002;Poehner, 2008).…”

Dynamic testing: Practical solutions to some concerns

“…In an attempt to provide more equitable cognitive assessment in the last few decades, dynamic testing and the measurement of learning potential have received increasing attention both locally and internationally (Lidz, 1987a(Lidz, , 1987bMurphy, 2002. Societal needs drive research, and dynamic testing was first intensively researched in the 1960s and 1970s as measures that: (1) could provide more culture-fair assessment; (2) would be useful for comparing results obtained in culturally diverse populations; (3) would be appropriate for testing individuals with deprived educational experiences; and (4) could measure learning potential distinct from what has been learned -regardless of the culture, population, or social group of a tested individual (Grigorenko & Sternberg, 1998).…”

Revisiting Core Issues in Dynamic Assessment

“…As such, dynamic assessment is considered a method less biased towards the socially disenfranchised (Elliott, 2000) and hence more suitable as a viable alternative to current psychometric tests (Hessels & Hamers, 1993;Sewell, 1987;Van de Vijver, 1993). Gains in scores between pretest and posttest South African dynamic assessment interventions have evidenced that, in general, dynamic assessment has proved efficacious as a method of helping individuals improve on tasks requiring skills in varying test batteries (Murphy, 2002;2007;Murphy & Maree, 2006a;2006b).…”

“…A number of South African studies citing the influential works of the founding figures in dynamic assessment have appeared over the years in this journal (Ahmed & Pillay, 2004;De Beer, 2005;Craig, 2000, Herbst & Huysamen, 2000, Murphy & Maree, 2006aNorris & Foxcroft, 1996;Taylor, 1994). Binet, Vygotsky, and Feuerstein are considered to be originators in this approach with focus on Vygotskian theory as applicable to diverse populations in western and non-western psychology (Murphy, 2008).…”