Evaluación para los aprendizajes en primera infancia: resignificando las prácticas evaluativas desde la Investigación-Acción

Abstract

The article presents the outcomes of research that had as its aim to identify the evaluative practices of early childhood teachers throughout the formative process of children during early childhood to generate changes and proposals that positively impact on their learning. The methodology used as a strategy was a single case of action research conducted by the teachers that focused on their evaluative exercise in 2019. In this process, bodies of discussion, analysis, and reflection were generated throughout the three cycles of action research. The main results reveal an acknowledgement of the evaluation potential for the learning, a situation which was not fully acknowledged in the previous pedagogical action, triggering tension within the professional team as the evaluation was carried out at their request, without any further review and development of their own contributions to the curriculum. As a conclusion, the outcomes verify the formulation of dialogical, thoughtful, and critical actions, as well as changes in the assessment procedures and tools applied in the formative process, which facilitated transforming evaluative practices for the authentic learning of children. This enabled us to move from a technical approach to the assessment to one that is thoughtful and critical. One of the main mechanisms which would explain the change seen by the teachers is the exercise of a diachronic and synchronic perspective on the evaluations and the systematic development of a reflection linked to such practices, with a critical attitude and contributions to the curriculum.