Mendive. Journal on Education, 22(3), e3972

Translated from the original in Spanish

Original article

Transformational model in evaluation for empowerment and transfer of learning

Modelo transformacional en evaluación para el empoderamiento y transferencia de aprendizajes

Modelo transformacional em avaliação para capacitação e transferência de aprendizagem

Marisol del Carmen Álvarez Cisternas¹ https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1418-9524
Karen Nicole Jiménez Mena¹ https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7567-7200

¹University of the Americas, Faculty of Education, Directorate of Teacher Development. Chile. maalvarezc@udla.cl; kjimenez@udla.cl

Received: September 05, 2024
Accepted: September 16, 2024

ABSTRACT

This study describes and delves into assessment procedures based on student participation regarding objectives and achievements in their learning outcomes, promoting assessment processes based on empowerment and the transfer of effective learning. The study is based on a descriptive qualitative approach, with a non-experimental design based on intrinsic case studies. The results show that students developed critical thinking skills, collaborative work and skills to make decisions autonomously, considering the way in which students empower themselves with their own assessment processes. One issue that the teacher himself promoted during the development of the subject was that his students could reflect on their learning achievements. This facilitated the possibility of making correct decisions at the right time, changing the way in which students approached their work and academic commitments on a recurring basis, giving them the possibility of choosing how they were organized and the best way to present the evidence of their work to be assessed. They were thus given the possibility of reviewing and correcting the results of their assessments with their group mates and identifying their errors in a collaborative manner. The same was done by the teacher as an effective feedback process; the students acknowledge that they had access to the rubrics and evaluation guidelines in advance, which facilitated their work, in addition to being able to have more descriptive feedback on their successes and errors.

Keywords: assessment; learning transfer; empowerment; transformational model.

Este estudio describe y profundiza sobre los procedimientos de evaluación basados en la participación de los estudiantes respecto a objetivos y logros en sus resultados de aprendizaje, promoviendo procesos de evaluación basados en el empoderamiento y la transferencia de aprendizajes efectivos. El estudio se basa en un enfoque cualitativo descriptivo, con un diseño no experimental basado en estudios de casos intrínsecos. Los resultados muestran que los estudiantes desarrollaron habilidades de pensamiento crítico, trabajo colaborativo y habilidades para tomar decisiones de forma autónoma, considerando la forma en que los estudiantes se empoderan de sus propios procesos de evaluación. Una cuestión que el propio docente impulsó durante el desarrollo de la asignatura fue que sus estudiantes pudieran reflexionar sobre sus logros de aprendizaje. Ello facilitó la posibilidad de tomar decisiones correctas en el momento adecuado, cambiando la forma en cómo los estudiantes abordaron sus compromisos laborales y académicos de manera recurrente, dándoles la posibilidad de elegir la forma en cómo se organizaron y la mejor manera de presentar las evidencias de sus trabajos para ser evaluados. Se le otorgó así la posibilidad de revisar y corregir con sus compañeros de grupo los resultados de sus evaluaciones e identificar sus errores de manera colaborativa. Lo mismo fue realizado por el docente como un proceso de retroalimentación efectiva; los estudiantes reconocen que tuvieron acceso a las rúbricas y lineamientos de evaluación con anticipación, lo que facilitó su trabajo, además de poder tener una retroalimentación más descriptiva de sus aciertos y errores.

Palabras clave: evaluación; transferencia de aprendizaje; empoderamiento; modelo transformacional.

Este estudo descreve e aprofunda a utilização de procedimentos de avaliação baseados na participação dos alunos quanto aos objetivos e conquistas nos seus resultados de aprendizagem, promovendo processos de avaliação baseados no empoderamento e na transferência de aprendizagem efetiva a partir da avaliação. O estudo baseia-se numa abordagem qualitativa descritiva, com desenho não experimental baseado em estudos de caso intrínsecos. Os resultados mostram que os alunos desenvolveram habilidades de pensamento crítico, trabalho colaborativo e habilidades para tomar decisões autônomas, considerando a forma como os alunos são empoderados pelos seus próprios processos de avaliação. Uma questão que o próprio professor promoveu durante o desenvolvimento da disciplina foi que seus alunos pudessem refletir sobre suas conquistas de aprendizagem. Isto facilitou a possibilidade de tomar as decisões certas no momento certo, mudando a forma como os alunos encaravam os seus compromissos profissionais e académicos de forma recorrente, dando-lhes a possibilidade de escolher a forma como se organizavam e a melhor forma de se apresentarem. evidências de seu trabalho a serem avaliados. Assim, eles tiveram a possibilidade de revisar e corrigir os resultados de suas avaliações com seus colegas de grupo e identificar seus erros de forma colaborativa. O mesmo foi feito pela professora como um processo de feedback eficaz; Os alunos reconhecem que tiveram acesso antecipado às rubricas e orientações de avaliação, o que facilitou seu trabalho, além de poderem ter um feedback mais descritivo sobre seus acertos e erros.

Palavras-chave: avaliação; transferência de aprendizagem; empoderamento; modelo transformacional.

INTRODUCTION

Higher Education has been undergoing various transformations in the teaching-learning process, where students have been acquiring an increasingly active and participatory role. The teacher, meanwhile, has also been changing his role as a guide and facilitator of learning. The changes in roles were accentuated with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic and with the post-pandemic period, as well as with the need to implement various educational modalities, which allow students to access different study programs that adapt to their time and distance needs.

Education today thus assumes the role of not only delivering knowledge of each of the disciplines, but also promoting the development of skills that allow this knowledge to be transferred to real contexts, being able to establish relationships between theory and practice.

Based on the above, this article describes and explores the use of evaluation procedures based on student participation regarding the objectives and achievements in their learning outcomes, promoting evaluation processes based on empowerment and the transfer of effective learning from the evaluation.

Higher Education has been transforming its teaching-learning processes, promoting the implementation of strategies that involve active participation of students, among other aspects, in evaluation processes.

The changes that have occurred mainly in the last five years, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the need to have virtual and hybrid programs, have promoted an emphasis on student participation, who must assume active responsibility within their educational process, encouraging the development of skills that allow them to develop self-regulation, metacognition and reflection on their own process.

This has meant that those modalities that emerged in this period are maintained and redesigned in order to meet the needs of the student body. This has meant that the different Higher Education institutions are forced to transform their teaching-learning processes, considering the student at the center of the process, and establishing that the end of every process is learning, which has led to reflecting on what type of education the institutions are providing, and how to implement educational innovations that strengthen the quality of learning.

Higher Education institutions have been promoting educational innovation, responding to a constructivist approach, developing new ideas and proposals. They thus deliver transformative and quality education (Feixas, M. and Martínez- Userralde, M., 2022), through the implementation of educational strategies that stimulate the development of complex skills, which has involved the updating of study programs, teaching strategies, and the implementation of evaluations that promote empowerment and the transfer of student learning, which implies strengthening commitment and increasing the active participation of students (Feixas, M., and Martínez- Userralde, M., 2022).

These changes based on transformational learning are understood as the ability to transform our frames of reference, promoting inclusion, reflection and justified decision-making (Mezirow, 2000). This approach seeks to enable students to understand ideas from their own perspective, encouraging reflection from their experience and valuing what they have learned through critical thinking.

From transformational learning, the teacher encourages students to "learn to unlearn"; that is, to open their minds to consider new ways of observing reality (Prado, 2021).

From this perspective, assessment based on a transformational approach should promote the student's ability to reflect and make decisions, actively participate in their process, be able to work in a team and assume responsibility, both individually and as a group, to achieve the learning outcomes that are proposed.

The implementation of evaluative situations based on a transformational approach implies understanding evaluation as a fundamental process in education, which is related to better learning, allowing activities to be guided and facilitating the regulation of subsequent processes (Hernández et al., 2021). This, however, continues to be a complex aspect and a critical issue in Higher Education Institutions, where evaluation is constantly criticized by the students themselves, who also maintain a passive role in it (Tai et al., 2018).

Educational assessment related to better learning is directly associated with the ability to transfer learning, being effective when a new perspective or new knowledge is acquired, breaking old schemes that allow observing reality from another point of view, being able to reflect on the same learning (Prado, 2021; Mezirow, 1990).

Transfer of learning is understood as the ability to apply what has been learned in a practical way, being a fundamental challenge for students (Yang et al., 2020). According to Asensio (2023), transfer in learning allows them to be able to relate previously learned knowledge with new knowledge, applying experiences to problem solving and learning in various situations. That is, applying what has been learned to new contexts (Byrnes, 1996).

In this way, Asensio (2023) indicates that the application of what has been learned can be positive when it facilitates it or negative when it makes it difficult. This implies the importance of promoting the transfer of learning, as a transversal skill in educational processes. The above, however, often presents difficulties for students when they have to apply what they have learned in the classroom to new contexts.

Other authors, such as Perkins and Salomón (1992), have considered that the positive transfer of learning directly impacts better student performance, generating a connection between what they learn and their experiences.

Gómez and Guzmán (2013) highlight the importance of applying transfer in different types and areas of knowledge, being essential that the teacher uses it as a tool for the students to improve their performance, promoting comprehension and application skills, which implies that the students know what they should do.

From this perspective, the evaluation that promotes the transfer of learning generates the promotion of student empowerment, encouraging active participation, where they themselves become fundamental actors in the transformation process.

The development of empowerment allows students to cope with emotional pressures and make decisions (Scarsi et al., 2021). In this context, the teacher must be able to delegate the power generated by the evaluation and give the responsibility of learning to the student, the latter being owners of their own work, considering two aspects: the possession of power and the responsibility of their learning process (Morales, 2021). In this same view, Quesada (2017) indicates that a student who develops empowerment in their learning process encourages them to assume that learning to learn is a fundamental part of it; being a process of internal knowledge that allows them to enhance their skills and develop in a collaborative scenario with their peers.

The active participation of students therefore allows for the promotion of empowerment and, in turn, the development of reflection, adaptation and decision-making skills (Scarsi et al., 2021).

Assessment, understood from this perspective, implies that we have active and critical students, who give their opinions, argue and develop critical thinking, under a collaborative and teamwork perspective. Assessment, from this perspective, establishes that the teaching staff must delegate assessment responsibilities to the students, who begin to feel ownership of their own work, developing the ability to know the goals, progress and weaknesses they present (Taberneiro, 2015).

Implementing an assessment under the empowerment approach promotes in students the development of multiple complex skills associated with communication, teamwork, critical and reflective thinking, and thus promotes meaningful and deep learning (Mora- Vicariole, 2019).

Based on the above, this article describes and explores the use of evaluation procedures based on student participation regarding the objectives and achievements in their learning outcomes, promoting evaluation processes based on empowerment and the transfer of effective learning from the evaluation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The research is assumed from an intrinsic case study, following the postulate of Sandín (2003), with the purpose of describing the implementation of collaborative evaluation processes and their impact on the self-regulation of student learning, through inquiry and deepening from the perception of the teachers who participated in the Diploma in Innovation in University Teaching, offered by the University.

The sample was intentional and consisted of a total of 20 teachers who participated in the Diploma in Learning Assessment during the year 2023.

From an evaluative perspective, all formative and summative evaluations of the subject were collaborative; in this way, the groups were organized autonomously with the purpose of attending the two subjects considered and a final exam. The minimum efficiency, from an edumetric approach, was 60% with respect to the ideal or maximum score; in each evaluative situation, each group had access in due time to the corresponding analytical rubrics.

Once the Authentic Assessment and Effective Feedback subject was completed, the data collection, with prior ethical consent from the teachers and their authorization, was carried out in 2023. For this purpose, the ALE-Q-Evaluation Climate Questionnaire was applied in the first instance, as learning and empowerment in Higher Education Ibarra- Sáiz, María Soledad & Rodríguez-Gómez, Gregorio- EVAL for Research Group (SEJ509) - Evaluation & Assessment in Training Contexts, considering dimension number five referring to empowerment with five questions, and dimension seven referring to the transfer of learning with six questions, all structured on a five-option Likert scale:

1: Strongly disagree

2: Disagree

3: Agreed

4: I totally agree

0: Not applicable

In addition, an individual interview was used, with three initial guiding questions directed at the students, using the Google digital platform form. Students expressed their opinions voluntarily, freely and in a relaxed manner, and were able to intervene and express their ideas whenever they needed to. They were given explanations and their contributions were requested in a context of continuous improvement of the subject and their opinions were not binding on the results reflected in their academic performance.

RESULTS

From the results obtained, and from the quantitative analysis of the responses given by the students, it can be noted, as illustrated in Table 1, the average of the responses. It can be seen that the areas with the greatest decline, in relation to student empowerment, are related to the students' capacity for self-determination within their academic and extra-academic life (2.8); and to their capacity to learn and develop as a person (2, 8). On the other hand, according to the decisional criteria, the most valued aspects are those related to enhancing problem-solving skills (3.5); the increase in students' self-confidence (3.5); the teacher's review of student work and activities, as well as providing feedback on productions, which helped students to learn, recognize their mistakes and improve (3.5).

Table 1- Average responses to the Empowerment dimension of the ALEQ (Questionnaire)

Empowerment Dimension	Average responses
I have been able to enhance my problem-solving skills	3.5
I have increased my self-confidence	3.5
I have increased my ability to learn and develop as a person	3.1
I have expanded my capacity for self-determination within my academic and extra-academic life.	2.8
Teachers have reviewed my work and activities and provided feedback to help me learn and improve.	3.5
I have increased my self-confidence.	3.0
I have increased my ability to learn and develop as a person.	2.8

In addition to the above, as illustrated in table 2, the average responses show that the areas with the lowest scores in terms of learning transfer are related to the ability of students to carry out their assessment tasks in an original and innovative way (2.8); as well as the development of critical skills and autonomous and independent work (3.0). In addition, according to the decision-making criteria, the most highly valued aspects are those related to the significant improvement in the student's capacity for reflection (3.4) and the students' analytical capacity.

Table 2- Average responses for the Learning Transfer dimension. ALEQ questionnaire

Learning Transfer Dimension	Average responses
I have significantly improved my ability to reflect	3.4
I have been able to carry out my assessment tasks in an original and innovative way.	2.8
I have developed my critical skills	3.0
I have worked and contributed in teams to produce joint results	3.4
I have developed my analytical skills	3.6
I have improved my self-employment and independent work skills	3.0

Furthermore, based on the individual interview conducted with the students, who voluntarily participated, it should be noted, as illustrated in Table 3, that two large descriptive categories of analysis and 28 units of meaning emerge, namely:

Table 3- Descriptive categories of analysis

Descriptive categories	Number of meaning units
Category 1. Active participation in the assessment of learning	12
Category 2. Application of the contents	16

Category 1. Active participation in the assessment of learning

"…working with my colleagues, analyzing, reviewing and improving our work was very interesting…"

"…it was very helpful to receive clear examples of what was expected of us and to have the teacher's guidance. Her pointing out mistakes and offering us ways to correct them was especially beneficial…"

"…working as a team under the guidance of the teacher increased my commitment to the task."

"…receiving clear, written instructions was very helpful."

Category 2. Application of the contents

"…I enjoyed working with other colleagues, especially because we were able to apply the content to our subjects, which was very practical, since it allowed us to highlight the errors, we are making in the evaluation we apply."

"…it was very helpful to have clarity about what is expected of us, as it gives us direction. Having guidelines for correction and spaces to acknowledge and reflect on our mistakes is something I find very valuable."

"…by facing my mistakes, I was able to recognize what I had missed and what I had misunderstood, as well as what I must correct in the future."

"…I really enjoyed working with my partner and going over mistakes together."

DISCUSSION

The results obtained confirm the need to innovate and modify the teaching-learning processes in university teaching and, particularly, as an object of study in evaluation procedures, as pointed out by Feixas, M. and Martínez- Usarralde, M. (2022); likewise, the findings of Prado (2021) on the need for greater student participation, which encourages autonomy and responsibility. This undoubtedly underlines the importance of students themselves assuming an active, empowered and democratic role in their evaluation processes, as pointed out by Asensio (2023).

As students acknowledge, getting involved in their assessment processes gives them a deeper meaning, which translates into greater commitment, better recognition of their achievements and mistakes, and self-reflection, as argued by Ibarra- Saíz. et al. (2029).

By recognizing their active participation in the assessment processes, students benefit by self-assessing their achievements and collaborating equally with their peers in the review of work, tasks and productions. This creates conditions for them to self-regulate their own learning, developing codes that are subsequently translated into successive learning. In addition, with effective feedback, both from the teacher and from their peers, students are able to make informed decisions about their learning, recognizing and expressing their errors, as Scarsi points out. et al. (2021).

The findings of Mora- Vicarioli (2019) are also reaffirmed regarding the positive impact on student learning when students are allowed to empower themselves in these processes. Assessment then becomes a tool that promotes self-reflective, strategic and self-regulated learning. Promoting individual and collaborative assessment processes, with different modalities, generates in students a more positive attitude towards learning, greater commitment to the task and expectations of academic success, as indicated by Ibarra- Sáiz et al. (2020).

These successes also underline the importance of the teacher, in the context of evaluation processes, providing clear instructions, providing evaluation guidelines, rubrics and other resources that facilitate student work at all times, as mentioned by Morales et al. (2021) and Quesada (2017).

The active participation of students in their evaluation processes, through the empowerment that arises from collaboration with their peers and from the activities implemented by teachers, validates the usefulness of participatory evaluation to promote complex learning, as highlighted by Taberneiro (2015).

However, it is essential that students become active actors and protagonists of the evaluation processes, which encourages greater commitment to tasks and expectations of academic success. Offering them the opportunity to recognize their mistakes through self-esteem is a great way to achieve success. Study, self-reflection and working with peers allows them to take control of their learning, verbalize their mistakes and make strategic decisions for their benefit. Implementing transformational assessment models based on student empowerment represents a major challenge for Higher Education, since historically, assessment approaches have been legitimized in which students have been passive and receptive to the decisions made by the teacher.

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Conflict of interests:

The authors declare not to have any interest conflicts.

Authors' contribution:

The authors participated in the design and writing of the article, in the search and analysis of the information contained in the consulted bibliography.

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