Examination of Primary School Teachers' Attitudes and Self-Efficacy Levels Towards Formative Assessment

Formative assessment helps teachers to identify learning needs and challenges as well as helping students to develop a stronger understanding of their own academic strengths and weaknesses. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of a formative assessment training programme for primary school teachers on teachers' attitudes towards formative assessment and their self-efficacy perceptions. A total of 79 primary school teachers working in Kahramanmaraş province in the 2024-2025 academic year participated in the study. Teachers' attitudes and self-efficacy perceptions towards formative assessment before and after the training were compared. The results showed that there was a statistically significant increase in teachers' attitudes and self-efficacy levels towards formative assessment after the training. Attitude and self-efficacy levels did not differ according to gender and professional experience, but it was seen that the self-efficacy levels of the participants with postgraduate education were higher. Finally, teachers' positive and negative opinions on formative assessment were analysed. Teachers' positive opinions are generally in the themes of formative assessment supporting student improvement and providing rapid feedback. Negative opinions, on the other hand, centred on the themes that formative assessment is time- consuming and difficult to implement in crowded classrooms.