How does examining influence teachers’ assessment literacy?

Assessment literacy (AL) is an important part of teachers’ professional practice; however, there are concerns that many teachers in the UK do not have sufficient AL. Many countries have systems which rely on teachers who work as examiners to mark students’ exam papers. It has been suggested that professional examining experiences may act as a form of assessment Continuing Professional Development (CPD), helping teachers to develop their AL through the experience gained and training received. In this article we report the outcomes of a research study where we explored teachers’ perceptions of the influence of examining on their AL using a survey method. Our research highlights that teachers believe that examining does influence their AL and that this impact goes beyond simply summative assessment, influencing their wider teaching practices and professional relationships.