Processes or/and Products – What do teachers assess?

Abstract

This paper draws on research that is part of a larger project supported by the Swedish Research Council
investigating communication and learning in Sloyd practices. In the paper I provide a brief outline of what the Sloyd subject is in Swedish schools and what the similarities and differences are between Sloyd and
Technology. It is hoped that the issues raised through the Sloyd research will be helpful in considering
similar issues in Technology Education. What learning qualities and other values do teachers describe, when assessing their students? It is known that classroom talk is not very developed in Sloyd classes. How then is it possible to teach and to learn during Sloyd lessons? According to the result from the National Evaluation of all subjects in Swedish schools, Sloyd teachers and their students, to some extent, had different opinions about what qualities of learning were desirable. The teachers put priority on assessing the processes, while the students thought it was the result and finish of every product that was most important when teachers made their assessments. I will discuss what teachers think they assess, based on repertory grid interviews and using analysis frameworks from other research in art education. The results indicate some difference between the language used for thinking and the language used for communication. I argue for the need to develop professional languages for use in learning, teaching and assessment in Sloyd classrooms and suggest there may be parallel issues for Technology Education.