Learning Assessment Practices in Contemporary Education: A Study in Three Secondary Education Institutions of San Juan Bautista, Misiones, Paraguay

Abstract

Assessment of learning was a central element of the educational process, aimed not only at verifying knowledge but also at developing skills and meaningful learning. However, in Paraguayan secondary education, traditional practices were evident, which hindered the development of formative and authentic approaches. The objective of this study was to analyze the learning assessment procedures that secondary school teachers have been developing in the three public educational institutions of the city of San Juan Bautista, department of Misiones, during 2025. A mixed-methods design was used, with a descriptive level and a cross-sectional design using concurrent triangulation. One hundred teachers and 250 students were included by census, and 15 teachers served as key informants for semi-structured interviews and documentary analysis of portfolios. The results indicated strong support for integrating diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment, with 87% of respondents in favor of the formative use of assessment; however, traditional summative assessment instruments still carried significant weight. Through qualitative analysis, pedagogical, institutional, and technological limitations were identified, including administrative pressures, a general lack of training in assessment as a specific subject, and connectivity restrictions. Through triangulation of sources, a hybrid evaluative culture was identified, situated between traditional and contemporary models. The study concluded that institutional, technological, and organizational conditions, in addition to pedagogical knowledge, influenced the actual transformation of assessment practices.