An Exploration of Iranian EFL Teachers’ Perceptions of the Challenges to Democratic Assessment: A qualitative study

کد مقاله : 1091-ELTCONF7. (R1)

نویسندگان

ناصر رشیدی *، رحیمه کاربخش دانشگاه شیراز

چکیده مقاله

This study explored Iranian English as a Foreign Language teachers’ perceptions of the challenges that hinder the implementation of democratic assessment practices. The investigation aimed to identify external and internal obstacles that prevent teachers from employing inclusive, participatory, and fair assessment approaches in educational context. This investigation followed a qualitative design, in which semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve teachers working in various educational contexts such as public schools and private institutes.The interviews were analyzed thematically utalizing systematic coding to ensure both reliability and validity. The findings revealed that teachers face multiple external challenges, such as institutional pressures, insufficient training and resources, heavy workloads, and limited administrative support. Internal challenges included sociocultural biases, traditional beliefs about authority, and students’ limited awareness and participation in assessment processes. Furthermore, policy resistance and the dominance of standardized testing restrict teachers’ professional autonomy and innovation. In conclusion, the study presented that inadequate teacher preparation and systemic constraints are the most critical impediments to democratic assessment, highlighting the need for professional development, institutional reform, and culturally responsive assessment policies.

کلیدواژه ها

Teacher cognition, Democratic assessment, Assessment challenges, Educational reform.

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