Competenze valutative degli insegnanti e recupero delle carenze: uno studio esplorativo nella scuola secondaria superiore della provincia autonoma di Trento = Teachers' assessment skills and recovery of deficiencies: an exploratory study in secondary schools in the autonomous province of Trento

In the Italian educational context, addressing learning gaps and preventing school dropout are top priorities. This exploratory study, part of the “Formative Assessment and Learning Recovery” project in the Autonomous Province of Trento, aims to map teachers’ assessment competences (assessment literacy) and their conceptions of assessment. Furthermore, it investigates how upper secondary schools organize and implement remedial tests for students with learning deficits. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of 481 teachers from 20 secondary schools. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and mixed-effects models to estimate the variance at the school level. The findings indicate overall good levels of assessment literacy among teachers, particularly in direct assessment actions like formulating objectives and designing tests. However, a lack of proficiency was found in basic statistics and measurement. A conception of “assessment for learning” predominates across the sample. Regarding remedial practices, while test design and criteria definition often involve departmental collaboration, the analysis of results remains a largely individual task. Significant differences between schools emerged in the shared use of assessment criteria and the methods of providing feedback to students. Future interventions should focus on strengthening data-driven assessment skills and promoting greater collegiality in the analysis of learning outcomes to ensure more effective recovery strategies.