ARE ASSESSMENTS REALLY TEACHING?
What New Research Says About Hidden Messages in Assessment
Excellent Educator, 3(11), 13-14, 2026
WHAT RESEARCH FOUND
Researchers investigated how students interpreted messages communicated through assessment practices in a college science course. Students often concluded that success depended on producing instructor-approved answers rather than understanding ideas deeply.
Assessment tasks, answer keys, and grading systems communicated powerful messages about what counted as knowledge. Over time, these messages shaped students’ beliefs about learning itself.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Students learn more than content from assessments. They also learn what schools value.
CLASSROOM REALITY
| Teachers Want | Students Often Experience |
| Deep understanding | Answer hunting |
| Scientific reasoning | Memorization |
| Evidence use | Key matching |
| Inquiry | Performance focus |
TRY TOMORROW
- Ask students to explain reasoning.
- Use open-ended questions.
- Reward evidence-based thinking.
- Discuss multiple approaches.
CAUTION
Assessment design can unintentionally encourage superficial learning.
ONE KEY TAKEAWAY
Students pay close attention to what assessments reward—and adjust their learning accordingly.
Keywords: assessment, epistemology, science learning, reasoning
Reference:
Schwarz, C. E., DeGlopper, K. S., Greco, N. C., Russ, R. S., & Stowe, R. L. (2025). Modeling student negotiation of assessment-related epistemological messages in a college science course.