Self-Assessed Gap of Acquired and Desired Assessment Skills of Prospective Teachers

The difference between the skills desired to carry out assessments tasks and the skills actually acquired during pre-service teaching training program by prospective teachers is being referred to as skills’ gap. The study draws its basis from 5thnational professional standards for teachers, which describes necessary assessment skills for teachers. This study intends to find out the assessment skills of prospective teachers. The assessment skills consisting of 39 items and three subscales were used to collect data from 333 prospective teachers selected from four public sector universities of central Punjab. The majority of the prospective teachers acquired a moderate level of assessment skills (Mean= 4.37, SD = 0.96). The average desired level of assessment skills (Mean= 5.45, SD = 0.91) was higher than the acquired level majority of the prospective teachers acquired a moderate level of assessment skills. Positive relationship between acquired and desired level of assessment skills leads to the conclusion that the prospective teachers who desire higher level of assessment skills achieve comparatively higher level and vice versa. Gender differences were found in existing and desired self-assessed assessment skills, knowledge of assessment, dispositions towards assessment and skills of assessment in the favour of female’ prospective teachers. The study may contribute to improve the achieved level of assessment skills by sensitizing the prospective teachers and teacher educators about the significance of desired level of assessment skills in improving the acquired level.