Abstract

This study investigated the beliefs and practices of university lecturers around assessment
theories and their links with teaching practices. Given the discrepancies in the literature,
the research explored the gap in theoretical understandings of summative and formative
assessment and the relationship between them, as well as the relationship with lecturers’
own practices. In total, 109 lecturers from a Colombian institution of higher education
participated. An instrument consisting mainly of quantitative questions, with some
qualitative questions, which was originally designed to investigate these beliefs and
practices among higher education lecturers in England, was used. The translation,
validation and reliability processes of the instrument were carried out. Thus, an
exploratory factorial study was performed to establish the dimensions of the instrument,
determining seven factors. The results indicate discrepancies between what lecturers
understand by formative and summative assessment and their practices in the classroom.