Social representations of the students of a degree nursing course about assessment in the teaching-learning process

Abstract

This is a descriptive, qualitative study on the point-of-view of students in a Nursing degree course in the State of Minas Gerais in order to identify and to analyze the social representations on assessment by teachers in the teaching-learning process. We used analytical categories and discussed teaching concepts. The results showed the use of assessment in the teaching-learning process had two functions: one negative: "content reproduction" to "measure knowledge", valuing mistakes, among others. On the other hand, the positive function: "participant", procedural, building knowledge. These representations by the students come close to current tendencies in the field of evaluation in education. However, there is a need for reflection on concrete practices of evaluation that come from a traditional pedagogic conception in the students' representations.