Educational Assessment: A Powerful Tool for Sustainable Education

Dear Colleagues,

In the ever-evolving educational landscape, the role of pedagogy has changed from merely imparting knowledge to being a central force for all-encompassing development. Contemporary education that goes beyond traditional methods of content delivery enables individuals to participate in a continual cycle of learning. This paradigm fosters an environment in which learners not only absorb factual knowledge, but also sharpen their analytical skills and cultivate a sense of global responsibility so that they can address contemporary challenges. The role of assessment is central to this challenging matrix of modern education. In the past, assessments were very limited and often restricted to summative assessments that focused on memory recall. Given our advanced understanding of the multiple aspects of learning and cognition, such a view seems less and less useful. The beginning of the 21st century saw a paradigmatic shift in academic thinking. The academic community began to acknowledge the plethora of skills, abilities, and perspectives that constitute real learning. This recognition underscored the need for multiple and adaptive assessments that were attuned to the myriad modalities through which individuals acquire knowledge. When carefully crafted and seamlessly integrated into instructional frameworks, assessments evolve from simple assessment tools to platforms for constructive feedback that facilitate introspection and foster a culture of continuous improvement among teachers and learners alike. This nuanced perspective on assessment is particularly evident in the context of sustainable education, a concept that is gaining prominence in global academic discourse. When we hear the term “sustainability,” we involuntarily think of protecting the environment. However, sustainable education goes beyond this limited view. It advocates a comprehensive pedagogical strategy that harmoniously weaves together the cognitive, affective, and social spectrums of learners. The sustainable education ethos emphasizes inclusivity and ensures that every learner is recognized, included, and valued. It also requires curriculum content to be aligned with concrete, real-world challenges and evidence, which requires adaptability in response to societal change. In navigating the complicated choreography of sustainable education, assessments serve a dual function: they serve as guideposts and critical evaluators. These tools calibrate and maintain the intended pedagogical rhythm while providing important insights for iterative refinement. Consequently, it is not a matter of merely possessing assessment mechanisms, but of using them prudently and critically. As we strive to shape the coming cohort of learners, these refined tools are central to ensuring that our educational initiatives are coherent, impactful, and enduringly meaningful.

In this Special Issue, we welcome original research articles and reviews. Research areas may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• National and international large-scale assessments;
• Classroom assessment: assessment of learning, for learning, and as learning;
• Assessment literacy;
• Assessment of deeper learning outcomes;
• Assessment of special populations;
• New developments in psychometrics;
• Applications of psychometrics ;
• Validity in educational assessment.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Shaljan Areepattamannil
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• educational assessment
• educational measurement
• educational statistics
• educational psychology