Perceptions of classroom assessment environment and its role in agricultural student's academic achievement: the mediating role of self-directed learning

lassroom assessment can influence learner's motivation and achievement. Today, the field of classroom assessment faces different challenges. One way of dealing with these challenges is improving student's perceptions of classroom assessment system. The present study aimed to investigate perceptions of classroom assessment environment and its relationship with agricultural students’ academic achievement. The study was a descriptive-correlation survey. Statistical population consisted of all master and doctoral degree students of public universities in Iran (N=87820). Using Krejcie and Morgan’s table and stratified random sampling method 384 students were selected. The main tool for data collection was a researcher made questionnaire. Its face and content validity were confirmed by a panel of agricultural extension and education experts. In order to assess the reliability of the questionnaire Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was calculated for different parts (0.75 - 0.82). According to the results, there were a positive and significant relation between students’ perceptions of learning-oriented assessment environment and self-directed learning. According to the path analysis results, the students’ perceptions of performance-oriented structural assessment had the most causal negative impact on academic achievement. It is recommended that the educational officials adopt one of their crucial programs on changing from performance-oriented evaluation methods to learning-oriented