A Conceptual Framework for Assessments of Educational Achievement in Elementary Course Based on the Upstream Documents

This study aimed at designing a conceptual framework for assessments of educational achievement in elementary course based on upstream documents and its validation. The research method of the first phase was descriptive and included qualitative content analysis. In second phase, survey method was used. The statistical population of the first phase included three upstream documents which were selected as sample corpus using the census method and coding process was done using MAXQDA-20. From 101 raw codes 13 categories and 4 themes (religious and ethical principles, goals/function, operational procedures and judgment/reporting) were extracted. First theme included two categories (religious and ethical); second theme included improving student’s dimensions (psychological and cognitive/non-cognitive) and non-student’s dimensions; third theme included personnel, characteristics of tools, assessment methods, comprehensiveness and approach and forth theme included judgement based on competencies/criteria, results and reporting. In order to validate this conceptual framework, a sample of 30 experts, selected by the purposeful sampling method, responded to the researcher-made questionnaire. One sample t-test showed that the conceptual framework for assessments of educational achievement in elementary course has acceptable internal validity (t=2.38, P<0.05). Implications and suggestions of the conceptual framework can be used for the comprehensive assessments of the educational achievement in elementary course according to the current assessment system.