Evaluation in primary education as starting point in the development of inclusive improvement plan in the Region of Murcia

Abstract

Educational institutions face the challenge of offering quality and inclusive education. Assessment thus becomes an essential tool to determine where we are and what ought to be changed in order to achieve our ends. In this paper we present a self-assessment process carried out in four primary schools from the Region of Murcia (Spain). The instrument used was the Self-Assessment Guide for Attention to Diversity from Inclusion (ACADI), specifically, the educational process dimension. This instrument allowed the four schools to get a diagnosis of their current situation, as well as to identify their strengths and weaknesses in order to promote education for all. This study applied a cooperative and evaluative research methodology, in which participants from each of the schools reflected upon their own reality and practice. Overall results showed that planning and organization of teaching, respect for students´ learning styles, and open-minded assessment were key strengths. On the other hand, the main weaknesses were organization of teacher support, respect for students´ learning pace and individual characteristics, school-social context interaction, and active involvement of students in their own learning. The main conclusion is that learning about the difficulties faced by schools is the first step to promote inclusive schools.