Will evaluation lead us to the promised land?

Abstract

Evaluation is a recurring theme in the educational realm. As evaluation has many points of view and implications on the lives of those evaluated, the debate seems endless. This article analyzes from a critical perspective, some statements formulated by those who champion the dominant paradigm on evaluation for Mexican primary education (that is, evaluation as measurement and carried out through standardized tests). Analysis indicated that this paradigm faces difficulties in contributing to educational improvement. Likewise, using recent theoretical contributions, a comparison is made between some elements of official discourse on evaluation and the evaluation practices carried out in the schools. The analysis revealed that there is incongruence between aspirations of the dominant paradigm and reality.