This Research About Teacher/Student Misalignment Is From Ghana, But I Think It Also Holds True In The U.S.

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I was struck by the conclusions of this recent education study in Ghana, Evaluating ESL classroom evaluation: teacher–student beliefs and teacher practices in Sunyani East Municipality, Ghana:

Findings revealed that while teachers endorsed alternative and formative evaluation strategies in principle, their practices remained largely summative due to systemic constraints such as large class sizes, workload, and time pressures. Students valued questioning, feedback, group work, and peer assessment, highlighting the importance of interactive approaches consistent with social constructivist principles. However, a misalignment between teacher beliefs and practices limited the potential of evaluation to support deeper learning. The study recommends policy reforms that integrate formative assessment into teacher training, strengthen professional learning communities, and empower school leadership to institutionalize classroom-based innovations.

I suspect that researchers might get similar responses from teachers and students in the United States.

I think it’s pretty clear that what teachers say they want to do, and what students say they want, are examples of the most effective teaching and learning experiences.   But, because of workload for many, and, I suspect, because it’s just easier and they don’t want to work hard for a few, many teachers take the less effective route.

What do you think?