Preservice teachers’ assessment literacy: A systematic review

Assessment literacy is essential for improving teaching, learning, and accountability. While teacher education is crucial in developing preservice teachers’ assessment literacy, previous reviews have not systematically examined how it has been operationalized and conceptualized in empirical studies. This study addresses this gap through a systematic review of 39 empirical studies, conducted in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol. Results indicate that researchers relied on tests and questionnaires grounded in assessment standards, guidelines, or contextual curricula. This review proposes a conceptual framework demonstrating that preservice teachers’ assessment literacy development is a dynamic process shaped by the interplay of personal (beliefs, efficacy, prior experience), contextual (training opportunities, institutional culture), and external (supervising agencies, policy) factors. The findings underscore the need for context-sensitive methodological approaches and reflect the increasing integration of information and communication technology knowledge, while offering implications for teacher education and research in educational assessment. • 39 studies on PTs’ AL tools and contributing factors are systematically reviewed. • AL approaches shift from testing to self-reported and scenario-based tools. • Guiding principles are proposed for developing valid, context-sensitive AL tools. • PTs’ AL is shaped by the interplay of personal, contextual, and external factors. • The proposed AL framework conceptualizes PTs’ transitional professional status.