Rethinking Learning Assessment in Education for Sustainable Development: A Call for Action

The role of assessment in education for sustainable development (ESD) is in need of re-assessment. Despite its importance, assessment in ESD has been criticized for its detrimental effects on learner well-being, lack of innovation and failure to adequately consider fundamental sustainability principles, limiting its integral link to learning. A framework for ESD-sensitive assessments is proposed, considering the ‘WHAT’, ‘HOW’, ‘WHO’ and ‘WHY’ of assessment. This commentary argues that constructive alignment is needed not only between objectives, pedagogies and assessment, but also between these considerations of assessment and their alignment with general principles and aspirations of ESD. By rethinking assessment along these lines, and by grounding them in local contexts, ESD can contribute to its original task of reorienting quality education towards sustainable development. In light of this endeavour, the authors call for a more nuanced understanding of the purposes, methods, roles and objectives of ESD learning assessment, and how they can be aligned to better support ESD principles and aspirations.