Assessment and development: Some theoretical and practical issuesNotation et developpement: Quelques aspects theoriques et pratiquesAsesoramiento y desarrollo: Algunos planteamientos teoricos y practicos

The study of educational assessment procedures has been traditionally largely the concern of psychometricians and educational administrators. Little attention has typically been given to trying to understand the social origins of particular procedures and their implications for individual pupils and the society as a whole. This article explores the strength of the hold of assessment procedures on education systems and some of the more noticeable international trends in educational assessment at the present time. The article suggests that although these trends tend to be more visible in developed countries, the pressure for reform is more urgent in developing countries where the likelihood of realisation is most problematic.As well as exploring the significance of a number of common national characteristics, the article examines briefly the implications of different administrative arrangements as they affect the role of assessment in the education system. The final part of the paper offers a more speculative analysis of the scope for fundamental change in assessment procedures in line with the new demands likely to be made on educational systems by current economic and technological trends.