Significados y prácticas de evaluación formativa de los docentes formadores de profesores

The evaluation of learning constitutes a relevant process of collecting information to evidence progress and difficulties both in students' training and in teachers' pedagogical practices; it is used to make substantive and timely decisions to improve teaching and learning. To this effect, process evaluations become relevant because of their formative purpose. This research aims to understand the meanings and practices of the formative evaluation of university teachers who are teacher trainers, who teach in pedagogy careers in two Chilean universities. To fulfill this objective, a qualitative study of descriptive-interpretative type was carried out, with a phenomenological design that contemplated the application of an in-depth interview and a non-participating observation of classes to eight teachers (four from a traditional university and four from a private university). The results show that teacher trainers understand the formative evaluation as a tool to improve the learning process; this one would not have planning or a definition of formative evaluation, but rather formative characteristics intermingled with a traditional model of evaluation with a vague teacher's role. In their practices, teachers carry out formative evaluation actions, but they relate them to concrete activities or products. In conclusion, the teachers value the formative evaluation as a process that allows them to intervene, correct, and model. However, it is thought of as an event or instance, more than a reflexive process consubstantial to the learning process.