Gli strumenti per la valutazione scolastica: tipologie e funzioni

Starting from the etymological and conceptual bond between ‘strumento’ and ‘instruction’ terms within the educational area of research, the contribution runs through the main stages by which educational research identified typologies and related functions of the evaluation tools in the school. The diachronic development outlined recovers the value of such tools as ‘devices’ - at the same time, meantools and devices-expedients - and highlights some prodromal signs of the current paradigm change in the evaluation research field - from ‘assessment of learning’ to ‘assessment for learning’. Finally, reflections are offered on the need for an awareness, on the part of school teachers, regards use, choice and construction of tools, with a view to their professional development.